Benefit cuts and reforms are undermining efforts to help recovering alcoholics and drug users, according to a new report

The study, by West Dunbartonshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership, found that one in five clients affected by welfare reforms had increased their alcohol or drug use. More than half did not have enough money to feed themselves and their families and 41 per cent had had to borrow money to survive.

The draft study, has yet to be signed off by partners including WDADP, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and West Dunbartonshire Council, is due to be published in May.

It says changes to eligibility have made it harder for people with addiction issues to qualify for some disability benefits, while a huge increase in benefit sanctions has had a particular impact on the clients of addiction agencies. A third of those surveyed had seen Job Seekers' Allowance (JSA) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA) payments stopped for an alleged breach of the rules.

The report says benefit cuts and changes are having a dramatic effect on people in recovery from addiction. "Welfare reform changes [are] having a detrimental impact on the recovery journey of many service users, not simply affecting their financial circumstances, but also impacting on their mental and physical health and wellbeing," it says.

Staff and volunteers are also being affected, the authors say."Addiction service workers were coming under increased pressure to help clients complete benefit forms, provide letters of support and advocacy."

The arrival of Universal Credit, the new benefit due to be rolled out later this year, will require people who work in part time or low paid jobs to look for more work to increase their income, it says. "This is likely to impact on staff and volunteers working for addiction and mental health services as well as clients."

While UC will introduce a job seeking 'holiday' of up to six months for people seeking treatment for drug or alcohol dependency, this is may not be helpful, the report says as it could lead to the wrong people being referred for help, overloading services and leading to longer waiting times for rehab and support.

One senior nurse told researchers that working with clients was being made more difficult. "Most of our patients don't have a lot of money at the best of times, and now quite a lot are coming in and saying they are losing their benefits because they have been a minute late for an appointment or haven't completed their work diary the right way and they have nothing to live on for weeks."

The report adds: "behind each statistic are some harrowing stories of people who are struggling to deal with an addiction while under unprecedented financial pressures."

A consultant psychiatrist commented: "anything that leads to increased levels of anxiety is likely to lead to higher levels of relapse."

David Liddell, director of Scottish Drugs Forum, said the findings were being replicated across Scotland and had been borne out by his organisation's own work.

"An unpublished survey we did at the end of last year found that 43% of services reported a negative impact and 69% had seen an increased workload as a result of benefit reform" he said.

"Clients are facing a lack of money for utilities, debt, stress and rent arrears, an increased reliance on foodbanks and for some an increase in offending. That is all increasing the risk of relapse.

"Drug agency staff are not welfare advisors and spending more of their time writing letters in support of clients takes away from work to tackle addiction. This is not a good use of public funds."

Drug and alcohol dependency was not a lifestyle choice, he said and vulnerable people need support. "Apart from the need to care for the most marginalised in society, this will cost more money in terms of increased crime, use of hospital and homelessness services, and chasing rent arrears," he added.