The Covid outbreak generated an almost 1000 per cent increase in the number of households claiming Universal Credit in a West Lothian community.
Commenting on the figures for south Livingston, council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick told West Lothian Council’s Livingston South Local Area Committee: “A lot of people are going through some very hard times.”
The startling rise was outlined in a report to the committee by the local housing department.
The report said that compared to the end of the first quarter of last year - June 2019: “In the same week last year Livingston South ward had 26 Universal Credit (UC) households. Since then the number of UC households has increased by 953.8 per cent.”
The report added: “The number of tenancies in arrears in this ward has increased by 28 since last year. Small debt cases (£300 or less), account for 52.6 per cent of households.
There are 108 serious arrears cases (+£1000 in arrears). These cases are 18.9 per cent of all households in arrears in this area, containing 63.7 per cent of the debt.”
The widespread introduction of Universal Credit has pushed arrears figures up 2018.
This is largely down to the five to nine-week lag between initial claims made and first payments made.
The rent collection rate for the ward remains good despite the financial hammer blow of Covid.
For the year to date in the ward it was described as “excellent” at 95 per cent. Livingston South has collected £1,478,176 vs a charge of £1,555,438.
The arrears position for Livingston South in the first quarter of 2020 is £352,739. This is an increase of £74,936 on last year’s position. The West Lothian overall position is currently £3,682,519.
