Cash-strapped families are struggling to send their children to extracurricular clubs with the poorest in the country “facing the brunt” of the cost-of-living crisis.
One in 12 parents who sent their children to activities this time last year can no longer afford to, according to a survey of more than 1,200 parents by YouGov and the Scouts Association.
Deputy UK Chief Commissioner at the Scouts Association Caroline Ledger said families were going through a cost of living crisis like they had “never seen before”.
“Bills for eye-watering amounts are arriving by email and prepayment meters are gobbling up credit like never before. This means families - and youth groups like the Scouts - in our lowest income areas are facing the brunt of it,” she said.
She said those who were struggling before “are now increasingly desperate” and “forced to make the toughest decisions”.
“The skills, fun and friendship that youth groups like Scouts offer are a lifeline for cash-strapped families. The sense of hope and connection young people experience there are often their only bright spot in the week,” she added.
The associations themselves are also struggling to get by, with Scout groups being forced to “severely limit their activities”.
The electric bill for the 1st Pontygwaith group in South Wales has quadrupled in the space of a year from £125 to £500 - even though the group only uses the hall for three hours a week.
“It’s impossible to pass the costs onto parents who cannot afford basic necessities,” she added.
Ms Ledger has heard reports that trips are no longer possible because of fuel costs, while camps have been cancelled because fewer than a third of families can afford them.
Other cases include children not being able to participate in outdoor activities because their parents can’t afford to buy them a warm coat.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will announce next week how charities' energy bills will be affected from April.
In a written parliamentary question at the start of December, Tory MP Sir Peter Bottomley asked the Business Secretary what discussions had taken place with Scouts UK and other charities on increased energy costs and what steps were being taken to support them.
Graham Stuart, Minister for Energy and Climate, responded saying discussions “have taken place with a number of charities regarding increased energy costs”.
He said: “The Government is fully aware of the impact this is having on the voluntary sector.
“This is why the Energy Bill Relief Scheme has been introduced, with legislation coming into force on November 1, shielding charities across the United Kingdom from soaring energy prices and saving some around half of their wholesale energy costs.
“The scheme applies to energy usage from October 1 2022 for an initial 6-month period.”
Angela Salt, CEO of Girlguiding, and Matt Hyde OBE, CEO of Scouts, have called on any help to be extended “for at least a year”.
Mr Hyde said: "The government needs to act. The energy price cap urgently needs to be extended to charities like Scouting for at least the next year.
“This will mean we can keep our doors open to children who so desperately need a place to belong in these desperately tough times.”
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