Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Sadly, it looks like you will probably have to experience depression and/or suicide either personally or to somebody that you love to alter your crass attitude. Your attitude towards those with mental health problems/disabilities at best can only be described as 'unhelpful' and are probably upsetting to read for the many members on this forum who have or are suffering from a mental health condition- think before you speak is a good rule of thumb in this situation.

It could happen to anybody, including you. Who would have thought that Andrew Flintoff had depression?

Nobody is suggesting that there isn't or shouldn't be claims for benefit that aren't successful- that would be ludicrous.

The coalition has changed, abused and brought in new illogical regulations in relation to the welfare state. This and the hideous way that these decisions are communicated (or in some cases claimants aren't even being informed as is their legal right) is unnecessarily contributing to the unprecedented suicide rate of some of our most vulnerable in society.

The reasons why the 'Spare Room Subsidy' is referred to and colloquially known as 'The Bedroom Tax' has been fully explained already.

You are correct in saying that private tenants have been subject to the 'Accommodation Exceeds Size Criteria' regulations since 15 January 1989.

However, the difference was that nobody currently living in their home at that point was affected, which is not the case with the Bedroom Tax. Tenants who have not moved can to this day have a Fair Rent set and the case won't be referred to the Rent Officer as it is known as a 'pre 1989 tenancy determination'.

Obviously, the majority of private tenants will have moved since the Tories introduced this regulation. The problem here is that they may not have known if the Accomodation Exceeds Size Criteria regulations affected them, so the rules were changed to allow tenants to obtain a Rent Officer determination BEFORE taking on a tenancy or moving in.

To summarise, affected council tenants had this imposed on them, whilst affected private tenants had the choice as to whether to go ahead or not once they knew if the size of the property would affect their benefit claim.