As many as 1,000 more families could be placed into Kent from other areas because of far-reaching welfare reforms, a shock report has predicted.

Kent County Council says there could be significant migration into Kent, notably from London, by families adversely impacted by a radical shake-up of the benefit system.

And the report has warned the changes are likely to mean more will fall into poverty in Kent as they take effect.

Council chiefs are forecasting the changes will pile even more pressure on already-stretched services, particularly social care.

KCC estimates that if their forecasts come to fruition, it will need an additional £2.5m in its children's budget to cope.

A report setting out the likely consequences of the welfare changes for the county makes grim reading.

It states:

• Around 1,000 families with more than 3,000 children could be displaced into Kent, from other areas but notably London
• 70,000 residents are to lose council tax benefit
• Up to 12,000 disabled people -one in four - could lose their right to a new "personal independence allowance" while others will see cuts in disability allowance
• Housing benefit changes are set to push more people from outside Kent into areas where accommodation is cheap
• Already deprived areas will see a loss in spending power
• The potential of the new universal credit to reduce poverty will be outweighed by the adverse impact of other benefit reforms

Council chiefs warn they will have to manage the impact without any additional money from the government.

Of the impact on Kent, the report says while many will experience only small changes "for some households even small changes could have a major impact, particularly cumulative changes for a family who were only jusy coping.

"Unfortunately, we cannot know which people or how many could be tipped into crisis."

The report warns those affected "are more likely to be involved in children's social services, have children with poor attendance at school or not in education, employment or training."

On a visit to Kent two months ago, Chancellor George Osborne said those who had complained the changes would punish the poor were talking "ill-informed nonsense."

Speaking about the report at a meeting today, Cllr Susan Carey (Con) defended the welfare reforms and said not all those coming into Kent would need support.

"It is a really a worst case scenario and looks at things in a very negative way and does not mention the benefits of people taking up work.

"It is not necessarily a bad thing for Kent to have people coming to us."

Labour councillor Derek Smyth said it as "depressing" that the changes risked greater levels of poverty.

"All the signs are that the economy will take time to recover and it will not be quick," he said.

The government's reforms are designed to help reduce the welfare budget and dependency on the state.

The main change is the introduction of the Universal Credit. This will replace six means-tested benefits and tax credits and will be introduced this October, although claimants will be only transferred to the new system gradually.

Other changes are the scrapping of the Disability Living Allowance with a new Personal Independence Payment and the extension of housing benefit under-occupancy rules for social hosuing tenants - what critics have dubbed the bedroom tax.