Reverse Robin Hood will hit our most vulnerable people and vulnerable families will be pushed to the

Vulnerable families pushed to the brink

The Tory councillors, helped by councillors who chose to abstain from voting, pushed through a cut in council tax subsidy for 12,000 of the most vulnerable families living in Northumberland.

There are a small number of families living in our area who, for various reasons, are currently allowed 100 per cent support with their council tax. Apparently the council carried out a survey and people agreed that everyone in the county should pay something towards their council tax. So, the council is planning to recoup £1m from those 12,000 families to help balance its budget.

To me this move will cause terror in families already struggling and push many over the edge. Many of the families we are taking about are in extreme poverty, visiting food banks, choosing between heating and eating.

The council will spend more money chasing money that simply doesn’t exist in these families.

It’s easy for people to sit there thinking some of these people are scroungers with big televisions who haven’t worked a day when actually many are on the breadline, using food banks, working in low paid jobs or made redundant through no fault of their own. We also have people with mental health or other issues that prevent them from lifting themselves out of needing this level of support.

In rural Northumberland it costs £7 to get to the job centre and that money has to come out of the tiny amount of support they receive. They can’t claim it back. When the weather is harsh people in fuel poverty have to choose between heating and eating. All this has been lost in the top level argument and nobody appears to be shouting on behalf of these people. 

Whatever happened to support being available when you need it? And why is this £1m cost saving being imposed on the poorest people? 

It may be stating the obvious, but if you’re talking in your health and wellbeing strategy and how you’re going to close the gap between those who live long, healthy lives and those who don’t, this doesn’t sound like the best way to do it.