Councils have not spent support cash

Millions of pounds set aside for people in severe financial hardship is lying untouched in the bank accounts of councils across the Midlands, a BBC investigation has found.

Responsibility for providing the support was transferred from the government to councils in April, under the Welfare Reform Act.

But a Freedom of Information request revealed councils in the West Midlands region had handed over just £2.2m of the £21m they received.

BBC Radio Stoke's political reporter Phil McCann reports.