The most vulnerable people in Scotland are risking their lives to survive the worst cost of living crisis in memory, a charity claims.
Shocking problems facing prepayment meter customers are highlighted in a report by Citizens Advice Scotland. It reveals that as well as going without food and heating, many are not paying for life-saving medication.
One man with diabetes and epilepsy couldn’t afford to top up his meter and was left with no electricity for three days. As a result, he was forced to throw out insulin kept in the fridge.
A mum with emphysema, arthritis and brittle bone disease had to prioritise feeding her children over herself. And in another harrowing case, an 83-year-old single man spends half his pension on heating and has received no help from his energy supplier despite telling them he is struggling “mentally and physically”.
CAS’s Stephanie Millar said: “With a prepayment meter, once it runs out of credit, that’s it. You have no more heating until you top it up again. The contents of a fridge freezer can go off and a family can’t use their washing machine. That is unacceptable.”
CSA caseworkers have tried to help cash-strapped people but Miller said: “We need governments, energy suppliers, Ofgem and charities to work together to target help to this particularly vulnerable group of consumers.”
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