Church of England bishops have backed a further delay in the implementation of the troubled Universal Credit benefits system.

Universal Credit is meant to streamline benefits and provide more incentives for people to work. However, there have been widespread reports of failures as it has been introduced, with claimants suffering extreme hardship as payments are delayed.

Documents seen by the BBC indicate that ministers have bowed to pressure and plan to delay the reform, whichwas supposed to be implemented by April 2017. It is not now expected to be fully in place until December 2023.

More than 30 CofE bishops are backing a petition brought by End Hunger UK calling on the government to 'fix' the system, including providing more help and a more flexible system for claimants applying and for those already receiving the benefit.

The campaign is also calling for improvements to the design of Universal Credit and a long-term commitment to ensuring the social security system provides people with an adequate income to afford good food on a regular basis.

The Trussell Trust reports an average increase of 52 per cent in food bank use in areas where Universal Credit has been rolled out for more than a year, as well as rising debt, destitution and hunger. Veteran MP Frank Field said yesterday that women in his Birkenhead constituency had 'taken to the red light district for the first time' because the new system had pushed them into poverty.

The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, the Church's lead bishop on welfare issues, said: 'We need urgent action to improve the flexibility and support for people on Universal Credit, and a long-term commitment that the social security system will provide enough income for them to afford to feed themselves and their families properly.

'Without such action, we can expect to see more and more people turning to food banks and becoming trapped in poverty.

'The problems we are seeing with Universal Credit at church-run food banks across the country must be resolved before many more people are moved on to the new benefit.'

End Hunger UK is supported by Christian denominations including the CofE, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, as well as many social action charities including Church Action on Poverty and the Trussell Trust.