A NEW benefits system is driving more people to use food banks and causing financial problems for the council.

Angry Brighton and Hove city councillors blasted universal credit as bad value for money and not fit for purpose at a meeting yesterday.

Former Labour council leader Councillor Warren Morgan said a 52 per cent rise in their use was “astonishing”.

He quoted the National Audit Office, which said: “The cost of running universal credit compared to the benefits it replaces causes us to conclude that the project is not value for money now, and that its future value for money is unproven.”

He added: “It is demonstrably unfit for purpose.”

As previously reported, over two thirds of the almost 500 households on universal credit had average rent arrears of £473, totalling more than £150,000.

Green councillor Dick Page asked how many people would be evicted as a result.

Housing chief Larissa Reed said no one who was behind with their rent due to problems with the new benefit system would be kicked out.

Cllr Page was also concerned about the limited budget to offer a council tax reduction.

He said: “If we really care about the most vulnerable there we have to find a way to have a council tax reduction in the budget that will meet the needs of the large number of people on low income.”

Labour councillor Julie Cattell described the report as “heartbreaking” and said woman were unfairly affected.

She said: “One of the cruellest things is if a woman is raped or in an abusive relationship and has a third child she has to prove she was raped to claim for the third child.”

Green councillor Pete West said: “There is a cavalier

attitude from the Government.

“We are always going to see a level of antipathy towards people facing financial hardship.”

Even Conservative councillor Garry Peltzer-Dunn accepted the National Audit Office’s criticism.

But he pointed out that the office also stated there was “no practical alternative” to the new benefit.