RENT arrears among council housing tenants in Hull have topped the £2m mark for the first time. The recent sharp increase in arrears is being blamed on benefits changes and the introduction of the so-called "bedroom tax" in April.
It has sparked renewed fears that more people in the city are struggling with debt problems than ever before.
Latest figures reveal 9,092 council tenants were in arrears with their rent at the start of November – 2,000 more than in March.
Over the same seven-month period, the level of arrears jumped by £437,000 to £2.09m.
Councillor Julia Conner represents Orchard Park and Greenwood, one of the most deprived wards in the city.
She said: "These are really worrying figures. It's a real concern."
Andy Brown, the city council's customer services manager, said: "There has been an steady upward trend in the level of arrears for some time, but it has become more marked in recent months.
"It would appear to be long-term trend."
Under recent welfare changes, almost 4,700 council tenants in Hull are now required to pay part of their rent for the first time as they are classed as under-occupying a property because of the number of spare bedrooms.
A tenant with one spare bedroom now has to pay an average of £9 per week towards their rent.
Someone with two spare bedrooms must pay £18.
In addition, about 20,000 people previously exempt from paying any council tax now face having to pay at least 8.5 per cent of the charge.
Next year, that will rise to 20 per cent.
Mr Brown said council officials were now offering "frank" advice to people applying for a new council property.
"We are being proactive with help and advice. That involves some very frank chats with people," he said.
"We are asking 'can you afford this property?'
"We can't stop them taking it but we are doing our best to make sure they understand the financial consequences."
Some private housing landlords now ask for would-be tenants to provide personal financial information about themselves before letting a property.
But Mr Brown said the council's current policy did not allow for personal finance checks to be carried out.
The new figures show only 37.5 per cent of council tenants affected by the "bedroom tax" are currently paying their rent in full.
Just over half are paying some of their rent, but about 300 tenants have not paid anything since April.
Of those tenants in Hull now being charged council tax, about 5,000 or 25 per cent had not made any kind of payment by the end of October.
Laura Carr, the council's neighbourhoods and housing manager, said: "It is clear that for some households, the welfare benefit changes are having a serious impact on household finances and staff are dealing with some very challenging and complex cases."
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