'Bedroom tax' declared unlawful by Court of Appeal
Domestic violence victim and family of disabled teenager win legal challenges against policy
The Court of Appeal has declared the government's "bedroom tax" discriminatory and unlawful following a legal challenge by a victim of domestic violence and the family of a disabled teenager.
Since April 2013, social-housing tenants who have unoccupied bedrooms have had their benefits cut in a bid to encourage them to downsize to a smaller property.
But the spare room subsidy has faced criticism for disproportionately affecting the vulnerable and causing financial problems for those unable to find suitable alternative accommodation.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Today, three judges at the Court of Appeal ruled in the favour of two parties who argued the policy was at fault for unlawful discrimination.
In one case, an unnamed single mother lived in a three-bedroomed council house fitted with a secure panic room to protect her from a violent ex-partner.
In the second case, Paul and Sue Rutherford, the grandparents of a severely disabled teenager, had a spare third bedroom for his equipment and to allow carers to stay overnight.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, Lord Justice Tomlinson and Lord Justice Vos allowed both appeals on the grounds the "admitted discrimination" in each case "has not been justified by the Secretary of State".
The government, which rejects the term "bedroom tax", has told the BBC it will appeal.
Ministers claim the removal of the spare room subsidy was a "fair and necessary reform" that aims to save around £480m a year from the housing benefit bill and enable families in overcrowded accommodation to find an appropriately sized property.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - December 22, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - the long and short of it, trigger finger, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off': tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published