Bedroom Tax protest in Liverpool

Published on Fri Feb 8, 2013 by David J Colbran

Protesters demonstrated outside Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH) offices and then occupied their reception in the centre of Liverpool about the implementation of the Bedroom Tax on Thursday 7th February 2013

40 plus protesters arrived and demonstrated outside LMH offices with signs and banners. After a short while they entered the offices reception chanting slogans and singing songs. Representatives from LMH called the police and asked protesters to leave. After about 20 minutes police reinforcements arrived and a police officer announced that the protesters were trespassing and had been asked to leave. The protest at that stage had made its point and left the reception peacefully to continue to protest on the pavement outside.

Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH) is a social housing provider in Liverpool. Following the stock transfer from Liverpool City Council on 1st April 2008, LMH became the newest housing association in Liverpool. They manage over 15,000 homes in the city.

Protesters argue that Housing Associations have been complicit in the implementation of the Bedroom Tax since Day 1, and none more so than Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH). It was suggested that Chief Executive of LMH, Steve Coffey, is even proposing the idea of getting tenants to do unpaid work, or workfare, to make up the shortfall in their rent.

From the 1st of April 2013, the Government will cut the housing benefit of over 600 000 social housing tenants, if they are considered to have a 'spare room'. If you have one spare bedroom the cut is 14%, while if you have two it is going to be 25%. This is known as the 'Bedroom Tax'.

Axe the Bedroom Tax