RESEARCH by Scottish civil servants has challenged the main justification of the Westminster Government for introducing the benefit cut for social housing tenants known as the bedroom tax.

The soaring cost of housing benefit was the main argument for taking action, but the research shows spending on this in Scotland was virtually static over the decade to 2010-11, particularly in the social housing sector, and that the real cause of the rise was the private sector, particularly in London.

The last Labour Government introduced a similar housing benefit reduction for under-occupancy in the private rented sector.

In justifying the cut in housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have too many bedrooms for their needs, the UK Government pointed to a near doubling in the housing benefit bill in Great Britain, up by 91%. In Scotland the rise was 55%.

But allowing for inflation these increases became 50% and 22%.

"There is significant regional variation with high growth in London and South and East England. Growth rates are lower in the North of England and Wales and lowest in Scotland," states the report by the Communities Analytical Services division of the Scottish Government.

It concludes: "In the context of welfare reform, the evidence does not suggest that housing benefit expenditure across all sectors has been out of control in Scotland."

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "This analysis shows the UK Government's effort to justify the bedroom tax on the basis of a growing housing benefit bill is without foundation."

But a spokesman for the DWP said: "Our reforms are about restoring fairness to the welfare system. Scotland has been given £10m this year to help vulnerable people and we are monitoring this spending carefully."

l The bedroom tax will cost more to administer than it will raise, according to local authorities, who say this proves it is "ill-conceived, unfair and unworkable and should be abolished."

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities claims that the cut in housing benefit for social tenants who are deemed to be under-occupying their home was supposed to save £50m a year, but their analysis suggests that it will cost £58-£60m to administer.