Crisis has lef t more battling to pay the bills

SOARING numbers of Scots are struggling with their finances as the grim legacy of the global recession becomes clear.

New figures have revealed a sharp increase in the number of adults finding it hard to make ends meet, despite the return of economic growth across the UK.

The annual Scottish Social Attitudes survey found that the proportion of people who are struggling on their present income increased from 9 per cent in 2007 to 16 per cent in 2013.

Only half of respondents said they are living ‘comfortably’ and 58 per cent said they believed the standard of living in Scotland fell ‘a little’ or ‘a lot’ over the past year – compared to only 35 per cent who felt the economy actually became weaker.

The findings suggest that improvements in the economy are not driving up living standards as families cope with rising fuel bills and below-inflation wage increases.

The survey also shows voters overwhelmingly want the econ-

‘Families continue to struggle’

omy to be at the top of the list of priorities for the SNP Government, replacing crime as their main concern.

Citizens Advice Scotland policy manager Keith Dryburgh said: ‘We see similar evidence across Scotland, where many families continue to struggle to pay for the basics like food and fuel and housing costs.

‘We keep hearing the economy is improving, but the reality we see every day is that for many people these improvements are taking a long time to reach them. In all parts of the country, we remain as busy as ever.’

The survey, by ScotCen Social Research, is considered the benchmark report on social and political attitudes. In 2013, the sample size was 1,497 and interviews were conducted in respondents’ homes. The survey said: ‘People in Scotland expressed more negative views about the general standard of living than the economy’.

‘Just over half of the people in Scotland (53 per cent) in 2013 said they were living really comfortably or comfortably. A further 30 per cent said they were neither comfortable nor struggling, with only 16 per cent saying they were struggling or really struggling.

‘These figures were similar to those in 2011. Taken over a longer time period, however, it i s clear that changes have occurred. In particular, the proportion of people who said they were struggling on their present income has increased over time from the pre-recession level of 9 per cent in 2007.’

Scottish Labour social justice spokesman Jackie Baillie said last night: ‘These findings make clear that we are currently going through a cost of living crisis, with prices rising and pay packets declining in real terms.

‘Since 2007, the number of people who are struggling has almost doubled and one in six people are finding it hard to make ends meet.

‘The SNP dragged their heels over tackling the bedroom tax, have failed to back the living wage and progress on child poverty has stalled. Instead, they prefer to use people’s misery to boost their referendum campaign.

‘The Scottish Government must stop obsessing about the constitution and instead tackle the cost of l i ving crisis in Scotland.’