SCOTLAND’S winter mortality is at its highest point in more than 30 years due to the country’s fuel poverty and NHS chaos crises, Labour says.

Figures published today found deaths in Scotland rose by 11 per cent to 24,427 last winter.

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie said: “These devastating deaths show the twin crises engulfing Scotland is costing lives.

“Last winter our health and social care system was on the brink of collapse while soaring bills forced people to make impossible choices between heating and eating.

“Both of Scotland’s governments were missing in action during the most deadly winter in 30 years.”

Chia Harrington, lead organiser for Fuel Poverty Action, said Scotland is disproportionately affected by fuel poverty as more than half of Britain’s excess winter deaths happen in the country alone.

“Standing charges are 50 per cent higher than in London, yet London relies on Scotland’s production to keep the lights on,” she added.

“There is still time to get Ofgem to delay the forcible installation of prepayment meters for Scotland's most vulnerable if we put enough pressure on them to do so.”

Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “One of the major causes of deaths over the winter are down to complications of people living in cold, damp homes. 

“We need urgent financial support from the UK government to keep people warm this winter and a speeding up of measures to deliver long-term improvements in housing stock.”

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: “While seasonal variations in winter mortality fluctuate year-on-year, it is well known that Scotland’s communities experience health, quality of life and even life expectancy differently across our society.

“We continue to work with our partners, including Public Health Scotland and National Records of Scotland, to understand what is needed at a national and regional level to support local, preventative action to drive improvements in population health.”