Calls for pause on benefit roll-out

Citizens Advice Scotland (Cas)hascalledforapause in the roll-out of Universal Credit, warning the current system could force people into debt.

The umbrella body for Citizens Advice bureaux in Scotland has urged the UK Government to fix “major flaws” it says are leaving many Scots unable to make ends meet, such as a sixweek wait for payment at the beginning of the claim process.

The organisation has examined evidence from bureaux in areas of Scotland where Universal Credit has already been rolled out.

It found a 15 per cent rise in rent arrears issues compared to a national decrease of 2 per cent and an 87 per cent increase in crisis grant problems compared to a national increase of 9 per cent.

Two of five bureaux in impacted areas have also seen a 40 per cent and a 70 per cent increase in advice about access to food banks compared to a national increase of 3 per cent.

CAS projected that when the service is fully rolled out in 2022, there will be 652,500 households in Scotland claiming Universal Credit. Chair Rory Mair says: “We have been monitoring the impact of Universal Credit closely and we are very concerned.”