AS the chief executive of a large housing association, I’m increasingly worried about the impact of Universal Credit, the government’s initiative to combine benefits into a single payment.

While we support the new system’s principle that work should pay, lessons haven’t been learnt from the pilot.

Imagine that you didn’t know what salary you’d receive each week or month.

Then imagine you have no guarantee you will be paid the right amount.

And, when you phone for help, no-one has your details and they can’t help. It might also cost up to 55p per minute, although the government intends to make calls free.

That’s the reality for the thousands of people now claiming Universal Credit.

Government pilots show the six-week wait for benefits pushes many struggling with basic day-to-day costs even further into debt.

Sixty eight per cent of our tenants who claim universal credit are now in rent arrears, with 35 per cent of them owing £400 or more.

With calls for a pause from many quarters, the government must learn lessons before more people are pushed in to further debt.

There are also lessons to learn from Scotland and Northern Ireland who negotiated fortnightly payments.

Many areas across Yorkshire are already feeling the impact of Universal Credit with others next on the roll-out list, before Christmas.

I worry that already stretched services won’t be able to meet increased demand. This might force the most vulnerable people in our society to take drastic measures just to make ends meet.

Mervyn Jones, chief executive Yorkshire Housing