Ian Davies · @IanTheInventor
15th Mar 2013 from Twitlonger
@suey2y @DeborahMeaden For anyone saying bedroom tax is not a tax.
According to Black's Law Dictionary, a tax is a "pecuniary burden laid upon individuals or property owners to support the government. a payment exacted by legislative authority." It "is not a voluntary payment or donation, but an enforced contribution, exacted pursuant to legislative authority" and is "any contribution imposed by government, whether under the name of toll, tribute, tallage, gabel, impost, duty, custom, excise, subsidy, aid, supply, or other name."
This is a reduction of money many people need, it eats into their meagre income and drives down their living standards. There is a choice for those that can find alternative accommodation or afford the difference but there's no choice for many where smaller accommodation isn't available, there's no choice for those in accommodation that's been adapted to their needs. So a charge which benefits the Government (by reducing the Welfare Bill) that people don't have a choice about is a tax.