MORE THAN half a million people in Scotland are struggling to make ends meet due to unaffordable energy prices. 

Around 640,000 Scots - which is around one in seven - cannot pay the bills as a result of low incomes, new analysis from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has found.

The findings come as power firms hike up their prices and cuts to Universal Credit take place. 

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The charity has warned that the number of people who are struggling to make ends meet could continue to rise.

With the energy price cap due to increase in April, bills could increase by as much as 50%. 

CAS has been running Big Energy Saving Winter, a campaign encouraging people to get advice to manage increasing energy bills.

Michael O’Brien, CAS Fair Markets policy officer, said: “While energy bills have soared in recent months, it’s important to understand that households on low incomes were struggling with their energy costs beforehand.

“A quarter of Scottish households are living in fuel poverty, and that’s before the impact of the pandemic, and the crisis in energy markets, is accounted for.

“With prices in the shops rising and a substantial increase to the energy price cap expected in April, the coming weeks and months could be very challenging for consumers on low incomes.

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“People don’t have to feel alone, or powerless, as costs rise. The CAB network has been helping people for over 80 years.

“Our free, confidential and impartial advice unlocked around £147 million for people last year through things like social security payments, employment entitlements and debt reductions. For energy advice people who saw a gain were around £272 better off.

“We’d like to see policymakers focus on ways to get more money into people’s pockets, but we’re here to help people now.”