An MP has claimed disabled children are suffering because of soaring household fuel bills in the north and north-east.
Dame Anne Begg, Labour MP for Aberdeen South, highlighted figures which showed a third of homes with disabled youngsters regularly go without heating.
The statistic from UK charity Contact a Family, which surveyed 3,500 people, was double the number reported in 2008.
It also found that the numbers regularly going without food had nearly doubled since 2012, up from 16% to 30%.
Dame Anne, who is chairwoman of Westminster’s work and pensions select committee, said the survey showed that energy companies must take action to cut the cost to consumers.
Her comments follow the launch of a Press and Journal campaign for a fair deal on energy prices and an end to a 2p-per-unit surcharge that means families in the north and north-east pay hundreds of pounds extra a year.
Dame Anne said: “Families with disabled children have higher heating costs than other families. This is made worse by the rising costs of fuel bills.
“That’s why I support the call for energy companies to introduce a fixed monthly discount on all energy tariffs for households with a disabled child, introduce disabled children in their eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount Scheme, and help set up a network of consumer champions to support families with disabled children who struggle to switch to a more economical tariff.”
She added: “It’s hard to believe that some families with disabled children are going without essentials like heating.
“The research shows that over the last two years the number going without heat has doubled.
“It’s disgraceful that high energy bills have meant that 41% of families with a disabled child have had to take out a loan to feed their family.
“This should not be the case in 21st century Scotland.”