THE Tories must 'wake up to reality' and tackle the cost of living crisis by 'putting money in people's pockets now', the SNP have said.

MP Kirsty Blackman urged Work and Pensions Minister Therese Coffee to deliver cash to families immediately.

The Aberdeen North representative said after "a decade of austerity, slow wage growth and a range of brutal welfare cuts" by the UK Government, poverty levels have increased.

She said this means the UK now has the worst poverty and inequality levels in north-west Europe.

READ MORE: 'I don't know how I can budget anymore': Scots mum hit hard by cost of living crisis

Blackman said: “I am urging Therese Coffey to wake up to reality and use Estimates Day to ensure putting cash in people’s pockets to help them through the cost of living crisis, which has been made worse by her own government, is the priority.

"People need money now, not months down the line.

“That means uplifting Universal Credit by £25 and extending this to legacy benefits, scrapping the five week wait and advance loans in the Universal Credit system in favour of non-repayable grants, and uprating some benefits as we have done in Scotland."

The House of Commons sets aside estimate for MPs to debate the government's spending plans.

Blackman accused the Tories of "tearing apart the UK welfare system" as she criticised the Tories for benefit cuts while in government.

She said: "Given the raft of failures, brutal cuts and missed opportunities we have seen under the Westminster government over the last twelve years, I don’t hold out much hope.

“While the Tories have spent over a decade taking apart the UK welfare system - which for many people is their only safety net when faced with unexpected circumstances - the Scottish Government has been building a social security system based on fairness, dignity and respect.

“It is with those key principles in mind that the SNP Scottish Government brought in the Scottish Child Payment, another seven brand new benefits, uprated benefits, and made the decision to spend £83 million to mitigate the Tory’s damaging bedroom tax and benefit cap."

Blackman said the Scottish Government had "done all of this using its limited powers", adding that 85% of social security spending is reserved to London.

She continued: "Imagine how much further we could go if we had full fiscal powers, including the ability to borrow, as well as full welfare and employment powers? Right now, 85% of social security spending is reserved to Westminster.

“It is clear that the only way Scotland can become a fairer, more equal country - without Westminster dragging us backwards and hindering our progress - is to become an independent country.”

The Scottish Greens said the Tories have been failing to help families through the cost of living crisis, pointing to policies such as the bedroom tax which took money away from low-income households.

MSP Maggie Chapman told The National: "The Tories have been taking money out of people’s pockets since they entered government 12 years ago.

"The bedroom tax, the rape clause, sanctions, Universal Credit cuts, the failure of benefits to keep up with inflation – this year falling in value by the greatest amount in 50 years.

"Now with inflation at its highest level in 40 years and people increasingly struggling to cover essentials, the UK Government finally needs to act.

"Scottish Greens and the Scottish Government are doing what we can to support the most vulnerable - we’ve doubled the Scottish Child Payment, mitigated the Benefit cap and uprated social security payments. We’ve delivered free bus travel to under 22s, funded fuel insecurity and carer allowances.

“We still have more to do, but without full control over our finances, we are constrained by the UK government. As long as the UK continues cutting support and budgets, we’re swimming against the tide."

READ MORE: 'I had to re-mortgage my home': Waspi woman hit by double whammy amid cost of living crisis

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We recognise people are struggling with rising prices which is why we are protecting the eight million most vulnerable families with at least £1200 of direct payments this year.

"All households will receive the £400 energy payments and 80% will get a £150 Council Tax rebate.

“Through our £37bn support package we are also saving the typical employee over £330 a year through a tax cut this month, allowing people on Universal Credit to keep £1000 more of what they earn and in April we significantly increased the National Living Wage to £9.50.

“We are taking a balanced approach - using our fiscal firepower to provide targeted help with the cost of living while being responsible with public finances to strengthen our economy for the long term.”