SCOTLAND'S new Cabinet Secretary for Social Security made Peebles her first port of call since coming into office.

Shirley-Anne Sommerville met with staff and volunteers at the Citizens Advice Bureau to hear about ongoing issues with benefit changes.

And highlighted during the visit was the ongoing crippling consequences of the UK-wide move from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments.

Over the past five years tens of thousands of disabled and terminally ill people have lost vital benefits following assessments.

And many have had to undergo lengthy appeals to win back their income.

Following Wednesday's meeting, Ms Somerville told the Peeblesshire News: “Meeting with CAB service users and staff was one of my early priorities in my new role.

"Much of what I have heard today has been depressingly familiar.

"In Peebles just as in any part of Scotland, there are very deep concerns about the move from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments and the negative impact that this has had on so many people and their families."

Around a dozen benefits, including Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment, are being devolved to Holyrood from Westminster over the next three years.

And Ms Somerville's visit to CAB offices is part of the fact-finding mission her predecessor Jeane Freeman began a couple of years ago to gather evidence and learn from UK-wide 'mistakes'.

She added: "I fully intend to carry on the excellent work of my predecessor Jeane Freeman and ensure we create in Scotland a benefits system that is based upon compassion and respect.

"I am very much looking forward to working closely with CAB to help achieve that.”

The UK Government introduced PIP as a replacement to Disability Living Allowance for people aged 16 to 64 to cope with the extra costs they face due to ill health or disability.

Ministers claimed the system, which designed to save around £1.2bn a year from the welfare budget, was fairer.

But it has come in for heavy criticism over stringent assessments which have left tens of thousands disabled people out of pocket by as much as £100 per week.

As well as staff and volunteers in Peebles the new Cabinet Secretary also met several CAB clients in Peebles affected by the recent changes to benefit entitlements.

Peebles CAB Manager Melanie Nairn said: "All of Scotland has felt the impact of the UK government’s welfare reforms and Peebles is no different.

"Our clients come to us with problems about the changeover from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independent Payment as well as problems with Universal Credit and benefit cuts in general.

"Many of our clients are really struggling to make ends meet and need emergency aid and food parcels.

“I appreciated that one of the first visits that the new Social Security Cabinet Secretary wanted to make was to a CAB to hear direct from clients and advisers on the issues we see every day.

"Not only did she take time to listen to our concerns, she was also able to reassure us that Social Security Scotland will be different and put people first and that’s exactly what’s needed.”