The number of people applying to a council welfare fund shot up by 60% in East Lothian last month as hundreds more ask for help paying their bills.
The impact of the cost of living crisis on residents across the county was revealed in a finance report to councillors which revealed more than 1200 pleas for help were received in September.
The local authority said it paid out £103, 561 after receiving 732 applications to the Scottish Welfare Fund, compared to 460 during September last year which saw £58,422 paid out.
READ MORE: East Lothian community trust offers residents warm spaces to escape 'doom and gloom'
In addition the council also saw a surge in applications for cost of living assistance payments, with 484 claims last month from people experiencing significant difficulties with fuel and food poverty.
A virtual meeting of the council heard that the council itself was facing "significant financial challenges" this year with head of finance Ellie Dunnet telling elected members an additional £1million would need to be taken from reserves to balance the books.
She told councillors that among issues facing the council were pay rises for staff which Scottish Government funding only partly covered leaving the local authority with an additional £2.4million to find. And she said inflation presented a "huge risk" to the council.
She told members: "We are expecting to make a draw down of reserves in excess of what was planned by about £1million."
Councillors also heard that a review of council tax banding which took place earlier this year had meant residents who were in too high a band had been refunded a total of £263,000.
The report said: "Overall, in-year council tax income is forecast to be £313,000 less than expected; this is due to a reduction in the number of new build completions and lower than expected banding rates of the properties that have been completed."
Councillors were told heads of services across the local authority were being asked to look at how they can mitigate the additional financial pressure.
Council leader Norman Hampshire moved to reassure council staff who may be concerned by the crisis.
He said: "We want to give staff an assurance that we will do everything we can to protect their jobs and the services the deliver going forward."
And Councillor Lee-Anne Menzies, SNP, made a plea to new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to work to help the situation.
She said: "The very difficult time we are going through was made by political choices.
"We have to hope the current PM, as long as he lasts, can bring a semblance of common sense to his cabinet."
READ NEXT:
East Lothian hedge owner ordered to trim it by 3cm after neighbour complaint
East Lothian golf club housing plans described as 'Trumpian' by local GP
East Lothian community hospital ward remains shut a year after temporary closure
Row as East Lothian community council emergency funds used for private nursery fight
East Lothian homes to be built on land filled with 'unexceptional' trees
