Power struggle
One in three Scots fears winter bills will be tipping point
MORE than a third of Scots believe spiralling energy bills are unaffordable, according to a poll.
Of the 36 per cent who said they could not afford their gas and electricity bills, eight in 10 cited rising energy costs.
The Citizens Advice Scotland survey also found almost twothirds said that cost of living is an issue.
The charity has warned of a “perfect storm” this winter, with rising energy bills coming on the back of an increase in the energy price cap and the Universal Credit uplift getting scrapped.
It has launched a Big Energy Saving Winter campaign encouraging people to get advice.
CAS Fair Markets spokesperson Kate Morrison said: “Some routes to lower bills simply aren’t available. Switching supplier will likely just lead to a higher tariff.”
Pete McGinnie, 45, who lives in Edinburgh, is among those helped by CAS after he retired due to ill health.
He has been on disability benefits and found it difficult to afford the cost of living, particularly energy bills.
Last year, CAS told him he could claim the Warm Home Discount, a grant that cuts your fuel bill by £140 per year.
He said: “For a while, I was living day to day, using foodbanks and scraping together every penny.
“I was really struggling to cope. My house is not very good at retaining heat and I would often just stay in one room, getting into bed during the daytime and staying there, to try to save on my heating costs.
“But even then, I was worried about how I was going to pay the bills. It was impacting on my mental health and I went to some really dark places.
“Then I went to Citizens Advice and they were brilliant.
“It was such a weight off my mind. I only wish I had asked for their help sooner.”