3 September 2012 Last updated at 05:13 ET

'Spare room tax' will affect disabled people says Bromford Group

People with disabilities in the West Midlands could be severely affected by changes to the benefits system, a housing association has warned.

Bromford Group said people in social housing would lose a portion of their benefits if they had spare rooms.

The group said the changes were due to be introduced in April.

The Department for Work and Pensions said the changes were about "restoring fairness to a system which has spiralled out of control".

Darrin Gamble, from the Bromford Group, said customers with disabilities who make use of a spare bedroom in their home would be "unfairly" affected.

'Restoring fairness'

He said: "We want our customers to understand how they will be affected.

"With the 'bedroom tax' those with a spare room will have their benefits reduced so they'll have to choose to either pay the extra amount to stay in their accommodation or move."

Some of the changes, which will affect those who work and live in council or housing association homes, will start in April under the Welfare Reform Act.

A statement from the government said: "Our reforms are not designed to force people out of their homes.

"They are about restoring fairness to a system which has spiralled out of control and ensuring that benefit claimants make the same choices about affordability as everyone else.

"£130m is being made available for local authorities to help the most vulnerable customers through the changes".