Exclusive:The damning level of winter energy debt revealed in briefing to Scottish Parliament

The overall energy debt of those needing help was 8 per cent higher than the same time last year, CAS said, with an average debt in rural Scotland of £3,130.

In a briefing send to MPs and MSPs this week, the organisation said it had advised 3,685 people this winter about accessing fuel vouchers – the most common form of energy advice needed. Two in every five people (40 per cent) who asked for energy advice needed other support, with more than half (55 per cent) needing advice on social security.

CAS said the levels of energy debt in Scotland were worse than 12 months ago. The organisation cited the case of Chloe, a nurse on a zero-hours contract, who had approached the body for debt advice.

The support organisation said Chloe was considering bankruptcy after being in £3,000 of energy debt and £16,000 of debt overall, due to insecure work, childcare costs, and arrestment for council tax arrears and tax credit overpayment.

David Hilferty, CAS director of impact, said the briefing was designed to highlight “the energy debt situation we face in Scotland is a real crisis”. The organisation is calling for Ofgem to introduce an energy debt relief scheme, and for governments to bring in an new affordable social tariff.

"The figures are bad enough, but in the CAB network every day we see the real human impact too,” Mr Hilferty said.

"People are going without heat, even in the depths of a freezing winter like this one. Some have no choice, having been cut off. People switching their lights off, sitting in the dark, or going to bed in the afternoon and staying there till morning. This includes households with children, pensioners or disabled people.

"What we're trying to get across is that this situation is now well beyond the point of tinkering at the edges.”

The levels of debt have been revealed with the average gas and electricity bill for a typical household expected to rise by £85 from April to £1,823 a year under the energy regulator’s price cap.

Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “With the energy price cap expected to rise again this week, it is vital that the UK government act now to ensure people are provided with support. And in this context, the decision of the UK government to scrap universal winter fuel payments looks increasingly unjustifiable.

“The Scottish Government believes the best way to protect energy consumers against high costs is the introduction of a social tariff mechanism for energy pricing.”

The UK government was contacted for comment.