New research as found that more than 40,000 disabled households in Scotland have had to sacrifice a cooked meal to run or charge essential medical equipment.
Citizens Advice Scotland analysed research from the polling company YouGov and found that an estimated 41,428 households with someone living with a disability or long-term health condition had sacrificed a cooked meal.
A poll with a sample size of 1,000 adults (18+) found that 2% of respondents had been forced to skip a cooked meal to ensure medical equipment could be run or charged.
The same poll found that 30% of people had or were living with someone who had a disability or long-term health condition, which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.
Based on Scotland’s adult population being 84% of 5,479,900 - 4,603,116 - that meant more than 40,000 people with a disability having missed a hot meal for those reasons.
CAS said the figures underline the “hidden crisis” amongst Scotland’s disabled people, who face a sharper impact from inflation and rising energy bills.
Read More: Energy bills could force more than 72 per cent of Scottish households into fuel poverty
CAS Social Justice spokesperson Stephanie Millar said: “We know the cost-of-living crisis has meant people have faced impossible choices when it comes to their spending and energy use, but the potential scale here is absolutely horrifying.
“This crisis has impacted disabled people in a far greater scale than others might recognise. Anyone who is worried about bills and money this winter should seek advice from the CAB network.
“That doesn’t have to mean going to a CAB, our online advice pages are used by millions of people a year and we have interactive self-help tools to help people see where they could boost their incomes or cut their costs.
“The CAB network gets incredible results for people. Last year the average gain for someone who saw one after seeking advice was over £3,700. That can be absolutely life changing money this winter. We don’t judge, we just help.”
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