STOP THE BEDROOM TAX

It reduces benefits to some tenants who the government think live in a house that is too large for them. The Bedroom Tax is a change to housing benefit rules from 1st April 2013.

What is it?

South Manchester
southmcr.no2bedtax@gmail.com

DOES IT AFFECT me?

The change only affects housing association and council tenants. Also, if you and your partner are both above retirement age, you wont be affected. But you might be affected if: You have one or more unused bedrooms - even if a visiting child or carer sleeps in those rooms quite often You have two children of any gender under 10yrs who sleep in their own rooms You have two children under 16yrs of the same sex who sleep in their own rooms

See overleaf for more detail and for useful contact information

WHAT TO DO - in THREE useful steps

1 ASSESS

If youre in doubt, call or visit your housing association to ask if you have to pay.

APPEAL 2 FIGHT! 3

Find out if you and your friends might have to pay

Use the information overleaf to challenge it

If you are found to have one extra bedroom, your housing benefit will be cut by 14%. If you are found to have two or more, it will be cut by 25%.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

southmcr.no2bedtax@gmail.com facebook.com/NTBGM

NOBEDROOMTAX.CO.UK

Get involved in the campaign to axe the tax!

THREE STEPS TO STOP THE TAX

Find out whether you, your friends and your neighbours are affected by the bedroom tax. If youre not sure, seek advice from your housing association.

1 2 3

ASSESS APPEAL

useful contacts
UNITE COMMUNITY UNION
A trade union everyone in our communities can join, regardless of their employment status
greatermanchesterunite.wordpress.com

Advice
Citizens Advice Bureau and Community Legal Advice Service (CLAS) 159 Princess Road, Moss Side, M14 4RE www.manchestercab.org.uk tel:08444 111 222 You may want to contact your housing association to find out if you will have to pay the tax - or to lobby them to help tenants, not carry out evictions. City South: citysouthmanchester.co.uk MossCare: mosscare.org.uk Eastlands eastlandshomes.co.uk

You have until 1st May 2013 to appeal against the bedroom tax. Dont let anyone tell you theres no point! Always appeal! For an appeal letter you can use, email us and encourage your neighbours and friends to do the same. You can apply for discretionary housing payments from the council if your home is at risk. You can get the form by calling 0161 234 5003. If the 600,000 people hurt by the tax across the UK appeal and use their rights, the system will jam, and the tax will be delayed.

housing associationS

Remember - you dont need to do this alone. South Manchester Stop the Bedroom Tax is here so we can stand together.

The bedroom tax is a rotten and unfair attempt by the Tory-LibDem government to destroy working class communities and force us from our homes so private landlords can profit. But we dont have to accept it. We can fight back. Heres how. 1. By writing, petitioning and lobbying our landlords not to evict anyone in arrears because of the bedroom tax 2. By demanding our councillors and councils provide a home to anyone who is evicted. Theres plenty around to be renovated and used. Write greatermanchesterunite.wordpress.com them letters and go to their surgeries. 3. By raising awareness - using social media, the letters page of the local papers, and just creating a fuss! 4. Building coalitions of resistance:will local churches, charities, local businesses and community groups support the campaign? 5. By building networks which can take action to stop evictions. Making a phone tree of friends and neighbours who are willing to form a human blockade against bailiffs. 6. Doing some research:making sure bailiffs, landlords and other blackactivistrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com authorities follow the law and dont use intimidating tactics

FIGHT!

Contact us:southmcr.no2bedtax@gmail.com

ANTiCAPITALIST INITIATIVE
anticapitalists.org