Charity warns some Scots face winter eat-or-heat crisis

Some people in Scotland will face a choice of heating their homes or eating this winter, a charity has warned.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) called for targeted help for those at risk of "freezing or starving", such as council tenants and people without work.

It blamed a "toxic cocktail" of soaring energy bills, growing inflation and higher interest rates.

The Scottish government estimated 36% of homes will be in fuel poverty after the energy price cap rise in October.

This is defined as the cost of heating a home being more than 10% of household income, after tax and housing costs have been deducted.

• Cost of living: Help is coming, says Kwasi Kwarteng

• How high will my energy bill go?

• Energy bills forecast to hit over £4,200 a year

Regulator Ofgem is expected to announce an increase to the energy price cap this week, bringing average annual household bills to £2,800.

On Sunday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for the UK government to cancel the next increase in the energy price cap, and to double the financial support already offered.

She also said the renationalisation of energy companies should be an option.

CAS warned that it was already seeing an increase in requests for help and raised concerns about how people would manage later in the year.

The latest CAS quarterly cost-of-living analysis, which looks at the demand for advice, noted "significant growth" for demand for cost-of-living-related advice within areas such as utilities and food insecurity.

Comparing the first quarter of this year with the financial year of 2021/22 as a baseline, demand for cost-of-living utility advice was up from 26% to 35%, while demand for food insecurity advice was up from 36% to 45%.

'Freezing or starving'

Views of the online advice page "struggling to pay your energy bills" were up 120% and views of the online advice page "Get help with bills" increased 119%.

Derek Mitchell, CAS chief executive, said: "What we are seeing is frankly frightening.

"More than one in every 10 people seeking help with an energy issue also requires help with food insecurity.

"Let's be absolutely clear what that means - some people face the prospect of freezing or starving this winter."

Mr Mitchell said the crisis affected everyone but called for "targeted help" for the vulnerable.

He added: "We are seeing these issues before a toxic cocktail this winter of soaring energy bills, growing inflation and higher interest rates.

"People are hanging on by their fingertips and it's the summer - how are they expected to cope when the temperature drops and bills rise?"

The charity said that more than one in 10 of the utility cases it deals with also see a client need food bank advice.

CAS urged people to contact it for free, impartial support.