RENT arrears among council tenants rose by 20 per cent over the summer, with council officials linking one-third of the rise directly to the introduction of Universal Credit (UC).

East Lothian began a trial of the new digital UC system at the start of this financial year, which rolls a number of benefit payments into one, including housing benefit, giving it to the tenant, instead of directly to the council.

Council officials predicted it would be harder to collect rent under the new pilot system, which was described as an “experiment in cruelty” by SNP councillor Fraser McAllister.

At a meeting of the council’s policy and performance review committee, a report revealed that council rent arrears in the first three months of the year had been £1,210,872 but rose over the second quarter of the financial year to £1,452,515 – an increase of £241,643.

And commenting on the report, officials said: “The introduction of UC was predicted to have a significant impact on rent collection. Of the 590-plus council house tenants claiming UC, we now have an additional £75k rent to collect direct from these tenants per fortnight.

“Of this year’s increase, £79,140 relates directly to debt associated with UC.”

Following the meeting, Councillor Peter MacKenzie, who sits on the committee, said he was concerned to hear of tenants falling into debt and called for more rent officers to be brought in to help.

He said: “While I can see the point made regarding the introduction of Universal Credit and tenants now being obliged to pay the rent personally if they are in receipt of benefits, we surely have a responsibility to ensure that we collect the rent as assiduously as we are able in order to manage our own resources.

“Not only that, it is important for the welfare of the tenants to stay as free of debt as humanly possible.

“It may be that by employing a number of extra rent officers we are able to gather in more rent from the tenants – thus paying for the salary of the officers – but, and what is more important arguably, the descent by any individual into debt is to be avoided at all cost.”

Mr MacKenzie also said that rent owed to the council should not be treated any less seriously than any other debt.

He added: “Nobody should think that it doesn’t matter, that it’s just the council. Debt is debt and is corrosive of family morale, personal financial security and indeed the ability to obtain any credit agreement – now and into the future.”

Mr MacKenzie’s comments came as another report was lodged with councillors that revealed that the local authority had written off nearly £1.3million in bad debt which was outstanding last year, including more than £229,000 in unpaid council rents.

The bulk of the bad debt which had been written off was unpaid council tax, which made up £553,645 of the total sum.