A Paisley mum and would-be politician has told how she is struggling to keep her sick son warm in her home after bills rocketed.
Sandra Webster says she has been left turning to a food bank for help over soaring gas costs.
The 54-year-old, who is a carer for son Lucas, says her energy bills have shot up by a whopping 300 per cent since price increases were rolled out on Friday.
Worried Sandra, who is standing for the Scottish Socialist Party in the Paisley South East ward at May's council election, blasted the increase in living costs which is hitting vulnerable families hard.
She said: "I use a pre-payment meter for gas, so it's on the highest rate and if you can't afford it and don't put money in, it's classed as self-disconnection.
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"We are really struggling financially, for the first time, we've had to use a food bank.
"I feel a bit ashamed about it and I shouldn't really, the people there are lovely."
Sandra cares for her 21-year-old son Lucas, who suffers from chronic renal failure and is facing a kidney transplant, as well as her other son Callum, who has Asperger's and mild Cerebral Palsy.
She said: "Lucas feels the cold because of his health issues. I've got a dry meter for the electricity and the weather is cold just now, I think we might end up plugging a wee heater in.
"I'm standing for election because I understand what people are going through, I'm not a poverty tourist, I understand the situation people are in.
"I am looking at £70 a week for gas and the electricity has gone up on top of that from about £30 to £50. It's dire. It's like going back to the 70s."
The Scottish Socialist Party, once headed up by disgraced Tommy Sheridan and now fronted by national co-spokesperson, former MSP Colin Fox, has campaigned for action on the cost-of-living crisis and wants to see an end to fuel poverty.
Domestic fuel price rises came into effect on Friday (April 1) after the regulator Ofgem gave permission for the household fuel price cap to increase by 54 per cent due wholesale price rises.
Added Sandra, of Glenburn: "Friday really did feel like April Fool's Day".
But he move has sparked outrage as it comes amidst rising food, council tax and interest rates as the price of petrol and diesel is also increasing at the pumps.
A National Insurance increase of 1.25p in the pound will kick in from April 6 and there are fears inflation could be pushed up to 8.7 per cent - the highest rate for 40 years.
Campaigners have called on the UK Government to help struggling citizens as critics say Chancellor Rishi Sunak's aid package - which cut five pence from the cost of a litre of petrol only to be swallowed up by subsequent price increases - does not go far enough.
The UK Government takes almost 53 pence in duty from the cost of a litre of fuel.
We told in February how community leaders fear the worst over the rising cost of living, with Terry McTernan from the Ferguslie-based Darkwood Crew, warning: "My genuine concern is that people are going to die over this."
Analysis of internet search engine Google by heating supplier Boiler Central, also revealed that searches for terms such as 'can't afford energy' have exploded since February.
