This so called 'new' bedroom tax.

“4everblue

I am aware that both are paid by the tax payer! I am also aware that housing benefit is means tested and the additional cost allowance is a perk for MP's. I agree with you totally that this allowance should not be available to our MP's as most jobs do not have such perks and in the current financial climate our MP's should be suffering financially as the rest of us are. However,the original question was 'are MP's subject to the bedroom tax the same as anyone on housing benefit' and the answer still remains the same NO! Because housing benefit and the additional cost allowance are 2 very different things. Housing benefit needs to be overhauled to make it a fairer system for all and the other should be abolished altogether!”

“nel46.

I am aware that the MP's £24.222 is not paid by the Councils, it is pay for like everything else that MP's get, by the taxpayer, Housing Benefit, although paid by the Councils, is also paid by the taxpayer.
Explain to me please......What is the difference between the 2 benefits.....If you can!!!

MP's Rip us off....then tell us what to do. !!!!”

“4everblue

The allowance you refer to is the additional costs allowance of £24,222 a year, it is not housing benefit, is not paid to them by local authorities and therefore is not governed by the bedroom tax. I do however agree that this allowance is a disgrace and should not be abused by the politicians in the way that it is at present and I also think that Nick Clegg should be demanding that all monies be paid back when the MP is no longer serving including any profits, not a proportion of it as he is suggesting at present. It is not up to us tax payers to fund their homes any more than it is up to us to provide extra rooms for people who are unable to afford to pay their rent themselves.”

“Nel46.
My last remark was a Skit on MP's..........the expenses I am referring to are their claims for SECOND homes (This is Housing Benefit) from us the Taxpayer and they are NOT limited to the number of bedrooms in those second homes, furthermore most of the MP's are BUYING their second homes with Housing Benefit and any profit they make if they sell their second homes when resigning or being voted out, goes straight into THEIR pockets, and NOT back to the taxpayer.

Hence "Do as I say" a bunch of Rip off merchants & Hypocrites our honourable MP's.”

“Agreed nel46,

This is a sensible move!

MP's have a job (ish). Why should someone claiming benefits and living in state owned housing have more bedrooms than they need? There are 1 million empty bedrooms in state housing, with 250,000 in accommodation with not enough bedrooms.

If you are on benefits and in private accommodation, the free money you receive covers you for the bedrooms you need - so this is matching that but with state accommodation.

It is totally fair and the gall of people living at actual hard working families expense to complain that the money they are getting for nothing is not good enough is unbelievable and ungrateful.”

“It may sound harsh but why should an already struggling benefit system be asked to pay for someone to have more room than is necessary? MP's claim expenses for the job that they do, housing benefit is not an expense. I appreciate that having to move because you cannot afford to pay for an extra room is not nice but extra rooms mean extra heating etc which is another expense that someone on a limited budget can ill afford. The benefit reforms are hitting some of the most vulnerable people but on this one I can understand why it is happening, I know of single people living in 2 bedroomed properties and also women with 1 child who are living in 1 bedroomed properties so this new system will hopefully make things fairer all round.”

“It is a case of "do as I say" and not "do as I do" Mps are the "have's" the rest of us are "have nothing" Of course the "bedroom tax" can only be brought in for those claiming "housing benefit".......not expenses.”