A RISING star of the Scottish Tories has raised concerns about the roll-out of Universal Credit, warning it risks failing those most in need.

Glasgow MSP Annie Wells said the roll-out of UK Government’s flagship overhaul of the benefits system worried many of her constituents.

Universal Credit - which rolls six working-age benefits into one - was supposed to have been in place by April last year, but has being delayed until December 2023.

The principle is to make work pay and in theory no family should be worse off than before.

However long delays before payments and the Treasury cutting £2bn from the scheme have led to problems in pilot, with reports of extra food bank use as a result.

UK Work and Pensions Secretary Esther Mcvey recently warned cabinet colleagues some families could lose £200 a month because of changes, prompting yet another delay.

Instead of starting to move 4m claimants onto Universal Credit in January, the initial phase has been pushed to next summer, with no large scale moves until November 2020.

Former prime ministers Sir John Major and Gordon Brown have both likened the changes to the poll tax, the disastrous policy that lead to riots and Margaret Thatcher’s downfall as PM in 1990.

Last year, in a Holyrood debate, Ms Wells defended Universal Credit.

However in a letter to The Herald today, the Tories’ mental health spokeswoman says she has concerns she wants to “put on record”.

She writes: “Whilst I support the premise of Universal Credit, it is paramount that it is implemented in a way that sees nobody left behind.

“The most vulnerable in our society need to be reassured that their concerns over the impact of this rollout, in its current form, will be listened to and that it will not affect their day to day lives. To not do so, runs the risk of failing those who the system set out to support.”

SNP MSP George Adam said: “This is an incredibly frank, yet welcome, admission from a Tory MSP that the rollout of Universal Credit is having a damaging impact on people’s lives.

“There is no doubt has been a disaster - driving kids into poverty and forcing families to rely on foodbanks.

“But Annie Wells cannot hide from the fact it is her party which is responsible for Universal Credit and refusing to back down in face of truly devastating evidence of the human cost.”