I could be homeless with my disabled daughter because our heating bills are set to TRIPLE… I don’t know where to turn
A MUM who cares for her disabled daughter fears she will be made homeless because her utility bills are set to triple.
Carolynne Hunter, 49, added that Freya, 12, who is bed-bound with severe cerebral palsy, may need to move to hospital because she cannot afford the increase.
Scottish Power told her last week that her bills will go up from £300-per-month to £835-per-month from April.
Freya requires round-the-clock care from Carolynne and nurses, and she has an electric-powered oxygen machine turned on all day.
Carolynne, a carer from Clackmannanshire, said: “I’m going to struggle. I can’t just switch off Freya’s oxygen.
“She’s given life support 24/7. It’s like an intensive care microward in my house.
“Freya cannot regulate her temperature in a cold room so I need the heating on.
“It is a massive worry and a detriment to my family.
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“One of the only options I have is for Freya to go to hospital while myself and my older daughter become homeless.”
A spokeswoman for Scottish Power said: “Supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances is one of our priorities and we’ve been working closely with Ms Hunter over the last four years to support her and her family.
“This includes ensuring she was on the lowest available tariff for her energy use and also clearing a significant share of a previous outstanding balance via the Scottish Power Hardship Fund.
“As she is on the standard variable tariff, we’ve notified her of the changes to her billing due to Ofgem’s price cap increase and her energy usage, which is high due to the size and style of her property.
“We fully appreciate her concerns about the changes in her billing; however, this reflects the volatility in the wholesale energy market and the unprecedented costs of buying energy at this time.”