Rishi Sunak cringed as he was confronted by a mum struggling with rising energy bills who told the Chancellor her home was so cold "you can see our breaths".
The top Tory took calls from listeners at LBC on Wednesday after unveiling his Spring Statement, which did almost nothing to help Brits who will be clobbered by higher fuel bills when Ofgem raises the energy cap on April 1.
The mum-of-two, who has three jobs, said she was a woman who "on paper has a good job and what's considered a good salary" but rising energy prices has "now put an intense strain on my ability to provide for my children".
Pleading with him to do more for families, she said: "The significant increase in our energy bills has meant that we don't have the boiler on.
"The lights are always off unless absolutely necessary and when it's cold, we wear jumpers and coats and sometimes you can see our breaths when we breathe.
"Now, despite working a full time job I'm having to find ways to bridge the gap. I've started cleaning houses and I spend every evening riding a bike delivering Uber Eats.
"I've managed to cut my grocery shop down to just £15 a week for an adult and two children, and I often go without myself to make sure the kids get what they need and they're fed.
Before today, the Chancellor announced all energy customers will get a £200 refund on their energy bill later in the year, which will be applied automatically from October.
But it led to Mr Sunak being branded the "loan shark Chancellor" by Labour as the discount will be clawed back will need to be repaid in £40 annual instalments, from April 2023 over five years.
Millions of Brits will also be eligible for a £150 rebate off their council tax bill this year.
The council tax rebate will apply to homes in council tax bands A, B, C or D in England and Wales - roughly 80% of properties - but not those who live in council tax bands E, F, G and H (or I as well, in Wales).
Hzul told the Chancellor the government's £150 off council tax and £200 energy loan to cope with rising energy bills "just isn't going to cut it".
"I've just about been able to balance things up until this point, but I'm now facing paying out more each month that I'm making," Hzul said. "What are you going to do to address the soaring cost of energy and if you're not doing anything, please me what else do you suggest I can be doing to help myself?"
The Chancellor has been under mounting pressure to help Brits struggling with their energy bills as regulator Ofgem prepares to lift price cap by £693 from April 1.
It will mean a 54% jump most households' bills - which go up from £1,277 to £1,971 - and prepayment customers will be worse off, with a bills hike of £708 from £1,309 to £2,017.
Mr Sunak told Hzul: "I can't imagine how difficult your job is", adding he had "enormous admiration for what you're doing, an it sounds like you're working your socks off to look after them, so tribute to you."
He admitted there was no further help on offer apart from the council tax rebate and the energy loan, and "we would have to see" if in October energy bills would be raised again.
