The UK Government's welfare reforms have reduced a former health worker to a "blind beggar".
Henry Sherlock, 50, will tell MSPs on Tuesday that he has been "harassed and bullied" by the Department of Work and Pensions and its agencies.
In a submission to the Welfare Reform Committee before his appearance, Mr Sherlock said: "I thought the days of the blind man begging with a cup on street corners were gone. Sadly, that is not the case. I still rely on family handouts and additional begged support in order to live."
He says he fears the introduction of the personal independence payment which will replace a range of disability benefits such as disability living allowance (DLA).
"I fear that I will have to go through another witch-hunt in order to apply for this benefit," he said.
"I originally applied for DLA and due to my disability then, was awarded DLA for life. Then the wording suddenly changed on communications stating 'indefinitely'.
"It truly is a sad reflection of any government that refuses to see the true fear it has put the most vulnerable in our society under. In my opinion, it is simple persecution. We did not choose our disabilities."
The committee will also hear from the wife of a man who has been incapacitated by a motorcycle accident and a stroke, and the father of a man with Asperger syndrome, both of whom have similar concerns about the changes to the welfare system.
