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MORE than 82,000 vulnerable households in Scotland have lost income in a “perfect storm” of welfare changes over the last three years.

Benefit cuts, stagnant wages and rising prices are making it harder to make ends meet and forcing more families into poverty.

A report by Oxfam and the New Policy Institute – Multiple Cuts for the Poorest Families – sets out the stark facts as the Tory-led Westminster Government prepare to introduce a new round of even deeper austerity measures.

The report shows how job seekers, carers, single parents and those with a disability or illness are being pushed deeper into the financial abyss.

In Scotland, 54,000 households have been affected by the under-occupation penalty – the hated bedroom tax.

Another 27,000 were hit by a reduced cap on local housing allowance, with 1000 more affected by the overall benefit cap.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “Cuts to our social safety nets have gone too far and are hitting the poorest families hard.

“Little wonder we are seeing people turning to food banks in worrying numbers, with others struggling with rent, council tax, childcare and travel costs to job centres.

"At a time when the five richest families in the UK have the same wealth as the bottom 20 per cent of the population, it is unacceptable that the poorest are paying such a heavy price.

“We welcome the fact that the Scottish Government are providing help to the poorest households and we call on the UK Government to remove the current cap on this funding.

“However, we must also ensure that people are aware of their entitlements.”

The report’s author, Tom MacInnes of the NPI, added: “There are two parts to the safety net. One is the means-tested cash benefit such as jobseeker’s allowance, which is rising by less than prices.

“The other is the benefits that help pay for specific unavoidable costs. This is where cuts have been targeted and where the greatest damage is being done.”

The report says the worst-hit 200,000 UK families are losing out by £18 per week or £864 per year.

Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring said: “This is the latest evidence of a perfect storm blowing massive holes in the safety net which is supposed to stop people falling further into poverty.”

Here are some of the cases the Record has highlighted in recent months.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “Britain has a strong welfare state, but for too long the system trapped those it was designed to help in a state of dependency.

“Work is the best route out of poverty so we’re making sure it pays to work and supporting people into employment – with an extra 1.5million people in work since 2010.

“We’re making the system fair to claimants and to taxpayers.”