Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has warned that April was a ‘crunch’ moment in the cost of living crisis, after the charity reported a 62 per cent increase in requests from energy customers seeking help with rising bills.
New figures for April show the number of people seeking advice from their local Citizens Advice Bureau increased by 10 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Across Scotland's 59 bureaux, advisers saw a 62 per cent increase in the number of people seeking advice on energy bills and 71 per cent more who needed advice on dealing with fuel debts compared to 2021.
There was also a 27 per cent increase in the number of people seeking advice on homelessness from the same period 12 months ago.
Stephanie Miller, social justice spokesperson for Citizens Advice Scotland, said the charity expects demand to continue and grow, despite the newly introduced cost of living financial support measures.
She said: "April 2022 saw a big increase in energy bills for households across the country, and that was reflected in the demand for energy related advice being up almost two thirds compared to April 2021."
The charity recently warned that around 20 per cent of people regularly ran out of money before pay day each month.
They said this has left people with "no option" but to take out expensive debt, fuelling the skyrocketing demand for money advice.
Stephanie added: “What is really worrying is the increase in demand for advice around homelessness and debt.
"That will be the lasting impact of the cost of living crisis - people struggling to make ends meet today are at risk of poverty, debt and destitution in the months to come."
If you are struggling financially, seek help from a non-profit organisation like Citizens Advice, StepChange or Christians Against Poverty.
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