A fresh report has indicated that the hangover from the Tory-made cost of living crisis will last years, with families burdened by additional debt from the Christmas period.

StepChange, the UK based charity who released the report said debt taken on from Christmas led to a surge in enquiries from families and individuals, as additional findings from a BBC poll revealed a third of respondents are worried about their ability to repay credit.

Responding to the reports the SNP said the cost of living crisis showed no sign of stopping and urged the Tory UK government to step up, not roll back, support for families hit the hardest by added economic pressures.

Commenting, Christina McKelvie MSP, the SNP MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, said:

“It isn’t a surprise that these problems are long-term. But it is not just, not fair, not right and not okay that the economic mismanagement of the Westminster Tory establishment will continue to wreak havoc with my hard working constituents.

“The UK government should be ramping up support for individuals, households and families. 

“Sadly, but completely unsurprisingly, it seems that all evidence supports the theory that the Conservatives are showing their trademark lack of compassion. Although we are used to this outlook from the Conservatives, it remains a great horror that their guiding principle seems to remain as contempt.

“My constituents – and the people of Scotland – deserve better than what Westminster is offering. But it is only with the full powers of independence that the Scottish government will be able to thrust Scotland out of the mess that Westminster has created.”