I went to visit a lady this week who was very upset by the bedroom tax, Sue. She was not upset for herself. She lives in an adapted bungalow with her beautiful dog, Poppy. She has lived there for years, and there she cared for her husband, who has now sadly passed away. She has a loving family, and when they are not about, a lovely network of friends.
She makes beautiful cakes and is an excellent cook. Trust me, her Victoria sponge is fantastic. Each week she makes cakes and soup for a charity based across the road from her home. This is a fabulous charity based around helping people in crisis. They also run a community cadets scheme, getting young people from the estate to take pride in their estate, litter picking, planting and generally being contributors to the local area. Each week they get cakes and soup after their graft, from Sue. She manages to make this and transport it across the road despite being on a crutch as she struggles to walk, luckily the lads and girls can see her from the window and go to help.
As I spoke to her , I had to ask that really rude rude question that no lady wishes to be asked. "how old are you?" 60 in October came the answer.
Doomed , she is another victim of bedroom tax.
She was very upset, she showed me every room of her home, it was lovely. How did I tell her?
We started to discuss the bedroom tax, or underoccupancy charge. She said she could not leave the house, she would find a way to pay. But that may mean she doesn't have a few quid to make the kids, who help keep the estate nice, cakes and soup.
This is a side of bedroom tax we don't often see. She had thought as to what she may give up. She was just concerned she wouldn't be able to help those making her estate better.
So will the bedroom tax undermine the Big Society as well as devastate families????
watch this space....
