A desperate dad is ‘scared to turn on the heating’ because of the worsening cost of living crisis.

Scott Watts, from Sparkhill, in Birmingham, is currently out of work but says he has been trying hard to find a job for months.

Like hundreds of thousands of Brits, the 39-year-old has had to visit food banks for help.

‘It’s a struggle, it’s ridiculous,’ he said. ‘The cost of living is unbelievable. A loaf of bread is £1.50. How do they expect us to live?

‘I don’t think they are thinking logically about it. What kind of government thinks people can live on this?’

With the recent price cap set at £2,500 not providing much relief to those like him already stretched thin, Scott has vowed to keep the heating in his home off for as long he can.

He said he was getting worried now the weather was starting to turn colder.

‘It’s already been cold in the house but I’m not putting the heating on because as soon as you put it on the bill goes right up,’ Scott stressed.

Asked about the run-up to Christmas, he added: ‘It is too much money. I’m sick of worrying every day and having arguments about it.’

But things could get worse yet for Scott and others like him after it emerged the government is planning to take tough action against those on benefits not judged to be doing enough to show they are looking for work.

Billed as ‘new measures to help people on low incomes secure more and better paid work’ chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget includes a crackdown on universal credit.

Claimants who earn less than £142.50, the equivalent of 15 hours at the national living wage, will have to prove they are really trying to work more.

Those who do not will see their benefits cut.

Chloe Smith, the newly-appointed work and pensions secretary, said she is ‘perfectly comfortable’ withdrawing benefits if people ‘do not engage’ with job offers or support.

The politician told LBC it is ‘absolutely fair’ that benefits claimants should be made to work harder or risk having their money withdrawn.

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