ALMOST half of people in Scotland are worried whether they can pay gas and electric bills in the year ahead, according to a new survey.

A Survation poll commissioned by the Advice Direct Scotland charity found that 46 per cent of the 1,012 respondents worried about how they would manage to pay for heat, light and power after the latest hike in the energy price cap.

The cap, set by regulator Ofgem, will rise from £1,738 to £1,849 tomorrow, a further 6.4 per cent rise on bills, a total increase since 2021 of an eye-watering 62 per cent.