The UK government is continuing to fail households over the Tory-made cost of living crisis, the SNP has said as a new report brings to light the pressures facing families.
The findings, released by the Together Through This Crisis initiative set up by the charities Save the Children, Turn2us, Little Village, Shelter and 38 Degrees found one quarter of households regularly run out of money for essentials, and 37% consistently end the month with no money left.
The report comes on the day the UK government recorded a surprise budget surplus, prompting renewed calls from the SNP to extend energy bill support schemes, slash bills by at least 20%, and scrap the planned rise to the energy price cap.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the UK government spent less than it received in tax in the month, resulting in a public sector net borrowing surplus of £5.4 billion.
Commenting, the SNP’s Economy spokesperson, Stewart Hosie MP said:
“This report is just the latest in a series of publications that makes it crystal clear the UK government is failing households through the Tory-made cost of living crisis.
“Families in Scotland are suffering financially as the Tories fail to get a grip of rising bills and financial pressures while continuing to refuse to utilise what funds they have to offer up serious support.
“The UK government recording a surprise budget surplus presents an excellent opportunity to right this wrong – they must use this money to slash energy bills by at least 20%, strengthen existing support schemes and scrap the energy price cap rise.
“We won’t hold our breath though – the UK government has never lacked the funds to properly support struggling households, only the political will.
“With the full powers of independence we can be free from the worst of callous Tory rule and use our finances and fiscal powers to support households and set us all on the path to just and equal economic prosperity.”
