Nearly half of adults are already struggling to pay their household bills as spiralling costs pile misery on Brits, alarming government data reveals.
Around nine out of 10 said their cost of living had gone up in the first part of this month, while 82% said they are worried about general costs rising still further.
Researchers found that one in five are dipping into their savings to cover living costs, while one in six said they have less money available to spend on food.
The bleak findings come a week before the government is expected to unveil a mini-budget aimed at addressing eye-watering energy costs and a 9.9% inflation rate.
Figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 48% of adults said they were finding it "very or somewhat difficult" to afford their energy costs between August 31 and September 11.
This is up slightly from a fortnight earlier, when 45% said they were struggling with energy bills.
It also showed that 82% of adults were worried about the cost of living - up from 74% when the question was first asked in April and May.
Meanwhile 29% said they found it very difficult or difficult to pay their usual household bills in the previous month compared to a year ago - with just over one in five saying it was "very easy" or "easy".
About a quarter said they were unable to save as much money as usual.
In its latest cost of living report, the ONS said 18% stated they are using savings to cover costs, while 17% have less cash to buy food.
Households had already seen their energy costs surge by 54% after the price cap for an average home increased to £1,971 in April.
Last week Liz Truss announced the government will cap energy bills at £2,500 from October, including a £400 rebate which will be paid in six instalments.
The pledge came after industry regulator Ofgem originally said average bills were due to rise by 80% to £3,549.
Earlier The Mirror reported that four in five low-paid workers believe the current cost of living crisis is the worst financial period they have ever faced.
Some 78% of grafters earning below the Real Living Wage – equivalent to 3.7 million workers – say the misery is worse than ever.
And 56% of those pocketing less than £9.90 an hour or £11.05 in London have turned to foodbanks over the last 12 months.
Four out of 10 low-paid workers regularly skip meals because they cannot afford to put food on the table - up from one in 10 in January.
Living Wage Foundation director Katherine Chapman said: “Everyone is feeling the pressure from soaring inflation, but our polling shows that low-paid workers are being hit harder than most, with well over half using foodbanks in the last 12 months.
“These shocking findings bring to life what it’s like to be paid less than a Real Living Wage during a cost-of-living-crisis.”
