Petition launched against "bedroom tax"

A Midlands council is drawing up a petition against the Government's so-called "bedroom tax", saying it will hit more than 6000 of its tenants. Nottingham City Council says the new rules on housing benefit which will penalise householders who have a spare bedroom are unfair. The changes come into force on April 1.

Today, people affected by the benefit cuts were due to tell their story to a meeting of the full council.

The "bedroom tax" will hit families, whose children have grown up and left home and foster carers who have extra rooms for children, but the biggest impact will be on the disabled. Single mother, Susan Henderson, from Canning Circus in Nottingham, has two sons under the age of ten, one of whom is autistic. At the moment they have their own bedrooms, but under the new rules children under the age of 16 will have to share a room.

Mrs Henderson said she is already on benefits and won't be able to afford to pay for the extra bedroom: "It will cause problems," she said. "My older boy will keep the younger one awake - it will be very hard on them."