AXE THE BEDROOM TAX!

On Saturday 23rd March Salford against Cuts supporters petitioned on Salford Precinct against the Bedroom Tax, while others took to Eccles Town Centre.  Many who signed had just received their notification that day.  Others who signed aren't affected at all but all knew someone who was and they are outraged for their neighbours.  We met these cases:

• One woman who is on benefits will have to find an extra £20 a week as she lives in a 3-bedroom house (allocated to her and her son years ago in an 'unpopular' area) and has two supposedly spare bedrooms since he left home
• another with two children (boy and girl) in separate bedrooms will have to find the extra money until they are both over ten!
• a tower block on the precinct consists of 2 bedroom flats.  No-one has any kids (who can blame them for not wanting to bring up kids in a tower block?) and most are single.  A whole tower block of bedroom tax payers!  We hope to organise a meeting in that tower block in the next fortnight, and have plenty of other names and emails to follow up.

As Alan Metcalfe of SAC put it: 'Bedroom tax a massive issue in Eccles, met many people directly affected, we must get rid of this horrendous piece of legislation !!!' 

Next week (30th March) we petition in Little Hulton, nr. Morrisons, 11.00 - 1.00, another bedroom tax hotspot.

More details soon.

RALLY AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX

Manchester Piccadilly Gardens 16th March
500 rallied in protest at the hated bedroom tax

From 1st April anyone living in social housing and receiving housing benefit will lose out if they are deemed to have 'spare' bedrooms.

Salford has over 5000 households where this is the case, one of the highest rates in the country.

Salford against Cuts are planning local protests - more details soon.