Plaid Cymru Official Statement on the Number of households in Carmarthenshire seeking help to deal with ‘Bedroom Tax’ soars

Figures revealed by a Freedom of Information request to Plaid Cymru show Carmarthenshire saw a 63 per cent increase in requests for a discretionary housing payment in the first two months since the introduction of the bedroom tax policy.

Local councils receive money each year to help those who qualify for housing or council tax benefit, but are having trouble paying their rent or council tax. This is known as the discretionary housing payment. The council decides who should be given the payments. When the money for the year runs out, no more payments can be made.

Applications for the payment in Carmarthenshire soared from 327 in the whole of 2012-13, to 534 in April and May 2013 – an increase of 63 per cent in just two months.

Figures received from 21 of Wales’s 22 local councils show that more than 35,000 people in Wales have been affected by the bedroom tax imposed by the Westminster Government. In Carmarthenshire almost 2,000 (1,988) people have seen changes to their housing benefit entitlement since the policy was introduced.

Sean Rees, Plaid Llanelli communications officer said:

“It is clear from the figures that many people have turned to local councils for top up help with their housing costs after seeing their benefit cut. Plaid Cymru is proud of our stance in opposing this bedroom tax at all levels of government: council, National Assembly and Westminster.”

“We are standing up for the 828 vulnerable residents in Llanelli who will feel the impact of this toxic policy being imposed by the Westminster government. It is also disappointing to see the Labour Party leadership support these Tory cuts being imposed on our communities, Labour representatives from Wales seem powerless.”

Plaid Cymru Assembly Member Simon Thomas added:

“Only last month I addressed a rally against austerity in Llanelli against the bedroom tax. Plaid Cymru calls upon the Government in London to abolish its unjust bedroom tax. Plaid Cymru MPs including my colleague for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Jonathan Edwards MP led a debate on this issue in the House of Commons. In the Senedd, in Cardiff Bay we have had a debate on the impact of the recession on women.”

“The bedroom tax is a politically-directed exercise to save money at the expense of some of Welsh society’s most vulnerable people. The action by the Westminster government will lead to a costly legacy for the people of Llanelli. As with most cuts imposed by Westminster, Wales is set to suffer disproportionately due to our high number of housing benefit and Disability Living claimants. It is also sad to see that Labour if elected as the government in Westminster are unlikely to reverse this decision.”

Swansea Council received more applications in the first two months of 2013/14 (820 applications) compared to a total of 802 for the whole of 2012/13.

Neath Port Talbot Council received 536 applications for support between April and June 2013, compared to a total of 561 for the whole of 2012/13.