The DoH told tenants last month that as of March 28, rents would increase to 25 per cent of their total income, which would include pensions, allowances and benefits.
The increase would be capped at $12 a week until the start of the next financial year.
A coalition of advocacy organisations comprising People with Disabilities WA, Council of the Ageing WA, Carers WA and Consumers of Mental Health WA released a statement last week calling on the DoH to reverse the decision.
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READ NOWPeople with Disabilities WA chief executive Samantha Jenkinson said a report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed as many as 67 per cent of those in social housing said they had some form of disability and that the decision to include special-purpose payments as income would put these tenants at a big disadvantage.
“We thought there was a fairness to the (current) policy which allowed special-purpose payments and part of Family Tax Benefits to not be assessed as income in recognition that they address specific disadvantage certain people and families have,” she said.
“These might provide an additional $80 per week that would normally be spent on medication, taxis, increased energy bills, extra medical or household supplies related to disability, any co-payment of treatment costs etc.
“The new assessment will lead to further rent increases once the grace period (capped increase) ends next financial year and that $80 per week will then be $60 per week to cover the extra costs, as $20 will now be included with rent.”
Ms Jenkinson said they were concerned people would forgo essentials to pay for treatment and medication, or put themselves at risk by turning off airconditioners to save on their power bills.
Department of Housing acting service delivery general manager Peter Lonsdale said the changes would ensure a simpler, more sustainable and fairer rent calculation method for all tenants.
He said the new system would ensure all public housing tenants would now have their rent calculated in the same way.