PRUDHOE Town Council has raised concerns about residents who could be falling into debt because of the Universal Credit system.

A Citizens Advice report to the town council detailed that, although the full roll-out of the scheme in Northumberland is not due to be completed until September 2018, the partial roll-out has seen claimants waiting several weeks to receive their benefits.

Universal Credit works by replacing six existing means-tested benefits with one sum paid on a monthly basis.

Citizens Advice said that one in three people it helps with Universal Credit are waiting more than six weeks to receive any income, including 11 per cent who are waiting over 10 weeks.

At a meeting of Prudhoe Town Council last Wednesday, Councillor Jennifer McGee said: “An awful lot are having to wait more than six weeks to see any income.

“These are people who may not have family or anyone they can get support from. How on earth does anyone manage for four to six weeks with no income to put food on the table or pay the bills? This is why people are having to go to food banks, because they have simply got no money.”

Councillors agreed to write to Hexham’s MP Guy Opperman, outlining their concerns about the period of time people are waiting.

Concerns were also raised at the meeting that face-to-face contact with Citizens Advice in Prudhoe could be at risk, due to internal discussions taking place about the future of the service.