Universal Credit fiasco is a disgrace

The story this week about the Fort William family who have been forced to rely on Lochaber Foodbank for not only food, but also other items from nappies to coal is shocking, although not unexpected given what is known about the UK Government’s roll-out of Universal Credit.

The couple, who have a one-year-old son and another child on the way, have had no money for food or electricity for the past three weeks. But Lochaber Foodbank manager Alex McConachie says the family are just one of many in a similar situation.

Westminster should be ashamed that it is knowingly putting families like these in such a stressful situation with no alternative but to seek help from the foodbank and other agencies.

Stephen Marshall, manager of Lochaber Citizens Advice Bureau, says Universal Credit problems are now the second biggest area of work for his staff, adding: ‘The complexity of the whole thing means it is not accessible to the people who need it most ... and the delay in payments starting also causes problems with things like rent arrears.’

The Highlands has a large number of seasonal workers and as Mr McConachie points out: ‘It’s only going to get worse this month with some businesses closing for the winter – that means more people signing on to Universal Credit and they’re going to have to wait five or six weeks before they get any money.’

This roll-out should be stopped until the UK Government can find an alternative that does not mean families put through such unnecessary anguish.