THE Salvation Army fears more residents in Wear Valley will be turning to its food bank as a result of the so-called 'bedroom tax'.

From April, residents deemed to have spare bedrooms will have their housing benefits cut under Government plans.

Residents will either have to downsize to smaller homes or see their benefit cut by 14 per cent for one extra bedroom or 25 per cent for two or more.

Statistics estimate this to be an average loss per household of up to £16 a week.

Now the Salvation Army in Crook has voiced its concerns about the cut, especially as their survey found a chronic shortage of single-bedroom homes in the area.

The church and charity based on Queen’s Street fears people will be forced to use money set aside for food to make up for the benefits shortfall.

The Salvation Army is predicting a huge rise in the number of people coming to their food bank for help.

Food banks are designed to act as a 'sticking plaster' for emergency situations and are not meant to be a long-term solution for people.

Lieutenant Dawn Anderson, who runs The Salvation Army in Crook with her husband Mark said: “The greatest injustice seems to be that people are willing to downsize, but there are no properties available.

“The alternative is to try and move out of Crook.

“This tax has not taken into account the availability of housing.”

Lt Mrs Anderson said they know one lady who only has £10 a week to buy food who will be left penniless by the new tax.

North West Durham MP, Pat Glass, said 25 per cent of tenants in Crook and Weardale will be affected.

She said: “I do have concerns not just about increasing homelessness and poverty as a result of the bedroom tax but because I know that housing authorities do not have smaller houses to move tenants onto.”

Last November ITV show Daybreak gave 1,400 cans of food to the Crook Salvation Army's food bank.

At the time the charity was handing out ten food parcels a week to families in Wear Valley.