ONE third of Scots with multiple sclerosis have been forced to cut spending on essentials such as food because of changes to their disability benefits.

A survey by the charity MS Society Scotland found a quarter of those who responded had cut down on gas and electricity, half had reduced socialising with family and friends and 91 per cent found the process of claiming disability benefits stressful.

Nearly one in 10 said they had reduced spending by attending fewer hospital appointments.

Officials said the findings showed it was time to look again at controversial assessments for Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP) with many sufferers arguing the new procedures were harmful to their health.

MS Society Scotland also called for improvements to be made north of the Border following the devolution of social security and employment powers under the Scotland Bill.

Morna Simpkins, the charity's director, said: "It is simply not good enough that people in Scotland who have MS are being forced to make difficult choices between heating their homes or attending hospital appointments.

"People with MS need and deserve more from their welfare system. The UK Government needs to recognise the reality of living with MS and make basic, common sense changes, fast.

"We also need the Scottish Government to join our fight for those who face poverty, inequalities and discrimination due to the failures of the current system."

The society highlighted the case of Jamie Ross, 26, from Glasgow, who was diagnosed with MS last year, after first suffering symptoms two years ago.

He said: "I’ve worked since I was 15-years-old and never had any experience of the welfare system and until recently I had a professional salary and a typical 20-something lifestyle.

"This is my first experience of claiming benefits, and it’s been a minefield. I’ve been late with my rent, threatened with eviction and have got into debt.

"MS tends to strike younger people and the disability isn’t always obvious. You can’t see my fatigue, visual difficulties, pain and anxiety, but they exist, and I’m going to keep fighting for what I’m entitled to."

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil welcomed the report and accepted that the current system was "flawed".

He said: "This is an intolerable situation for people with MS. Where we have responsibility, we are investing to support vulnerable people.

"We are providing significant mitigation resources, but recognise it is impossible to fully mitigate the cuts without control over the welfare system.

"We will do all we can with the new powers coming to the Scottish Parliament to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland."

Scotland has one of the highest incidence rates of MS in the world with around 11,000 people in Scotland living with the lifelong neurological condition.

MS symptoms typically appear when people are in their 20s or 30s. MS attacks the nervous system. Symptoms include sight loss, pain, fatigue, incontinence and disability.

The survey of more than 1,000 people was conducted as part of a new campaign by the UK-wide MS Society which calls for the system to take account of evidence provided by experienced professionals who understand a person's condition.

PIP, which replaced the Disability Living Allowance, has been described as unfit for purpose after it was beset by backlogs and delays which left many disabled people waiting in excess of six months, and in some cases more than a year, for their claim to be processed.

The work capability assessment system that determines if someone will receive ESA has also been dogged by controversy, with heavy criticism of the tests used to decide whether applicants are eligible.