50-year old Nicky and her partner Samantha live in a two-bedroom house which, with bedroom tax, they are deemed to be under-occupying. However, because Nicky is in constant pain, which keeps her awake for most of the night, Samantha needs her own room so that she can get a good night’s sleep. The couple will lose about £600 per year from their Housing Benefit. Samantha says, “We are not spongers and we do not like living on handouts, but we need these benefits. Our bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms are freezing, as we’re only heating one room because of fuel costs. We buy the cheapest of everything. We don’t have anything else we can cut back on. What else can we do?”