A Shocking Real Life Bedroom Tax Story

Elaine Bowers has just posted this here. I am shocked by it, so am sharing it everywhere possible.

ATTENTION PLEASE: THIS SHORT REAL LIFE SHOCKING STORY NEEDS TO BE HEARD

A lady who lives in Erdington who we have been fighting for, downsized due to the Bedroom Tax. She left her family who lived around the corner, due to the fact she couldn’t face another possession order, and the threat of eviction. She lived in that home for many years feeling safe and secure, until the Spare Room Subsidy was introduced. Right next to her family for support because of her conditions. This lady suffers with many conditions and has limited use of her body, her conditions are:

Fibromyalgia, Arthritis in lumber region, Cervical Spondylitis, Grade 4 kidney reflux (grade 5 is failure) this kidney only works at 53% the other doesn’t, Bursitis in joints, weakness in hands and arms, she has limited use of her body to the point she cant walk properly, repetitive infections, she has to self catheterise 4 times a day and take so many meds it unbelievable.

The repetitive infections that I mentioned are a direct result from this situation, this has come from her specialist, and they can tell because of the type of infection and where it originated from. This lady has become extremely sick due to the Housing Association choosing to save money rather than protect the welfare of a vulnerable disable person.

The first time I spoke to this lady she captured my heart by telling me

“I don’t know who I am anymore, who I am meant to be, I love to cook but cant anymore, the simplest of things have been taken away”

When she was told to move it was under the premise that her new tenancy was to be adapted for her needs. A wetroom was needed as hygiene is so important with cases like these as infections are easily introduced, and using a bath was out of the question with limited use of her body. Even an Occupational Therapist sanctioned these as an urgent request………

But the adaptations never came, she was left washing and self catheterising with a jug, and with limited use of her body what else could she do?

This went on for 6 months, even though this lady fought until she nearly lost all of herself in paperwork and phone calls pleading for help from her Housing Association. They ignored her and just palmed her off, until we took the case.

I discovered quite shockingly enough after becoming her advocate, that the reason her Housing Association had waited was because they only had 1 quote. That was their explanation to me, so I demanded they go an get another one and FAST. The poor lady had already been asked to go into hospital because of a nasty infection she was suffering in the only kidney she has left working, and to this day keeps coming back even worse due to the lack of proper equipment and adaptations in her home.

At last two days later we had a result, a date for the work to commence the 6th of January 2014, but then it was delayed again until the 28th. This was due to the fact they believed they didn’t have to provide temporary housing for this lady, whilst the work was being done. THEY WERE WRONG

After fighting to get the result this lady needed we managed to secure the temporary housing after going and finding a cheap hotel with a downstairs room and shower cubical, quite shockingly enough this would put her in a better situation hygienically than in her own home currently, imagine that.

But now a new fight has started, this lady is a coeliac and can’t afford to pay for here food while she is away from her home. She is unable to travel back to her home and use her kitchen due to the sheer mess the builders have made clearing the kitchen to get the stock cock, and there is dust everywhere. TBH after everything she has been through I feel, and truly believe that the Housing Association that is in Erdington should in fact pay for this, and I wont give up.

I have now asked 3 times to be met with a “no” she has had her hotel paid for she isn’t getting her food too”

Oh really, I think that is the worst thing they could do to this lady after everything they have done to her.

Hang on, wait no…..

The worst bit is when she was told she was exempt from the Bedroom Tax and didn’t need to move at all, due to the Pre-96 Exemption. She has moved away from everyone and everything she loved to be treated like this.

If you are new to the Bedroom Tax and didn’t really understand the true effects to all of us, now you do. So I implore you to contact your MP’s and get them to support Ian Lavery’s 10 minute bill on the 12th of February which has the power to abolish the Spare Room Subsidy. There are thousands just like her that campaigners like myself support and we need to bring this down before our future generations are damaged beyond repair.

I have given this Housing Association 24hours to come back with a yes, regarding the food allowance. Otherwise I will give their name and this whole story to every single national newspaper that I trust

Sadly she can’t bear to have her photo placed in a newspaper unless her face is blacked out because she is frightened of the backlash. This is down to the fact of the channel 4 series Benefit Street, and the backlash the tenants faced.

Really we need to support people just like her and unite right now to abolish this pernicious rule.