THE newly appointed work and pensions Secretary, Damian Green, is a threat to low-income families and those on disability benefits due to his career-long backing for cuts to social security, the SNP has warned.

Green, who was promoted to the Cabinet post in charge of the UK’s welfare state by Theresa May, “has almost always” voted in favour of reducing benefits and against increasing support for people who are unable to work through long-term ill health or disability, the party claimed.

SNP MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford highlighted the Tory minister’s support for policies such as the so-called 'bedroom tax' as well as his opposition in House of Commons votes to raising welfare benefits in line with prices.

Whiteford said Green had also supported a reduction in spending on welfare benefits and for reductions in financial support for those struggling to pay their Council Tax bills, during his 19 years as a Tory MP.

The MP for Banff and Buchan suggested Green’s Commons voting record showed he represented a threat to vulnerable benefit claimants, and called on the minister to rule out further cuts.

Whiteford, the SNP’s social justice spokesperson at Westminster, called on Green to ensure the incomes of less well-off people were protected when the UK Government’s flagship Universal Credit reform, bringing together six working-age benefits into one payment, fully comes into force.

Under the reforms, those receiving income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Housing Benefit will receive a single monthly payment instead.

Critics have expressed concerns that the new system, which has been beset by delays, will leave many claimants worse off.

Whiteford called on Green to outline how he would seek to tackle poverty and support disabled people, as she stated that his Commons voting record on welfare issues raised doubts he would pursue such an approach.

She said: “The new Secretary of State faces big challenges ahead with the roll-out of Universal Credit, and tacking the employment gap for disabled people, yet one glance at Damian Green’s past voting record reveals he has shown little interest in protecting those on low incomes or in supporting disabled people.

“Political attention has been focused on Tory turmoil over Europe and Labour’s leadership woes but life goes on for the hundreds of thousands of people on low incomes and disabled people who have seen their support slashed.

“We now have the third Work and Pensions Secretary so far this year, and it is vital that Damian Green gets on with the job of supporting those who need our help the most.

“The Tories must now live up to their rhetoric. If they really are on the side of the many and not the few, then one of their first priorities will be to outline how they plan to lift people out of poverty and support disabled people.”

Whiteford said that Green had also almost always voted against paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability, as well as opposing spending public money to create guaranteed jobs for young people who have spent a long time unemployed.

However, the Department for Work and Pensions, responding to Whiteford’s claims, stated that it was already providing high levels of support to disabled people and presiding over an all-time high in employment rates.

A spokesman said: “The reality is we are supporting people from all backgrounds, including disabled people, to make the most of our growing economy – there are record numbers of people in work and we also spend around £90 billion a year on a strong welfare safety net.”