SCOTS pensioners have been short-changed by tens of thousands of pounds as a result of huge under­payments of welfare benefits.

One elderly man from Glasgow received a £32,000 payment out of the blue after it was discovered his state pension had been massively underpaid.

The welfare shorfalls were discovered after a care home firm investigated benefit payments on behalf of elderly clients. Bield said it found more than 100 of its tenants and housing applicants had been losing out, many unaware they should be claiming. In some cases, pensioners received just £9.75 a week instead of £130.