"COME and stay in Immingham and live on what we have to for a month – then tell me if you think what you're doing is fair."
That was the challenge laid down to Prime Minister David Cameron by one Immingham woman, who is being forced to leave her home of 46 years, her friends and her community because of the Government's "bedroom tax".
The measure, which came into force this week, is one of a raft of changes being introduced by the Government as part of sweeping reforms of the benefits system – which will be explored in a series of features in your Grimsby Telegraph.
It means many people claiming benefits who "under-occupy" their homes are being faced with the choice of paying an average of £14 per week to "top-up" their rent or move to a smaller property.
A Department of Work and Pensions spokesperson said: "It's only right that we bring fairness back to the system – when in England alone there are nearly 2-million households on the social housing waiting list and over a quarter of a million tenants are living in overcrowded homes."
In North East Lincolnshire, one in five of Shoreline Housing Association's tenants – up to 1,600 people – under-occupy their homes and are in receipt of benefits due to unemployment or because they have such a low income.
One, is single mum Deborah Kirk, who shares her three-bed Immingham home with her two-year-old son Kneale.
She took on the property when her eldest son Jordan, 22, still lived at home and the family needed three bedrooms.
However, now Jordan has moved out, she would need to find an extra £20 a week in order to stay in her home.
But, with a monthly income of £480, after her council tax and housing benefit has been paid, to feed and clothe herself and her son – and pay all the bills – this is a sum she says she simply cannot afford.
Mrs Kirk, who is yet to find another suitable home, said: "I am really feeling the pinch already. I struggle to make ends meet, but I manage.
"I have had to cut back on a lot of things already. There is no way I can find another £20 a week.
"This means I am going to have to move away from my home and everyone I know."
At the time of going to press, no response to Mrs Kirk's challenge had been received from Number 10.
When asked by the Grimsby Telegraph if he would step in on Mr Cameron's behalf, Immingham and Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers said: "Doing so would take me away from doing my job for a month, which would clearly be very difficult and would actually be disadvantageous to my constituents, but I'm very happy to meet with the lady and discuss her individual case."
Click here to find out more about the changes.
Editor's Comment DID this present Government pick up the poisoned chalice when it pledged to overhaul Britain's benefit system? The answer is simple – yes! Over the years the benefit system seems to have become more and more complicated. Surely is started out to be so simple – if you were a person in this country who was in genuine need of help, then funds were provided to ensure a basic standard of living could be obtained. Sounds easy! However it has ended up in, quite frankly, a bit of a mess. And, in a bid to sort out that mess, this Government appears to be creating an even more confusing set of rules. Bedroom tax for one – all very well, but how on earth can a family be expected to move if they are in social housing and there is no other suitable accommodation available? A huge headache for housing providers across the land. And how does anyone ensure that the right benefits are being awarded to those in genuine need – those who are very like to miss out? *Have you been affected by the changes? Follow the editor on Twitter @michellelalor