Hundreds more families in Tayside and Fife have seen their benefits cut since the UK Government lowered the welfare cap, official figures show.
There are now 511 households in the area affected by the lowering of the cap from £26,000 to £20,000 a year, according to analysis from the Scottish Greens.
That is up from 81 before the new limit took effect in November.
The 531% rise means Courier Country has been hit harder than the Scottish average, where there has been 434% increase in the number of households having their social security payments limited.
Green MSP Alison Johnstone has called for the Tories benefit cap to be scrapped — and called for the SNP government to use new Holyrood powers to offset the damage if they do not.
“Seven years into the Tories’ cruel agenda of cuts, we now see the terrible impact on children in our communities,” she added.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: “Work is the best way to raise living standards, and many parents with young children are employed.
“As our latest figures show, 34,000 households previously capped have moved into work, 970 in Scotland.
“The benefit cap restores balance, making the system fairer to the taxpayer, and provides a financial incentive to move into work for those who can.”
