As temperatures drop, Scots are leaving their heating off in bid to save money amid soaring energy costs, poll finds
Most Scots have left the heating off as the colder weather sets in, a survey found, as they battled to save money amid soaring food and energy prices.
Amidst almost universal pessimism about the economy, with 93 per cent believing general economic conditions are worse now than they were this time last year and 77 per cent expecting it to get worse, a survey found Scots are cutting spending.
Some 68 per cent Scots have resisted turning on the heating in an attempt to save money as the colder weather moved in this month, the survey found, with nearly one in five missing meals to try make ends meet.
Six in ten Scots told the David Hume Institute and the Diffley Partnership survey they planned to spend less on restaurants and hotels, and 58 per cent planned to cut down on leisure and culture spending over the next 12 months.
Mark Diffley, director of the Diffley Partnership, said the public north of the Border continuedto have" widespread concerns about both the of the state of the economy and their ability to cope with the ongoing costof-living crisis".
"Although concern and anxiety are widespread, we continue to see those in the most precarious situations feeling most vulnerable and ill prepared, particularly those who live in the most deprived parts of Scotland," he said.
In Scotland 65 per cent felt their financial situation had worsened over the past year.
The survey, which questioned 2,191 Scots between November 3 and 8, found the poorest were being further pushed into financial insecurity.
One in five of the least well off had to borrow money from family or friends, while 19 per cent had used a buy-now-paylater scheme when they otherwise would not, the quarterly survey found.
"Despite a modest fall in pessimism about the economy over the next year, policy makers and business will be concerned with the finding that spending on non-essential items, like leisure, eating out and holidays, is likely to fall significantly over the coming year," Mr Diffley said.
The survey also found that 49 per cent of those living north of the Border thought Scotland was heading in the wrong direction, and 79 percent said they viewed the economy as being set up to benefit the interests of the wealthy.