IF you rely on benefits to help make ends meet, brace yourself. The new Universal Credit, which will replace everything from housing benefit to child tax credit, will begin to be be rolled out in York next month.

But because of budget cuts, council bosses fear they may not have enough experienced staff to cope.

This should have been foreseen, not just by the council, but by Westminster politicians who forced through budget cuts while insisting on massive changes to the benefit system.

Let us hope that this shortage of experienced staff does not cause problems for those in York who are already struggling.