The poorest Scots are being pushed deeper into household bill debt with some arrears rising by nearly 60 per cent over the past five years, a new report warns.
A study by StepChange Debt Charity Scotland reveals that the typical amount owing on electricity bills has shot up by 58 per cent to stand at £708.
And council tax arrears has shot up by 43 per cent over the five years with the typical debt standing at £1,614. That's 75% higher than the UK average (£936).
The charity says "more worryingly" the proportion of their clients with council tax arrears has doubled from 18% in 2010 to 36% in 2015.
The Scotland in the Red 2015 due to be distributed to MSPs on Thursday reveals a lethal combination of stagnant wages and increased living costs are causing the poorest Scots to struggle with bills..
Figures from the charity show that between 2010 and 2015, average gas bill arrears shot up by 37 per cent to £534 and rent debt rose by 30 per cent to £800.
The rise in priority bill debt comes against a backdrop of stagnant wage growth, with clients' incomes rising by just 4 per cent to £14,817 in the five years.
The study which analysed 160,000 of their clients seeking help across the UK, including nearly 7000 in Scotland, found household budgets are also increasingly squeezed, with almost half (48%) of their income now being spent on paying priority costs, compared to 42.6 per cent in 2014. In cash terms, it meant that their Scottish clients were committing an extra £66.43 from their budgets to priority bills compared to 2014.
Sharon Bell, head of StepChange Debt Charity Scotland, said: “The sharp rise in people struggling to pay their priority bills is a stark reminder of just how difficult day-to-day living has become for many Scottish households.
"Keeping a roof over your head and heating your home are basic needs, yet for too many Scottish families these are constant worries. Even where families are not in debt, many are balanced on a knife edge, one setback away from problem debt.
“Our latest research offers a vital insight into the scale of the problem in Scotland. Budgets are being squeezed as incomes are stagnating and costs for households increase. Our clients have to commit more of their money just to pay for basic living costs. We know that clients are using credit cards and other borrowing to help pay for their essential costs. That can be a dangerous step to take as it can lead many clients towards a downward spiral into problem debt."
Last month a report by The Registry Trust revealed consumers have been forced to pay £11.2 million more in court judgment claims over personal debt in a year.
The non-profit organisation which collects judgment information in Scotland on small claims and summary causes, warned consumers about borrowing too much, as its figures showed that the value of judgments against consumers has soared by 22 per cent from £50.9 million in 2014 to £62.1 million in 2015.
And the total number of court judgments over consumer debt in Scotland has seen an annual rise for first time in more than four years during 2015, going up by five percent to 21,131.
The group has been studying the civil claims over the cases which would involve money owed in credit cards, store cards, overdrafts, loans and rent arrears.
The Scottish Government said it was the UK governments "continued attack" on low paid families that is pushing more people into poverty.
A spokeswoman said the government has taken action by investing £296 million in measures to "mitigate the worst" of the UK Government’s welfare cuts including investing £90 million "to meet our commitment to fully mitigate the bedroom tax".
"This is a lifeline for over 72,000 households, many of which are suffering the impact of a variety of welfare cuts imposed by the UK Government," she said.
"Scottish Government measures such as driving investment in affordable housing, free school meals and continuing the social wage commitments including free prescriptions, concessionary travel and free personal care, are the right approach to take in supporting households across Scotland.
“To support those on low incomes and provide additional support to families the First Minister announced that the Scottish Government will increase the child allowance within the council tax reduction scheme by 25 per cent supporting 77,000 households by an average of around £15 per month.
"This boost for low income families will help nearly 140,000 children across Scotland.
“We will also extend the council tax reduction scheme to exempt 54,000 households on low net incomes but who live in higher property bands from the change to the system."
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