Although new changes to the Scottish Government's Central Heating Programme will be in place from the end of October, the extension of the fuel poverty programme to include families on income support with children under five, or with disabled children under 16 will not happen until April 2009.

Cathie Craigie MSP said:

"Scotland's fuel poverty programmes focus, for good reason, on the elderly. But with the winter months approaching, April 2009 is too long to wait for too many vulnerable families in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth."

"Although it's a good start that families with disabled children are now eligible for the Warm Deal, fuel price hikes are still dragging more and more children into fuel poverty. It is deeply disappointing that the Scottish Government seems content to let families battle this winter out before offering any support."