A CAMPAIGN has been launched by a Glasgow law centre to challenge the impact of Universal Credit (UC).

More than 600,000 households in Scotland will receive the payment with the final roll out expected to be completed by December 5.

This include parts of Glasgow where many people have not yet received the payment which replaces six other benefits.

Legal experts at at Govan Law Centre say it is “causing misery and increasing poverty”.

They hope to build a coalition of civic and third sector groups and trade unions who will support the devolution of Universal Credit to Scotland.

Mike Dailly, a solicitor at Govan Law Centre said: “With the full rollout of Universal Credit in Glasgow for new claimants in a few weeks much more must be done to tackle the crisis of Universal Credit until it can be devolved.

“The Scottish Government and all stakeholders need to act now, with interim measures, to reduce the misery. “

Legal experts have demanded that the new social security payment be devolved to the Scottish Parliament to allow a new solution to in-work poverty to be found.

In the meantime they are calling on the Scottish Government to implement reforms to mitigate the worst impact of the payment.

They include an urgent updating of the Scottish pre-action court requirements and measures to prevent landlords deducting more than 5% of a tenant’s UC or disposable income for rent arrears.

Social landlords, they say, also to ensure tenants are made aware of the ability for direct payments to be deducted from their Universal Credit payment for rent purposes.

Finally centre chiefs say there should be a national co-ordination of advice and intervention strategies in Scotland to limit damage

Lawyers at the centre say it is an unworkable social security policy and is increasing misery rather than reducing poverty as promised.

Mr Dailly added:”We need updated pre-action requirements to provide help

and support to prevent evictions.

“We should restrict the increased deductions from universal credit for rent arrears, ensure tenants are fully aware they can have their UC paid direct to the landlord if this will help them feel safer in their home,

and we need national

co-ordination of advice and intervention strategies in Scotland”.