'Bedroom Tax' and 'Poverty Porn'

It’s been twelve months now since the removal of the spare room subsidy – or, as critics and the media dubbed it, the ‘Bedroom Tax’.

If the issue of the welfare system and council housing weren’t really in the public consciousness twelve months ago, they certainly are now.

Not council houses: the now infamous James Turner Street

In recent months we’ve seen the vitriol emanating from the Twittersphere and Fleet Street surrounding White Dee and her neighbours on ‘Benefits Street’ and, most recently, we’ve seen the return to our screens of ‘How to Get a Council House.’ Channel Four’s ‘shock-umentaries’ have, in fairness to them, elevated these issues to the national debate. But they’ve also, rather unhelpfully, reinforced the grossly unfair negative stereotypes which are lauded over council tenants and people who are on benefits.

I have to admit – I couldn’t bring myself to watch ‘Benefits Street’ - but it was impossible to escape the editorial jibes or internet forum debates about work-shy scroungers. Instead of indulging in what some commentators have dubbed ‘poverty porn’, I prefer to focus on making a difference and trying to improve the lives and homes of people who live in our city.

Instead of debating whether White Dee will stand for parliament – perhaps the narrative now needs to switch to how we can fix some of the root causes to these problems; the chronic housing shortage; the need for more jobs and apprenticeships and a sensible, grown-up discussion about mental health.

One of my colleagues met with our local newspaper, the Express & Star, last week to talk to them about the Bedroom Tax, one year on. The subsequent headline read ‘Dozens risk eviction in Wolverhampton over Bedroom Tax’. Sadly, the headline rings true.

 

Around 3,500 tenants were affected by the welfare changes in the city. Just 37 have failed to pay anything – that means nearly 99% of those who had to find extra rent for the first time, have, somehow, made some sort of payment. And we’re grateful for that. I’m amazed that we’ve been able to retain our position as one of the highest rent collecting authorities in the country; collecting more than 98% of the rent we’re owed. That in itself should show that the overwhelming majority of our tenants are paying their way. From talking to lots of the tenants I meet, I know that some of them have had to make some really difficult choices and sacrifices to find that extra cash.

 

We're working to help tenants manage their budgets

Sadly, just a few hundred have been able to, or chosen to, move since last April. There’s a mixture of reasons for that – the two main ones being a shortage of smaller homes and, quite simply, people don’t want to move. To some, council houses are a commodity or asset– but to those who live in them, it’s their home.

Now whether the ‘Bedroom Tax’ stays or goes – what we do know is that financially, things for lots of our tenants are going to get worse before they get better.

We’ve invested a lot of money in offering support and debt advice to tenants – but for some, the cycle of debt feels never-ending. We held a focus group with some tenants and we asked them about debt and where they’d go to for help; and still people were saying that pay day lenders were an easy way to get money. What we’re saying is – yes – but they’re an easy way to get into dire financial trouble too.

My plea to anyone who is struggling with their finances is to please ask someone for advice. If you’re a tenant, then come and see us. Or pop and see your local Citizens Advice Bureau. Or open an account with your local credit union. There is help out there…and it doesn’t cost a billion % APR either.

I read a lovely letter last week from a tenant who was thanking our Money SmartTeam for all the work they’d done with her to help turn her financial woes around. If only more people would do what she did and asked us for help.

So, we can talk about ‘Benefits Street’ or ‘How to Get a Council House’. We can take to Twitter to condemn those who are unfortunate enough to be unemployed, or who have mental health problems. We can talk about whether the Bedroom Tax should or shouldn’t be scrapped. But what I’d rather we talk about are the real reasons and problems behind this smokescreen of a so-called welfare system debate. Let’s talk sensibly about how we build more social and council homes, how we treat and support vulnerable people and families in our communities and how we help people break that vicious cycle of debt so they can rebuild for themselves and their families, a brighter future.

Anyway - I'd much rather here about the tenants who have got inspiring stories to tell...like Michelle...