HELEN Sockell faced losing her Kilmarnock home because of the hated tax imposed by the Con-Dem government. But East Ayrshire Council leader Douglas Reid paid her a visit to assure her that won’t be happening.
Alasdair MacLeod/Daily Record
A COUNCIL chief has said sorry in person to a blind widow threatened with eviction over the bedroom tax.
East Ayrshire Council leader Douglas Reid visited Helen Sockell, 56, to apologise for the threat over a £117 bill.
Helen, from Kilmarnock, is one of 105,000 single people in Scotland who have been told they must move to smaller homes – or lose housing benefit. But only 20,000 single occupancy homes are available.
Reid has also raised Helen’s case with Scottish Office minister David Mundell and described the bedroom tax as “barbaric”.
Helen has lived alone in her three-bedroom house since 2005, when her husband John and son Andrew both died.
She said:
“Mr Reid came here to see me after the story appeared in the Record.
“He was very nice and went out of his way to reassure me. I can sleep at night without this hanging over me.
“If I lost the house, I would have to learn my way around a new house and that would be difficult.”
Helen, who was born with poor eyesight, lost her sight totally after an operation when she was 14.
SNP councillor Reid believes she should be exempt from paying the bedroom tax.
He added:
“We will also get officers to try to maximise her benefits as I don’t think she was claiming enough.”
East Ayrshire Council say 170 people in their area are now in arrears solely due to non-payment of bedroom tax.
But Reid said there was nothing the council could do to avoid implementing the tax. He added:
“It is draconian. There is a need to reform the welfare system but not in this way.”
BTC Comment: There is a need to reinstate and SAVE the welfare system!
What depths will this so called tory led government stoop to, reading this made me feel physically ill. The poor poor woman has cameron got any emotions at all?
The seventh richest country in the world, yes for those in London hiding behind their closed curtains ignoring what goes on elsewhere as it doesn’t affect them, disgusting.
The ConLib are not fit for purpose to the run the country. Call a General Election & while you are dragging your feet over that. The Call for A General Strike has been made.
Ted Bruning,”Miliband still not knowing what to say”is what you say;how very true,I don’t know what his policies are,who is for the working class and poor of this country?
15th may i arrived home from a hospital appointment, had been diagnosed with a tumour on my pancreas, awaiting major surgery to have it removed, their was a letter from my housing association informing me that they are starting legal proceedings to evict me from my home of 25 years because i was in arrears of £135 bedroom tax, i was shocked to say the least 2 lots of bad news in the same day, this week i struggled to pay £40 of the arrears, and had to receive a food parcel from my fantastic tenants community centre, this govt should hold their heads in shame, that this is happening in the 21st century, i could contact my MP Esther McVey, but somehow i know i would not get any support from her.
How can one evaluate the depths that a government department can sink to?
How can these miscreants, the lowest form of shit, ever do this to a lady devoid of the power to see?
The DWP have become the lowest of the lowest. They have been sinking for a long time but this must be the lowest ever……
Scumbags would be a compliment, these shithouses have dragged the depths of depraviity….
An elderly lady who is visually impaired……..
Stealing is one thing, but from someone who cannot see the perpetrator is the biggest crime ever………………..
A brown envelope from a cowardly department, probably the lowest of the lowest, the worst scenario that one could ever wish to meet………………………………..
If it was stuck on the sole of your shoe, you could probably scrape it off, these bastards not only steal your benefits, they gloat as you die!
A medal has never been minted that would be appropriate for the actions of the DWP against the poor and the disabled.
if it was, it would resemble an iron cross, the accolade awarded to those who committed the most heinous acts upon the weakest.
The DWP should wear their medals with pride………….
More suicides than between two world wars and poverty at a level than can ever be spoken…………..
“i WAS ONLY DOING MY JOB” is no excuse. The murder of innocent people is a crime…………..
ETHE LABOUR PARTY WHERE I LIVE KEEP PUTTING THEIR NEWSLETTERS THROUGH MY DOOR, IF I CATCH ONE OF THE BASTARDS DOING IT ILL EMPTY ALL MY WASTE OVER THEM, AND PUSH THE BASTARDS DOWN THE STAIRS, BLOODY HYPOCRITES! GLAD TO HEAR THAT POOR BLIND WOMEN IS GETTING HELP,BLESS HER, I FUCKING HATE ALL BASTARD POLITICIANS, AND WISH THEM HORRIFIC ENDINGS, I WONDER SOMETIMES DO THEY HAVE BATTERY COMPARTMENTS IN THEIR BACKS COZ THEY ARE DEFINITELY NOT HUMAN!