Citizens' Advice said more people are being impacted by wage freezes and rising living costs.

A quarter of workers in Scotland are finding it hard to get by on their current income, according to new analysis.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) said the percentage of employed people finding it difficult or very difficult to make ends meet has risen to 25%, up from 21 per cent in 2017.

Meanwhile, the percentage of people living comfortable or very comfortably on their present incomes has fallen from 38% to 35% over the same period.

CAS said the figures highlight the continuing squeeze on incomes from rising living costs, stagnant wages and cuts to social security.

The charity is now urging people to make an appointment with their local Citizens Advice Bureau to check their entitlement to benefits, and whether they could be paying lower bills for energy and council tax.

CAS chief executive Derek Mitchell said: “These figures highlight the strain that people are under in Scotland, and reflect what our advisers see every day. Many people who are in work are finding it hard to pay their bills and put food on the table.

“The Citizens Advice network in Scotland helps and advocates for hundreds of thousands of people every year, many of whom are struggling financially. We are able to give real support to these clients, we can check whether you are entitled to energy grants, council tax reductions or social security benefits that you are not claiming.

“It is surprising how often people can access new money they didn’t even know about.”

Information and advice can be obtained from any Citizens Advice Bureau or over the phone on 0800 085 7145. All advice is free, confidential and impartial.