A MOTHER “self disconnected” the gas supply to her home due to surging energy prices, an anti-poverty charity has claimed.
Kirsty McKechnie, from Child Poverty in Action Group Scotland, said the woman was still being hit with a standing charge after making the decision to disconnect her gas last year.
She told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “We’ve already had one parent contact one of the advice agencies who had disconnected, self-disconnected, her gas over a year ago because she was struggling with the prices.
“She’s a lone parent with two young children. And she’s still being hit with a standing charge.
READ MORE: The National wants to hear from those struggling with the cost of living
“I worry about the sheer number of families who will find themselves struggling over the forthcoming decisions about whether you heat the home or whether you feed your children.”
McKechnie said the new package of support measures for low-income households to manage the cost-of-living crisis were “welcome” but argued they were temporary.
She added: “The package will go some way to helping low-income families. It’s more generous than we expected.
“We were really pleased to see the Chancellor using the social security system to get cash to low-income families.
“However, this is temporary. It is a temporary package and we know that there are lots of families who have been experiencing our cost-of-living crisis for some time. It’s a rising tide, it’s catching more and more families.”
Faye Dearnaley, from Levenmouth, Fife, said she was having “sleepless nights” over her rising costs.
She told Good Morning Scotland: “The pressure is a bit unbearable.
“You’re already counting pennies and having to rely on the third sector with food donations and things like that. With the increase of food bills and fuel bills and all the rest of it, you’re becoming more and more dependent on them.
“Sleepless nights are all that that happens with the energy crisis, because there’s no guarantee at the end of each month that I’m going to have enough money to pay for my bills.
READ MORE: 'I had to re-mortgage my home': Waspi woman hit by double whammy amid cost of living crisis
“I was already quite frugal with my gas and electric – turning everything off at the walls and having my heat on when I absolutely needed it.”
This week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a package of measures to support households tackle the rising cost of living in the UK.
Every household will receive £400 to offset the rise in energy bills with those receiving means-tested benefits receiving £650.
Pensioners will be entitled to an additional payment of £300 and people will disabilities will receive £150.
How is the cost of living crisis affecting you?
From soaring energy bills to rising food prices and stagnating wages, it's getting harder and harder for many Scots to make ends meet. We want to tell the stories of how the cost of living crisis is impacting people in Scotland. Are you struggling to choose between heating and eating? Are you finding it increasingly difficult to afford your weekly shop? If so, we want to go beyond the statistics and tell your story.
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 hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel