A Bilborough family embroiled in a dispute over bedroom tax were stunned when they were told they owed more than £1,600 after their two sons moved away from home for university and college.
Parents Philip Elliott, 56, and Elizabeth Aslett, 56, have spoken out in frustration, saying they will struggle to pay the money.
Having lived in a three-bedroom council house for nearly 11 years, their two sons - Ryan Aslett, 18, and Lewis Aslett, 16 - left the family home in September of last year to go to university and Army college. Lewis passed his initial phase at Army college and is now in Army training for the Guards.
Before the young men moved out, their parents said they spoke to officials explaining the situation but that their sons would still need their bedrooms for when they come back for the holidays.
The parents claim they were initially told this was fine but said that they received a message earlier this month saying they owed £1,667.27 as their bedroom tax had changed.
They used to receive £1,100 each month through a combination of Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment [PIP] support but this has now been reduced to £900 per month. Mr Elliott is Mrs Aslett's carer.
The amount recipients receive towards housing costs may be reduced when a home has spare bedrooms.
Bedroom tax means a claimant will receive less in housing benefit or housing cost element in a Universal Credit claim when living in a housing association or council house and deemed to have one or more spare bedrooms.
The family were left in utter shock when they were told they needed to pay £1,667.27 in the dispute over bedroom tax.
Mr Elliott said: "We told them in August this was going to happen in September, the lady said everything was fine.
"The money was looking a bit different in November so I was a little worried.
"When I found out it was a shock, nobody had said we owed them money.
"We've got welfare rights involved and it's been sent to the appeal stage."
Both parents explained they were unable to work due to their disabilities, meaning they will struggle to pay the money back or continue to survive off the smaller payments.
Mrs Aslett added: "I burst into tears and cried, it was so annoying.
"We don't know what is round the corner, we had both the boys home for six weeks over Christmas, they're coming back in the next week or so."
The DWP have apologised for how the family's case had been handled, saying staff had been in touch to help them with the appeals process.
The family now fear for the future in remaining in the property.
Mr Elliott added: "We've got two boys trying to better themselves in life, we've put them in the right direction and now we are getting penalised for it.
"We can't afford to keep it anymore, we don't want to move, we don't have the money to move. We are stuck."
A DWP spokesman said: "We are very sorry for how Mr Elliott and Ms Assett’s claim has been handled and have been in touch to apologise and to help them with the appeals process.
“We have also reviewed their benefits to ensure they are receiving their correct entitlement."
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