Universal Credit problems are forcing more people to turn to food banks in Dorset, with some facing serious delays to their benefits.

Rosemarie Husain of Portland Food Bank said that some people are having to wait up to ten weeks for their Universal Credit payment.

“More people are coming in, not just single people who are struggling but families where both parents are working part time and are having to wait for their Universal Credit,” she said.

A spokesman for Weymouth Food Bank said: “Universal Credit has really stepped up the numbers because people are having to wait so long – in fact one man who came to us had to wait eight weeks before he got anything.”

In 2016 Weymouth Food Bank served 1,969 people for the whole year. Last year it served 2,643 people By mid-October of this year it had already served a total of 2,121 clients before the busy winter period.

“We are coming up to Christmas now and it’s going to become even more difficult for some people because of course you want to give your children a good Christmas,” the spokesman said.

The Trussell Trust, which supports 428 food banks nationwide, has also reported an increase in the number of emergency parcels it has handed out in Dorset.

The Trust said its network provided 5,195 emergency supplies in the area between April and September. Of those, 3,361 were for adults and 1,834 for children.

That’s a 17 per cent increase on the same period in 2017, when 4,438 food parcels were handed out.

The trust expects these numbers to rise towards the end of the year, as people typically collect more food parcels over winter.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “Our benefits system is supposed to anchor any of us from being swept into poverty, but if Universal Credit is to do that, we need to see urgent changes.

“We’re seeing soaring levels of need at food banks. Food banks cannot continue to pick up the pieces - we have to make sure our benefits system can protect people from hunger.”

Local food banks are in constant need of donations. They mainly accept food that is in tins or cans as they will not go off. They also accept toiletries such as shower gel, toothpaste and toilet rolls.

A spokesman for Weymouth Food Bank said: “We are very grateful for all of the donations that we receive.”

Weymouth Food Bank is located in Weymouth Baptist Church on Esplanade, and is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10.30am-12.30pm. Portland Food Bank is in St John’s Church Hall, Ventnor Lane, and is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 9.30am-11.30am.