Tenants in Scotland who have been affected by the so-called 'Bedroom Tax' are being encouraged to apply for financial support.

Speaking in Parliament, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged households that have lost out on housing benefit because of the tax, to seek compensation through Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP).

DHPs provide financial support for housing costs to those on housing benefits.

They are currently reserved to Westminster and administered by local authorities in Scotland, with a statutory cap on how much local authorities are able to spend, but last week it was confirmed that the UK Government will now transfer the power to lift the cap to the Scottish Government. This means that a total of £50m can be invested in this financial year, to help the 72,000 Scottish households who are suffering from the effects of 'Bedroom Tax'.

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Ms Sturgeon is quoted as saying: "I want today to encourage local authorities to review their DHP procedures to ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers to tenants applying for a DHP. The point about encouraging and enabling tenants to apply for DHPs is an important one.

"What the Scottish Government is able to do is mitigate the impact of the bedroom tax. Unfortunately, we are not yet able to legally abolish it. That means tenants are still legally responsible for the rent due as a result of the reduction in their housing benefit.

"So it is important to send a very clear message to social tenants today. If you are affected by the bedroom tax, help is available. But you must apply for this help. You must engage with your landlord and apply for a DHP as soon as possible to enable you to pay the shortfall in your rent. And you should do so even if you have been refused a DHP in the past."

She continued: "Let me be clear: as a result of Scottish Government action, there will be no need for anyone to fall into rent arrears or face eviction as a result of the bedroom tax.

"There can surely be no better or stronger illustration of the need for this Parliament to have powers over welfare than the scandal of the bedroom tax. What would make sense is for this Parliament, rather than having to mitigate the bedroom tax, to instead have the power to ensure that we didn't have a bedroom tax in the first place."

(JP/IT)