A new survey by Which? for its annual Consumers in Scotland report has identified households’ growing concerns about the rising cost of living, soaring energy bills and disparities in broadband speeds across the country.
Cash-strapped Scots will have to fork out about £1,100 extra a year on staying warm and eating, it has been suggested, as the new survey discovered nearly half are already using their heating less to help make ends meet.
Which? has estimated that Scots will spend an extra £21.13 per week on food and energy next month compared with March 2020 - adding about £1,100 extra per year to household bills.
According to a poll of more than 1,000 Scots, 86 per cent are worried about energy prices - a huge increase on the 59 per cent who told the Consumers in Scotland survey they were worried last year.
Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at Which?, said: "More and more households will need support as energy bills and other costs rise in the coming months.
"Businesses and regulators, as well as the UK and Scottish governments, must work quickly to ensure they are ready to support anyone struggling to make ends meet."
In the survey, by polling firm Yonder, concern about fuel and food prices has also soared.
In last year's report, 52 per cent of respondents said they were worried about the cost of filling up their cars and 63 per cent about the cost of their supermarket shop.
But in the latest survey Yonder found 81 per cent were worried about fuel costs and 77 per cent about the price of food.
In the poll, which took place between November and December, 46 per cent of people said they had put the heating on less to keep costs down, while four in 10 had reduced their use of lights and appliances around the home.
Of the two-thirds of Scots who said they had noticed higher food prices, many had to change how they shopped and 13 per cent had been skipping meals entirely.
Which? also found:
- 40% of the group bought extra items when on promotion
- 49% bought cheaper alternative products
- 41% went for cheaper brands
- 46% changed supermarkets
Conor Forbes, head of policy at Advice Direct Scotland, said the figures show "the scale of the cost-of-living crisis in Scotland, with immediate and looming price rises causing considerable concern".
He added: "The most important advice is not to struggle alone.
"Our advisers at www.advice.scot are working hard to provide free, practical advice to anyone in Scotland, and we are administering the Home Heating Support Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government to provide financial assistance to those rationing their energy use."
Which? also analysed Ofcom data to detail the performance of broadband within the devolved nations of the UK.
Average broadband speeds in the UK
- Scotland: average fixed broadband download speed of 73.7Mbps
- England: average fixed broadband download speed of 88.5Mbps
- Wales: average fixed broadband download speed of 55.9Mbps
- Northern Ireland: average fixed broadband download speed of 82.7Mbps
Broadband performance also varies considerably between cities in Scotland.
Edinburgh has a far greater proportion of households with speeds of 128Mbps, but speeds in Aberdeen are much lower than other cities.
The average download speed is less than 64Mbps in two-thirds of areas in Aberdeen, whereas this is the case for only 11 per cent of areas in Edinburgh, 12 per cent in Dundee and three in 10 areas in Glasgow.
Ms Concha said: "The UK Government must give further clarity about when those living in the hardest-to-reach areas can expect improved connectivity."
Commenting on the report, SNP MP Alison Thewliss accused the UK Government of "burying its head in the sand" and "refusing to properly act to tackle the crisis that has been building under its watch".
She said: "Meanwhile other countries in Europe have already moved on freezing or capping energy prices whilst cutting energy taxes as Rishi Sunak drags his feet.
"The Chancellor [Rishi Sunak] must heed the warnings and use his upcoming Spring Statement to deliver a comprehensive package of measures - which must include at the very minimum turning the pitiful £200 energy loan into a more generous grant, reversing the £1,040 Tory cuts to Universal Credit, matching the Scottish Child Payment UK-wide, and delivering a real living wage."
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