Some pensioners with spare rooms will be hit by reductions in housing benefit under what critics dub the Government's "bedroom tax", the Department of Work and Pensions said. A ComRes poll reveals most of the British public want to delay the tax.
Foster parents in some parts of the country may not be eligible for the discretionary fund made available to help those most affected by the 'bedroom tax', according to The Foster Network.
Vicky Swain said some of their members had already been informed they would not be able to access money set aside by the government:
"We've had foster carers who have received letters from their housing departments telling them they will not have access to discretionary fund, and worse still, that they may have to downsize."
"The money available is discretionary, it is up to individual local authorities how they spent that money and on whom. Foster carers are already being told, in some parts of the country, they will not have access to this money, and they will be using it for other, more needy groups of people."
A disabled woman and her partner have written to a minister urging a rethink on plans to cut benefits for tenants deemed to have spare rooms
The benefit cut for social housing tenants will put 'unbearable' pressure on families with a disabled child.
Bedrooms in some foster homes will be classified as vacant, but the government insists funding for foster carers will be protected.