A DISABLED mum hit by the ‘bedroom tax’ is one of a number of Bolton at Home tenants to be handed keys at their newest housing development.

Deborah Mills said she struggled to make ends meet after she lost around £30 a week in benefits when the under-occupancy charge was introduced.

The 49-year-old had two spare bedrooms at her old home in Dickinson Close, Halliwell, after her three oldest children moved out.

She and her youngest 21-year-old daughter applied to downsize into a new property in Hayfield Close off Brownlow Way — and since moving in, says she hasn’t looked back.

Ms Mills, who has received disability allowance after she suffered complications from a bowel operation 20 years ago, said: “I had to pay for two bedrooms while on disability benefit, as my kids had grown up and left home. It was hard. I lost more than £100 a month from the bedroom tax — I had no money, I had nothing.

“The bedroom tax is disgusting. It takes all the money up and I barely had enough money for food.

“I put a bid in but I didn’t think I’d get it. I was over the money when I heard, and I love it.”

The 10 new homes are a mix of two, three and four bedroom properties, built through a joint Bolton At Home and Bolton Council affordable housing programme.

As part of a £6.5 million project, 10 new homes in Darley Street, Farnworth, and 22 new homes at Greenroyd Avenue in Breightmet have also been built.

A further 18 homes are being built in Wildman Lane, Farnworth, with more planned in the future.

Cllr Linda Thomas, deputy leader of the council, visited Ms Mills in her new home.

She said: “There is a desperate shortage of affordable housing in the borough and we are doing everything we can to try and combat this.

“I like the different specifications of the houses and the fact that we are helping people with different needs — those who need more space for their families and equally people like Deborah who needed to downsize after getting caught by the bedroom tax.”

Noel Spencer, Life President of Bolton at Home, added: “This development, and others like it, is part of our commitment to increasing the supply of quality affordable housing in Bolton.

“It’s one of a number of things we are doing to help ease housing waiting lists, provide more family homes and help customers who want to downsize.