Analysis by the charity of polling from YouGov estimates that, of the 48% of adults in Scotland that have had to cut back on household spending due to energy costs, 9% - equivalent to 198,854 people - have done so by reducing spending on hobbies and leisure activities for their children, such as after-school clubs, parties and school trips.

Meanwhile, 7% of them, an estimated 154,664, are cutting back on clothing and accessories.

The charity is running Big Energy Saving Winter, a campaign encouraging people worried about energy bills and the cost of living to seek advice from the CAB network.

People can get advice in variety of ways, either from a local Citizens Advice Bureau or through various online platforms. People can visit www.cas.org.uk/BESW to find out more.

The network unlocked over £132 million for people last year, through things like social security payments and employment entitlements. The average gain of for clients who saw a financial benefit was over £4,200.

CAS chief executive Derek Mitchell, said: “In the run up to Christmas parents will want to treat their kids while balancing the demands of the cost of living crisis.

“This analysis suggest many are having to make the heartbreaking decision to cut back on things for their kids to deal with rising energy bills. That is a horrible situation for any parent to be in, and we would encourage anyone worried about energy bills and the cost of living to seek advice from the CAB network.

“People can visit www.cas.org.uk/besw and find an advice option that works for them, whether that is one on one advice from their local CAB or online help from a variety of sources.”

He added: “We are for everyone, whether they are working or not. We don’t judge, we just help. Our advisers get real results. Last year we unlocked £132million for people, and people who saw a financial benefit from seeking advice on average were over £4,200 better off.”