Going without essentials like food and heating is now "endemic", a leading charity has warned, as the biggest study of its kind laid bare the "heartbreaking" struggles Scots on lower incomes are facing. The cost-of-living crisis has left one in ten families cold and hungry before winter hits, a situation that was described as "shameful" by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). The survey, involving 4,196 people, found that almost one in five low-income households (a monthly net income of less than £2,063) have sold household belongings to deal with rising costs – compared to 5% for higher income households (an income of more than £4000). We cannot afford the extra food so we have to bulk up his portions so my other children get less." In Scotland, 7% of households have three or more debts and two in five (41%) households with debt have more than £2,500 of debt.

Source: The Herald October 03, 2022 22:56 UTC