Sick and disabled people are facing a "quadruple whammy" from the UK Government's welfare reforms, a leading advice charity has said.

Disabled people in Scotland, and their families, could stand to lose more than £1 billion in benefit payments, Citizens Advice Scotland said.

It is calling on the UK Government to examine the cumulative impact of its welfare cuts on disabled people.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions insisted that, with £50bn in spending, the Government is committed to supporting people with disabilities.

Margaret Lynch, CAS chief executive, highlighted the four changes the charity regards as the most damaging for sick and disabled people: the move from sickness benefit to the employment and support allowance (ESA); the so-called bedroom tax; the replacement of disability living allowance with the personal independence payment (PIP); the introduction of the universal credit.

"This quadruple whammy is making life a misery for sick and disabled people in our communities. Many are affected by more than one and, indeed, some will be victims of all four," she said.

But the DWP insists that vulnerable families are being protected.

The spokeswoman said. "Our reforms will improve the lives of some of the poorest families in our communities and universal credit will make three million households better off."