A disabled mother-of-two is calling for an “unjust and cruel” £3,000 bedroom tax and damages bill to be withdrawn.

Sandra Sharp lived in a three-bedroom house in Snowberry Close, Leytonstone, for 15 years as she brought up a son and daughter, now 23 and 29-years-old.

But in late 2011, her husband Gary died of cancer and just a few weeks later she was informed that due to her house having one more bedroom than was necessary, she would have £22 a week taken from her benefits.

The reform, dubbed the bedroom tax by critics, was contained in the Welfare Reform Act 2012 passed by the Government.

Mrs Sharp informed housing association, Places for People, that she could not afford this and requested to be moved to a two-bedroom property with her son.

In addition, the Leytonstone house was not suitable anymore due to her worsening osteoarthritis confining her to a wheelchair.

Despite this, a move took nearly three years.

Mrs Sharp was finally moved into her current flat by London and Quadrant Housing Trust, in Beaumont Road, Leyton, in September 2014 but was astonished to find Places for People was chasing her up for a bill of £3,027.64 which she says she cannot afford.

This includes £1,734 of rent arrears because of benefits withdrawn due to the bedroom tax.

The 58-year-old said: “This has made me full of anxiety because it is so unjust and cruel, it is not right and I am going to fight it.

“I shouldn’t get penalised for the housing association being unable to find me a new place, I would understand if I refused to move.

“After everything I have been through getting relocated, the housing association is adding to my unfortunate situation by demanding more money.

“It is so distressing when we see big companies like Google make millions in profits and get away with paying up next to nothing.

“The law is biased against poor and disabled people.

She was also landed with a bill of £1,118 for damages to her Leytonstone house which she claims was due to having a wheelchair in an unsuitable property with narrow door frames and corridors.

Mrs Sharp added: “When I was allocated my house in Snowberry Close I was fit and well and had a husband and a family to bring up.

“Now in my later years, my husband has sadly died and I am wheelchair bound.

“Trying to move around that house with its narrow passageways in a wheelchair, suitable for an able-bodied family but not for someone like me, was a daily challenge.

“In the end I could not even go upstairs.

“The term ‘damages’ implies deliberate action or careless negligence.

“I implore Places for People to withdraw the bill.”

Linda Taaffe, of Waltham Forest Trade Union Council, said that the organisation would support Mrs Sharp if she was threatened by bailiffs.

She said: “There is no way they will get in here, why pursue a vulnerable disabled woman?”

A spokeswoman for Places for People said Waltham Forest council turned down Mrs Sharp's application for assistance. 

She said: "Ms Sharp ended her tenancy with Places for People in October 2014.

"Ms Sharp left with arrears on her account and a recharge for repairs required when the property was vacated.

“Whilst Ms Sharp was a customer, we assisted her with a claim for a discretionary housing payment from the local authority to help her pay her rent.

"These claims were refused as Ms Sharp did not meet the local authority’s criteria.

"We also provided her with advice on how to apply for dual housing benefit.

“We contacted Ms Sharp to arrange for the remaining arrears to be paid and are able to continue to support her with an affordable repayment arrangement which takes into account her current financial circumstances.”