Effect of the bedroom tax on foster carers

Early day motion 240, tabled 2 March 2020 by Sarah Owen (Labour). Signed by 31 members.

That this House notes that 56,160 children were living with foster families in 2019; further notes that the under-occupancy penalty (the so-called bedroom tax) was introduced in April 2013 under the Welfare Reform Act 2012; condemns the bedroom tax policy; expresses concern about the bedroom tax’s effect on some of the most vulnerable people in our country; notes that foster children are not counted as part of the household for benefit purposes; notes that foster carers are allowed one additional room in their home as long as they have registered as a foster carer or fostered a child within the past 12 months, meaning that foster carers with more than one child will still face the bedroom tax; further expresses concern that data on how many foster carers are subject to the bedroom tax is not readily available to the Government; calls on the Government to collect and make publicly available data on the number of foster carers who are subject to the bedroom tax; further calls on the Government to do more to support our hard working foster parents; urges the Government to acknowledge and reflect on the cruelty at the heart of its bedroom tax policy; and calls on the Government to abolish the bedroom tax.

Signatures by party: Labour 21, Labour/Co-operative 4, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 2, DUP 1, Liberal Democrat 1.