Call for an end to UC ‘disaster’
Shock at rent arrears figure
A shocking report has revealed that more than 80 per cent of council tenants in receipt of controversial Universal Credit (UC) in South Lanarkshire are in rent arrears.
This compares to 31 per cent of all council tenants in rent arrears currently.
The figures are highlighted in a report due to go before the council’s housing and technical resources committee today on welfare reform.
In May this year, the full rollout of UC took place in the region.
The report states at the end of August, a total of 3269 council tenants were in receipt of UC – of which 82 per cent were in arrears.
Shockingly, rent arrears accumulated by tenants on UC since their claim commenced totalled £768,011 at the end of August this year.
Dr Lisa Cameron, SNP MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, said: “We have been inundated regarding cases of Universal Credit which is impacting upon the most vulnerable, including disabled people across my constituency and plunging them into debt involving rent arrears.
“The Universal Credit system is pervasively flawed and requires to be overhauled to support people through crisis and into work.”
East Kilbride MSP Linda Fabiani added: “The UK Tory Government’s rollout of UC has been an absolute disaster, placing unnecessary hardship and misery on people who are already struggling to make ends meet.
“The fact tenants will have to wait five weeks to receive UC is appalling and is a contributing factor as to why local authorities now face such large amounts of rent arrears.”
Central Scotland Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “The welfare system should be a safety net but these figures demonstrate that the Tories’ disastrous UC is pushing people in poverty.
“With one in five children in Lanarkshire are living in poverty, families are forced to choose between warming their homes this winter and paying rent.”
But Tory MSP Graham Simpson said: “UC is being introduced gradually in a way that allows improvements to be made. Big changes have already been announced and it’s clear the rollout needs to be careful.
“The old welfare system was complex and often made it logical to stay out of work or not take any more hours. UC is designed to fix that.”
Universal Credit system is pervasively flawed...