SITTINGBOURNE and Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt is calling for the borough council to hire a hit squad of benefits officers to tackle the huge backlog of claims.

Payments to tenants and landlords are months behind because of problems with computer software installed in January to meet new Government criteria and legislation for processing claims.

Mr Wyatt raised the issue in the House of Commons again on Monday. He said: "They need a blitz squad to go in there 24 hours per day, seven days per week, to get the backlog cleared."

Swale council leader Cllr Andrew Bowles (Con) said his council was doing everything it could to rectify the problem.

Another nine trained benefits officers have been employed to process outstanding claims. The council is also working with a help team from the Department of Work and Pensions.

He said there were simply not enough trained benefits officers in the country to do what Mr Wyatt was suggesting.