A FEARFUL woman with a "panic room" inside her home to protect herself from a former partner has hit out at the Government's "bedroom tax".
The woman, who says she spends "every day in fear", slammed the Government's "lack of compassion".
Julie has round-the-clock security at her city home because her ex-partner was jailed for the attempted murder of a police officer and has made threats against her.
As only two people live in the three-bedroomed property, she is losing 14 per cent of her housing benefit, but even if she wanted to move out, Nottingham City Council – which paid for the security measures – had no policy on replacing them.
She said: "I spend every day in fear and the security in place at the house is something that I need. It's there in case I need it and that makes me feel a little bit more at ease.
"But with the bedroom tax, it's just a huge hit to my finances, but I cannot move out because they won't replace the room and if that was there, I just wouldn't feel at ease.
"But I don't know how I'm going to pay. I've got a son to look after and feed, and the money just won't stretch that far. It's just a massive lack of compassion from the Government."
Such city council security arrangements usually cost "a couple of thousand pounds".
Julie's MP, Nottingham North's Graham Allen, said: "This lady needs protection, support and help – not penny-pinching bureaucrats trying to make her life worse. Perhaps if (Prime Minister David) Cameron and (Chancellor George) Osborne were to put themselves in this lady's place for just a few hours they may just see how unacceptable their actions are to the majority of decent people.
"The Government really has lost the way with the bedroom tax. How much will they save? Peanuts then pay out a fortune to repair the damage done."
Councillor Dave Liversidge, council portfolio holder for adults, housing and the community sector, said: "This is another consequence of the ill-thought-out bedroom tax. As yet we have no policy on this but are currently dealing with such circumstances on a case-by-case basis."
But work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "There's nothing fair about making families wait and wait for a house that is big enough, while other households on benefits are allowed to live in homes that are too big for their needs, at no extra cost.
"Many working families in Nottingham cannot afford the luxury of having spare bedrooms, and the Government cannot afford to pay for bedrooms that are not being used."
Julie's name has been changed for her protection.