Theresa May has been accused of “doing a runner” after a Scottish council was left £2.5million out of pocket by administering the failed Universal Credit benefit.
Drew Hendry, the SNP MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, confronted the Prime Minister in the Commons yesterday over the unpaid debt to Highland Council.
Hendry, a former leader of the council, said the Department for Work and Pensions had promised to repay the costs.
He added: “Despite Highland Council showing evidence of costs of £2.5million, they still have no offer from her Government.
“They’ve done a runner and every household in the Highlands is bearing the cost of Universal Credit. Isn’t it time her Government paid their bill?”
Ignore House of Commons etiquette and all that's left is mediocrity and vulgarity
May responded by saying that Universal Credit was “encouraging people into work and making sure work pays”.
Hendry first raised the issue with DWP ministers after the costs to Highland Council came to light in October. They agreed to look into the matter but the council have since received correspondence from the DWP refusing to settle the debt.
Universal Credit disgrace as 30,000 claimants on benefits are in rent arrears
Hendry said: “The Highland Council benefits and welfare reform team is one of the top six highest-performing teams across the UK.
"If this leading team is incurring this level of additional costs to administer Universal Credit, one can only imagine the money other councils are going to lose as it is rolled out further.”
