Universal Credit causing distress for people in Flintshire

Universal Credit is causing considerable distress for people in Flintshire, a leading politician has warned. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Figures released by Flintshire Council show the number of people receiving the single consolidated benefit payment in the county has risen to 5,790. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It represents an increase of almost 60 per cent compared to the 3,263 recipients in June last year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Senior local authority figures said the new style system implemented by the UK Government has left 546 council house tenants facing collective rent arrears of around £567,000. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The council’s deputy leader revealed she recently visited one woman who was left in tears as a result of being chased by debt collectors due to an incorrect Universal Credit payment. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas said: “I went with somebody on a home visit and the woman was absolutely in tears. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“She was so distraught because she didn’t know where she was up to. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“One minute they give her more money and the next minute they take it away – she’s a nervous wreck over it. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“She had that much paperwork and was so confused that we had two council officers from our department come out. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“They were able to phone the Job Centre direct to get the information on her account.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The council has made support available by creating a specialist welfare reform response team to prevent people from reaching crisis point. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Its approach to the implementation of Universal Credit has been seen as a model of good practice by other Welsh local authorities and the Welsh Government. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

As a result, the authority’s benefit department has been providing advice to other councils ahead of the roll out in their areas. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cabinet members will be asked to support the ongoing work when they meet next week. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Ahead of the meeting, Cllr Thomas said she strongly believed the new system was not working. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She added: “It’s costing more than all the legacy benefits and they put £1.7bn into it last year to try and force it to work. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“There’s a large amount of people now who don’t benefit and can’t get it. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Every time there’s a slight change in someone’s earnings, the calculation changes for Universal Credit. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“My worry is that they’ve thrown so much money at it that they can’t reverse it now.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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

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