ALMOST 3,500 social housing tenants across East Lancashire are currently paying the bedroom tax.

The biggest provider, Together Housing Group, has revealed that 255 tenants have gone into debt since the controversial government change come into force in April last year.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Across its three businesses – Green Vale Homes in Rossendale, Twin Valley in Blackburn with Darwen and Housing Pendle – total arrears have risen by £110,000 and the average owed per household rose from £258 to £302.

Yesterday’s case has alarmed local politicians worried about desperate tenants resorting to desperate measures.

The latest figures for the numbers affected by the removal of the ‘spare room subsidy’ are 108 households in Ribble Valley, 412 people in Pendle, 800 in Burnley, 295 of Hyndburn Homes, 373 in Rossendale and 1,485 in Blackburn with Darwen Burnley Council’s Labour leader Mark Townsend said: “This case is clearly the action of a desperate man.

“The bedroom tax is driving people to desperate measures. It should be scrapped. We have paid out more than £100,000 in discretionary payments to residents affected by it.”

Blackburn Labour MP Jack Straw said: “The bedroom tax has resulted in real anxiety for many people but that does not justify violent actions of this kind.”

Pendle Tory Andrew Stephenson said: “There is plenty of help and advice available to people who find themselves in problems with their bills.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Labour leader Kate Hollern said: “This is just tragic. Some cases I have seen involving the bedroom tax make you want to weep.”

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “The bedroom tax has driven some people like Michael over the edge.”