Universal Credit is blamed

Doon Valley councillor John Bell has laid the blame on the current levels of deprivation in Bellsbank and surrounding areas squarely on the introduction of the UK Government’s controversial Universal Credit.

And he says he can back up his claims by the amount of families turning to foodbanks to feed themselves and their children.

He told The Post: “In 2016 the DWP began introducing Universal Credit to Bellsbank, initially to individuals and by 2017 to families.

“In my view the increasing severity of the problems surrounding deprivation can be laid squarely at this introduction of Universal Credit which, by its very nature, places recipients into immediate poverty as they have to wait some time before receiving payments.

“To help combat this, EAC have established a Financial Inclusion team to support people adversely affected by benefits reform.

“Including Bellsbank, the figures for Universal Credit show that uptake in the Doon Valley is at 11.4 per cent, which is a full 5 per cent higher than the Scottish average.

“Over 30 per cent of children in the Doon Valley – which includes Bellsbank – are from low income families, many of whom are not on benefits but are working in low wage jobs.

“Many of these families rely on food banks, and figures obtained from Elaine Stewart, of The Zone Initiative, in Dalmellington, a third sector organisation which supplies food parcels, show a heavy demand.

“Bellsbank is a mining community and, as with other villages in the Doon Valley, it has been hit exceptionally hard by the closure- firstly of the deep mines, and then the opencast coal sites.

“However one thing all these villages have is an extraordinary sense of community – with everyone pulling together.”