Residents face massive energy bill hikes of around £700 in a “devastating blow” for families across Dumbarton and the Vale.
Regulator Ofgem announced they will soar by 54 percent from the beginning of April - prompting fears four million households across the UK will be pushed into fuel poverty.
Those using prepayment meters will see a typical increase of £708 to £2,017.
The increase is driven by a record rise in global gas prices over the last six months, with wholesale prices quadrupling in the last year.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that Scotland will benefit from an additional £290m of funding to help ease the burden of rising energy bills.
But West Dunbartonshire MP Martin Docherty-Hughes says it will not go far enough, fearing the hike will force many into financial hardship.
He said: “The news of a 54 percent hike in UK energy bills will come as a devastating blow for families across Clydebank, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven.
“One third of households in West Dunbartonshire are already living in fuel poverty, and the latest rise in energy prices will force many more into financial hardship.
“With bills going up by an average of £700, the Chancellor’s measures announced in Parliament today fall well short of what’s needed to tackle this Tory cost of living crisis.
“The Treasury’s plan of ‘buy now, pay later’ loans which need paid back isn’t the answer, and will only prolong the agony for the majority of families who will be hundreds or thousands of pounds worse-off due to Tory cuts, regressive NI tax hikes and rising inflation.
“Scotland is an energy-rich country, yet under this Westminster government our communities are suffering from rising fuel poverty. The Chancellor must have an urgent rethink and deliver a meaningful package of support to tackle this crisis.”
It comes days after West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare told the Lennox Herald that the level of hopelessness among those struggling is extremely worrying as the cost of living crisis grips the nation.
The organisation is grappling with soaring grocery bills and reduced donations while the number of desperate people needing emergency food parcels continues to rise.
They fear the situation will get worse before it gets any better.
Announcing financial measures in a bid to help households, the Chancellor said: “The price cap has meant that the impact of soaring gas prices has so far fallen predominantly on energy companies.
“So much so that some suppliers who couldn’t afford to meet those extra costs have gone out of business as a result.
“It is not sustainable to keep holding the price of energy artificially low. For me to stand here and pretend we don’t have to adjust to paying higher prices would be wrong and dishonest.
“But what we can do is take the sting out of a significant price shock for millions of families by making sure that the increase in prices is smaller initially and spread over a longer period.”
Nicola Sturgeon said “every penny” of the £290m pledged by the UK Government would go towards helping ease the cost of living crisis.
