AROUND one third of all council tenants in the area are struggling to pay their rent.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request have revealed 1,740 of Somerset West and Taunton Council's 5,593 tenancies are currently in arrears, ie are behind in their payments.

In total, the 31 per cent of tenancies in arrears equates to £711,548.62 which is owed to the council.

That is an average of around £409 per tenancy across the council's region.

The council says the roll out of Universal Credit has played a part in the increase of tenancies in arrears, and that 'all housing providers' nationally have experienced similar patterns.

But work is being done to pick up on arrears more efficiently, to ensure the tenants receive the support they need to keep up with payments.

Cllr Fran Smith, executive member for housing, said: “We have seen tenant arrears increasing as Universal Credit has been rolled out and this is in line with what most housing providers have experienced.

"We have recently reviewed how we collect rent to make this process more efficient and ensure we are picking up on arrears more quickly so as to provide support earlier.

"We are confident that this will lead to a reduction in arrears.”

The number of people in Taunton Deane claiming Universal Credit stands at 5,608, while there are 1,607 claimants in West Somerset, according to Department for Work and Pensions figures.

The benefit, which replaces six previous benefits with a single monthly payment, was highly criticised when it was first introduced for what supporters termed teething problems.

But the Government trumpets it as a "vital safety net" that has helped record numbers of people into work.

For more information and support if you're facing eviction from your council home, visit england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction/eviction_of_council_tenants.