People living on Universal Credit who use pre-payment meters will see their entire benefit payments being wiped out by rocketing bills, it has been warned.

It is feared the rising costs and low benefit payments will lead to a “tsunami of debt and destitution”, according to a charity.

Pre-payment meter customers are usually on higher tariffs, paying more for their gas and electricity than others.

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Citizens Advice Scotland estimated there are around half a million homes across the country on this type of meter.

The rising costs, as the energy price cap gets raised higher and higher, means it is estimated that monthly payments for pre-payment meters could hit as much as £595 a month.

For people on Universal Credit, this will be completely unaffordable and will lead to massive debts or more people disconnecting themselves from their supply.

A single person under 25 on Universal Credit receives £265.31 a month as a standard allowance.

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For a couple, both over 25, the monthly allowance is £527.31.

Citizens Advice Scotland said it has seen the amount of people cutting off their supply rise by 600% in the last year.

Derek Mitchell, Citizens Advice Scotland chief executive, said: “People will freeze or starve this winter without urgent and radical Government action on the cost of living.

"Costs are set to soar and the safety net isn’t strong enough to support people.

“For those on prepayment meters, their standard payment of Universal Credit could be entirely wiped out by their monthly energy costs. How are people supposed to live like that?

“For claimants under 25, their standard allowance won’t even cover their monthly bills. This isn’t sustainable for people and makes the decision to cut Universal Credit by £20 per week a year ago seem even more short-sighted and counterproductive.

“We’ve already seen energy rationing and self-disconnection increase and there’s a real risk of this continuing into the winter. Policymakers can’t waste time here - this is building up to a tsunami of poverty, debt and destitution.”