A WORRIED gran said rising costs make living off of Universal Credit "impossible".

Catherine Summers, 65, previously worked at a major retailer but had to give up her job after she was diagnosed with osteoporosis two years ago. 

The Pollokshaws woman revealed that she travels all the way to Springburn twice a week to access a vital community fridge because she knows all of the help she requires is there. 

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Catherine said: "I stopped work two years ago and through ill health, I had to give that up.

"I used to work for John Lewis and now I live on £70 a week. That's £10 a day and I'm £6 a day on leckie."

Catherine said she is finding it "impossible" to make ends meet.

"I never get any extra. I'm doing the limited work but I still don't get any extra.

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"You can't do anything. You're stuck in the house. When I've got my grandchildren at the weekend, I don't want to say to my son I can't afford it when they visit.

"You can't tell your grandkids how poverty-stricken things are.

Catherine says the cost-of-living increases mean she is isolated from her peers and has very little social life.

She added: "You can't even go for a wee coffee. I'm up in Pollokshaws. I travel up here because I know it's here on a Wednesday.

"With the energy prices and all that going up, it's just impossible. I'm hammering away at the meter."

Having a top-up meter means Catherine can keep track of what she is spending. 

She said: "Imagine me getting a three monthly bill for £200. I wouldn't be able to pay that."

Catherine's story comes as part of the Glasgow Times Beat The Squeeze campaign.

For the last few weeks, we have been speaking to ordinary Glaswegians who are struggling and the organisations that have been helping them tackle the crisis.

We have also been putting together weekly lists of the cheapest place to buy fuel and a basket of shopping. 

Consumers have been hit with a 54% increase in energy bills after the UK Government increased the Ofgem price cap on April 1. 

Food and fuel prices have also been rising rapidly.