The bedroom tax was introduced in the UK on April 1, 2013.

Alongside the huge rise in foodbanks and zero-hours contracts nothing reveals more about the legacy of this Government than this cruel tax that has hit 483 low-paid households across Enfield North and many more across the borough.

The average cost to a family hit by the bedroom tax in London is currently £1,060 a year, and more than half the people who have to pay it are disabled. Some of the most vulnerable people with the least security have been forced to pay more at the worst possible time.

If the Tories and Lib Dems win again, those affected would pay an additional £5,300 over the course of another five years.

I’m proud that one of my first acts, if elected on May 7, would be to scrap this cruel and unfair tax.

Joan Ryan

Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Enfield North