Dozens of families have been forced out of their homes by tougher new benefit rules in a single year.

Government data reveals 45 households who moved into new social housing in Kirklees in 2016/17 had left their last address because of the new benefits cap, the so-called “bedroom tax”, or a combination of both.

A further 19 households in Calderdale had done the same.

Social housing includes both properties owned by the council, and those which are run by approved providers, such as housing associations.

The data - published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - shows that in the 12 months to last March, some 2,325 households started a new tenancy in social housing in Kirklees.

Of those, 24 said the bedroom tax was the reason they had left their last address, while seven said it was because of the benefits cap. A further 14 said it was a combination of both.

In Calderdale, 14 blamed the bedroom tax, two the benefits cap, and three a combination of both.

The data does not include those renting privately - many of whom will also have been affected by the benefits cap.

Julie Roberts Milnsbridge had issues with Kirklees Council over the bedroom tax
Julie Roberts Milnsbridge had issues with Kirklees Council over the bedroom tax

The bedroom tax, or “removal of the spare-room subsidy”, came into force in April 2013. Tenants living in properties with a spare bedroom were hit with a 14 per cent reduction in housing benefit, rising to 25 per cent with those with two or more. Two children under 16 of the same gender - or two under 10 of any gender - are expected to share one room.

Figures released earlier this year showed Kirklees council had spent £168,000, and Calderdale £61,000, from a discretionary housing fund trying to stop people losing their homes because of the bedroom tax in 2017/18.

A total of 1,589 households in Kirklees and 780 in Calderdale have seen the tax applied.

The benefits cap, which also began in 2013, limits the total amount in state benefits an individual household can claim per year. It started at £26,000 per year for a family, which was reduced to £23,000 in London, and £20,000 in the rest of the UK, in autumn 2016.

Across England, the data shows, more than 5,000 new social renters in 2016/17 had to leave their former home because of the two reforms.

Birmingham, Leeds and Bradford had the highest numbers, with 127 each.