East Ayrshire Council has said more than 1,000 people affected by the controversial 'bedroom tax', are chasing just 105 vacant one-bedroom council homes in the area.

The local authority confirmed this week that 1,161 applicants are on the waiting list for a single-room home to try and avoid a reduction in housing benefits.

A total of 2,328 are said to be affected by the bedroom tax.

The figures mean those wanting to move into smaller homes will have to suffer a reduction in benefits while on the waiting list.

-- Advertisement --

Gerry Darroch, acting Head of Housing and Environment Services, is quoted as saying: "Of these 1,845 are deemed to require a one-bedroom property due to their family composition.

"We recognise that welfare reform legislation is designed to compel tenants in larger accommodation to move to one-bedroom accommodation which, traditionally, has not been a preferred house size in the housing mix when social landlords designed their estates.

"Two-bedroom accommodation allowed scope for individuals or couples to start a family, without having to move house, or for older people to have a younger relative come and live with them to provide care and company when their needs changed.

"We will include the provision of one-bedroom accommodation in future housing development, recognising the newly created need arising from the legislative change."

(JP/CD)