Labour claim poorest will pay "£3800 in 'Bedroom Tax' if the Tories win"

The Labour party claim that new figures from the House of Commons Library have shown families hit by the 'spare room subsidy', as the government parties call it, dubbed the 'Bedroom Tax' by opponents would pay £3800 over the course of another five year Parliament under the current coalition, if it were re-elected in May.

Labour say that the 'Bedroom Tax' is a "flagship Tory policy" and will be continued if they win in May 2015. Labour say without the votes of Liberal Democrat MPs there would be "no Bedroom Tax". 

Although Labour's claim is correct, for social housing, there are not enough Conservatives in the Commons to get the 'spare room subsidy/bedroom tax' through in this parliament. It is untrue to say it wouldn't exist at all. As the last Labour government did bring in the 'spare room subsidy/bedroom tax' for housing benefit claimants, renting, in the private sector in 2008.

Commenting Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform, Helen Goodman, said: "Hundreds of thousands of people will be forced to pay £3800 under the Bedroom Tax if the Tories win again. This shows the big choice for the country in May, Ed Miliband will scrap the Bedroom Tax, David Cameron and Nick Clegg will continue to force hundreds of thousands of families to pay this cruel and unfair tax."

"There aren’t enough smaller properties to move into, so people are left with no choice but to pay up leading to more debt and arrears. It is another example of Tory Welfare Waste. The Bedroom Tax is cruel and unfair and will be scrapped if Labour wins in May." Ms Goodman added.