Falklands veteran Doug Padgett, aged 56, of Hathaway Close, Dines Green, Worcester, has one spare room in his flat.

Mr Padgett, a former member of the Royal Army Medical Corps who served in Northern Ireland three times, is a single parent and has his 13-year-old daughter Connie to stay for 14 days each month.

Because he has joint custody he needs the spare room, but the Government’s changes will see him lose 14 per cent of his housing benefit – about £60 a month.

“I don’t work because since leaving the military I’ve been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),” he said.

“It will push me into poverty through no fault of my own, I can’t believe it.

“I need the spare room because my daughter is over here 14 days every month – it’s not like I can downsize, she deserves a decent quality of life.

“It’s terrible. It’ll push me below the poverty line to make that money up.”

Connie said: “I still want to see my dad, I don’t want him to be forced out – I’m worried what will happen to his finances.”