Syrian refugees arriving in ­Scotland are being left penniless and reliant on food banks after having benefits suspended because they cannot speak English, it has been claimed.

Families who fled war in Syria said they were sanctioned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after claiming they could not write "mini-essays" required of them by Jobcentre staff to detail their search for work.

Dozens of Syrians have arrived in Scotland recently, many ­suffering from the trauma of war as rebels fight the regime of President Bashar Assad.

In April the UN said more than three million refugees had fled Syria's conflict. There are an ­estimated 200 Syrian refugees in Glasgow, according to the Scottish Refugee Council.

A refugee support group called Uniting Nations in Scotland (Unis) said people had experienced extreme poverty after being denied benefits.

Ahlam Souidi, a Unis coordinator, said: "In my group there are 10 members who have been ­sanctioned for weeks. A few of them are families with young ­children while others are single. They face the everyday threat of sanctions due to not complying with job-seekers' requirements.

"But there are language ­barriers. The situation has made them feel intimidated, lost and angry and made their mental conditions worse. They are living in extreme poverty. They are scared and confused."

Lawyer Munir Enkideh from the city of Jasim in southern Syria is living in Glasgow. He said he was sanctioned for having poor English.

He arrived in the UK in November 2012 and was separated from his wife and four children for two-and-a-half years.

They were eventually reunited in Scotland in July 2013 thanks to the British Red Cross.

Mr Enkideh, who is studying English at Langside College in Glasgow, said: "I was unfairly sanctioned by the Jobcentre with no prior notification.

"It was a barbaric decision to starve my family of food for four weeks … it felt as if it was four years. I first realised I had to resort to a food bank when I checked my bank balance at an ATM which read £0.00. I rushed to the Jobcentre to ask why, and was told it was because I was unable to write what is essentially a mini-essay every day to prove that I have searched for work."

Unis visited the Scottish Parliament recently to raise refugees' concerns with Humza Yousaf MSP, the SNP Minister for External Affairs and International Development. Mr Yousaf agreed to take the issues up with the UK Government.

He also promised help for Syrian students struggling in Scotland because bursaries from home have ended due to the ongoing conflict.

Mr Yousaf said: "It's definitely an issue I am happy to raise as this seems utterly bizarre."

A DWP spokesman said: "If the people referred to can provide their details, we will be more than happy to look in to their claims. Our staff will do all they can to help people and ensure they get the benefits they are eligible for.

"People given certain types of leave to enter or remain in the UK, including refugees, may be eligible for benefits, subject to the usual conditions. DWP can use an interpretation service, for example in explaining to a claimant their responsibilities when claiming Jobseeker's Allowance."

A Scottish Refugee Council spokesman said: "These men and women have escaped torture, extreme violence and loss and arrived here with nothing. They are legally entitled to protection here in Scotland and that means having equal access to services and support."