Thousands of families across South Lanarkshire are to be hit in the pocket by the Universal Credit uplift being scrapped.
The decision by the UK Government will see the extra £20 being paid out to help those on Universal Credit cope with the effects of Covid-19 stopped from the end of this month.
The plans have been slammed by Rutherglen MSP, Clare Haughey as "a crime against decency".
She joins a number of figures across the political spectrum who have raised concerns about the move, which a think tank recently warned would affect more than 800,000 people across Britain.
In South Lanarkshire, a total of 25,493 households will feel the impact of the move.
Ms Haughey blasted: “This Tory government’s choice to inflict the biggest overnight cut to social security since World War II - hammering people both in and out of work – is a crime against decency.
“The sheer scale of misery they will inflict on over 25,000 households in South Lanarkshire is horrific. It will have a devastating impact on working families, single parent families, carer families and many others to find or stay in a job, stripping many of the ability to put food on the table or keep warm as we head into winter and with rising energy costs.
“The Tory decision to press ahead with this – with the support of their Scottish MPs – will also take much needed money out of the South Lanarkshire economy when it is trying to recover from Covid. The Tories must rethink this inhumane policy.
"While the Scottish Government tries to combat deprivation with game-changing policies like the Scottish Child Payment, these efforts are being cancelled out by constant waves of Tory austerity.
"It is another clear demonstration of the tale of two governments in Scotland – with one at Westminster which cuts social security support during a global pandemic regardless of the consequences, and one at Holyrood which is tackling poverty head on through a range of actions including the Scottish Child Payment."
A spokesperson for the UK Government recently stated that the uplift was designed to help claimants through the economic shock and financial disruption of the toughest stages of the pandemic, and it has done so.
"Universal credit will continue to provide vital support for those both in and out of work and it’s right that the government should focus on our plan for jobs, supporting people back into work and supporting those already employed to progress and earn more."
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