AN alarming 75pc of Bolton's council house tenants are caught in the poverty trap.

They are receiving housing benefit and would be worse off if they were in work.

These statistics were revealed by housing chairman, Cllr Noel Spencer, at a Bolton Council meeting.

Cllr Spencer, said the figure was even worse in housing associations where higher rents mean only people on benefits can live there.

"I understand that nationally, the figure is around 90pc.

"The answer has to be decent wages. People cannot afford to take low paid jobs because they are worse off when they lose housing benefit.

"This money which is being paid out should go into bricks and mortar so that we can build new houses," said Cllr Spencer.

Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson added: "Half a million building workers in this country are lying idle, we need to start building houses to get the economy moving again."

His colleague Cllr Miss Mary Mason said: "We want to encourage people to go out to work, but people are finding themselves in the poverty trap."

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