A barrister Surinder Lall, who is blind, has won a bedroom tax appeal tribunal case against Westminster council on the grounds he uses a bedroom to store equipment.
Surinder Lall argued that his spare room was used to store equipment to aid him in his life and work, as he is blind. This is thought to be the first victory, of its kind, in England.
In his decision notice, the tribunal judge stated that because the term ‘bedroom' is not defined in the bedroom tax regulations it was necessary to apply the ordinary English meaning. The judge did not consider the room fitted the definition of bedroom.
Mr Lall was turned down for a discretionary housing benefit.
The Department for Work and Pensions has said it may appeal this case.
For more information on this story see http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/26/bedroom-tax-westminster-council-defeat?commentpage=1
The Department has already announced it will appeal against bedroom tax appeal decisions made in Fife, Scotland. For more information on this see DWP to appeal Fife bedroom tax decisions.