A DISABLED woman faces being forcibly evicted tomorrow over a “piffling” bedroom tax debt — but activists have vowed to defend her home.

Forty-eight-year-old Julie Owen was told to “pay up or get evicted” by Merthyr Valley Homes housing association last week.

Now Ms Owen, who suffers from two spinal prolapses and sciatica in one leg, and her partner who cares for her have just 24 hours to find £720 to save their home.

Speaking to the Star yesterday, she explained: “I’ve been paying £60 every fortnight but over Christmas I was a bit short and I left about four payments.

“All of a sudden then a letter arrived last Wednesday threatening me with eviction.

“I asked whether I could start making payments again to get even. But the man from the housing association just said: ‘No, you either pay up or you get evicted.’

“He wants payment straight away but I haven’t got that sort of money, I’m on disability benefit.”

Ms Owen could become the first person to be evicted over the Tory tax in south Wales, according to campaigners.

But Cardiff and South Wales Against the Bedroom Tax activists say they are prepared to stop bailiffs evicting the woman.

“The act of tossing a disabled woman into the street for what is a comparatively piffling debt is nothing short of obscene,” said spokesman Jamie Insole.

Ms Owen moved into the property nine years ago to look after her sister’s children after they were abandoned at the house by their mother.

Because they have since grown up and moved out, Ms Owen has been fined £30 every week since the bedroom tax took force in April 2013.

She staved off one eviction threat from Merthyr Valley Homes last January by stumping up £150 — but fell behind again over Christmas, despite turning off the heating as temperatures plummeted.

“I’m on £125 a week and £30 pounds has got to come out of that for the bedroom tax weekly.

“We have managed in the past by cutting down on everything else like shopping, heating and electricity.

“There’s a lot of people in Merthyr struggling to pay the bedroom tax that I know. They’re really struggling and I think it’s atrocious.”