MORE than half a million indebted Scots believe that the soaring cost of living is the main reason for their financial woes, according to a survey published today.

Rising prices in the shops and a looming spike in energy bills have dominated news headlines in recent months.

The poll carried out for Citizens Advice Scotland found that 52 per cent of adults north of the border who have been in debt or at risk of debt since the start of the coronavirus pandemic identified the rising cost of living as the key driver. This amounts to 558,382 people.