THE Tory government has been challenged to get a grip on the cost of living crisis in the UK as inflation hits the highest level in almost a decade.
Soaring energy and fuel prices pushed UK inflation from 3.1% in September to 4.2% last month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Gas and electricity prices have surged, with regulator Ofgem last month increasing the energy price cap by 12%.
Figures also show sharp fuel cost rises and inflation building across food, household goods and hospitality as supply chain disruption takes its toll.
READ MORE: 'It's Thatcher all over again': Blackford slams UK Government over energy crisis
The SNP's Alison Thewliss (below) warned that the perfect storm of Tory cuts, tax rises and soaring cost of Brexit was delivering a hammer blow to households, and that the statistics must serve as a wake-up call for the UK government to act and deliver meaningful financial support to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Thewliss said: "These latest figures showing that the cost of living has soared to its highest level in nearly a decade must serve as a wake-up call for the Tory government.
"Households, families and businesses are paying a heavy price for the Tory-made cost of living crisis through cuts, regressive tax hikes and the soaring cost of Brexit.
"The Chancellor must heed the warnings and the worrying rise in inflation and urgently bring forward meaningful financial support to tackle the Tory cost of living crisis, reverse rising poverty, and mitigate Brexit.
"The grim reality is that the UK already has the worst levels of poverty and inequality in north west Europe, and the least generous pensions and unemployment benefits - but instead of addressing these problems the Tory government has chosen to make them even worse through Universal Credit cuts and National Insurance hikes.
"It's clear that Scotland is vulnerable under Westminster control."
READ MORE: Scottish Tory MPs vote to leave pensioners worse off by scrapping triple lock
The Bank of England warned earlier this month that inflation will rocket to its highest level for 10 years and that it is likely to hike interest rates in the “coming months” to try and bring the Consumer Price Index (CPI) back to its 2% target.
It is forecasting CPI will reach 4.5% in November and hit around 5% next April, the highest level since 2011.
The ONS data showed that despite the Government’s energy price cap, 12-month inflation rates have leapt to 18.8% for electricity and 28.1% for gas – the highest annual rates since early 2009.
Prices on forecourts also raced higher last month, with fuel panic-buying amid supply disruption in late September and early October sending petrol and diesel spiking higher amid wider ongoing rises in the global cost of oil.
The ONS said average petrol prices hit their highest since September 2012, at 138.6 pence per litre in October compared with 113.2 pence per litre a year earlier.
With supply chain problems impacting a raft of sectors, food and non-alcoholic drinks inflation rose to 1.2%, while second-hand car prices continued to see steep increases, up 4.6% between September and October and now 27.4% higher than in April.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here