Universal Credit 'a nightmare' say Flintshire couple

A Flintshire couple forced to go to a food bank after benefit changes say the new system is "worse than a nightmare".

Gareth Thomas, 61, and his partner Patricia Messham, 55, have said delays to their Universal Credit payments have broken them.

The couple live in Flintshire, one of the first areas to introduce the UK government welfare scheme, which combines all benefits into one.

The UK government said extra help was available for those who needed it.

Chancellor Philip Hammond faces wide-ranging calls to adapt the troubled flagship scheme as he sets his first autumn budget on Wednesday.

There are currently about 25,000 people in Wales on Universal Credit. In April Flintshire became the first Welsh county to have all benefit claimants under the new system.

Introduced in 2013, its single payment replaces six benefits, including Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

But, a report to the council warns there are significant issues with the system, with some claimants falling into rent arrears and being unable to buy food due to having to wait weeks for payments.

Mr Thomas, who lives with his partner Ms Messham, in Shotton, said they were unable to pay their council tax, rent and mortgage on their rent-to-buy home and bills following the benefit changes.

"I'd like to say it's a nightmare, but it's not, it's worse than a nightmare, you can wake up from a nightmare," Mr Thomas said.

He had to stop work in September 2016 after a stroke and his partner also left her job to care for him.

The pair made their first claim for Universal Credit online in May but eight weeks later were told they had made an online error and had to start again.

The couple said while they had received two payments under the changes and have had income from their pensions, they were falling into debt and were now having to go to a food bank.

Ms Messham said: "I'm so embarrassed I go to Mold so nobody knows us, I pray to God nobody sees us coming out with food. I put in food banks, I don't take out."

She added: "I'm scared of him having another stroke, he's got to go everywhere with me, we are going down to Citizen's Advice, the Job Centre, the MP, and I'm dragging him around with me, he gets all worked up. I want to keep him alive."

According to a report to Flintshire Council 260 tenants receiving the new benefit have rent arrears worth £354,000, although it is not known how many have fallen behind because of delayed payments.

The local welfare reform response team is "starting to deal with and experience more customers displaying mental health symptoms and or being abusive/upset", it said.

It adds that people are waiting at least six weeks for their first payment, forcing them to borrow to pay their rent and bills. Some are struggling to buy food.

The UK government's Department of Work and Pensions said it was working with more people in work than under the old system.

"This report fails to acknowledge the package of support introduced to help people move into work, including unprecedented support with childcare costs and wider reforms to taxation and the introduction of the National Living Wage," a spokesman said.

"The majority of people are comfortable managing their money but advances are available for anyone who needs extra help and arrangements can be made to pay rent direct to landlords."