Bedroom tax – just 6 per cent of tenants move

Only about 6 per cent of social housing tenants affected by the coalition government's 'bedroom tax' have moved home, according to research carried out by the BBC.

The bedroom tax policy – or 'withdrawal of the spare room subsidy' – was partly designed to cut under-occupancy of social housing and relieve overcrowding.

The BBC's research was based on responses from 331 social housing providers across England, Scotland and Wales.

Key findings

• 11 per cent of housing benefit recipients have been affected by the bedroom tax.
• Just 6 per cent of those affected have relocated. 
• 28 per cent of affected tenants have fallen into rent arrears for the first time in the past 12 months.
• 3 per cent of those affected have had legal action taken against them, for example eviction.

Employment Minister Esther McVey said: 'We were expecting over four or five years for maybe 30 per cent of people to move so it shows really that we are on track'.

Source: BBC report, 28 March 2014
Links: BBC report | Citizens Advice press release | Daily Mail report | New Statesman report