Flintshire Council set to escalate Universal Credit concerns to UK Government

A local authority is set to escalate its concerns about Universal Credit (UC) all the way to the UK Government. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Senior politicians in Flintshire have voiced worries about the impact the single benefit payment is having on people, with many in the county said to be facing spiralling debt levels. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It was one of the pilot areas for the introduction of the new system to replace six separate payments and just under 6,000 residents are currently in receipt of UC. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Figures released by Flintshire Council show it has left 546 of its tenants facing collective rent arrears of around £567,000. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The deputy leader of the authority said the implementation of UC should be reversed because of the distress caused to claimants, who are paid in arrears. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Speaking at a meeting of the ruling Labour cabinet held today, (TUESDAY 16 JULY) Carolyn Thomas put forward a recommendation for the council to write directly to officials in Westminster to highlight the problems. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She said: “Universal Credit is costing more than any of the other legacy benefits put together and £1.7bn was put into it last year to try and force it to work. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Welfare reform has reduced expenditure on social security benefits available to low income working households by around £311 billion per annum. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We’re seeing the underlying issues here and it’s not getting back to the decision makers or they’re just blind. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It’s absolutely appalling how it’s affecting people on the ground. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I think as the pilot area we should resolve to write and capture the impact it’s having at a local level.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cabinet members unanimously supported the idea of writing to the government. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

They also backed ongoing work being carried out to support the most vulnerable households in Flintshire. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It includes a specialist welfare reform response team which was set up to prevent people from reaching crisis point. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Dave Hughes, cabinet member for housing, said: “The council has seen significant demand in this area and the council’s welfare response team will continue to provide personal budgeting support and continue to support our residents. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The team, through detailed analysis, identifies those households or individuals who may be most impacted by welfare reforms and seek to provide support and advice.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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