CAMPAIGNERS are demanding Chancellor Jeremy Hunt takes action on sky-high energy bills in today’s Autumn Statement and urge him not to punish those with disabilities by forcing them into work.

Mr Hunt is expected to unveil tax cuts, business support and tough reforms to welfare and pensions.

Reports also suggest that measures could be outlined to force benefit claimants to work or suffer sanctions such as withdrawal of free prescriptions.

It comes as new research by the Warm This Winter campaign found that 70 per cent of working people are cutting down on essential spending to afford their energy bills.

Spokeswoman Fi Waters said: “The government is now running dangerously out of time to help people who are most at risk of the health complications of living in cold, damp homes.

“People want to see bills come down permanently, which is going to require further government action.

“We need to see beefed up programmes to insulate homes, more heat pumps fitted, which are cheaper to run, and more homegrown renewable energy built so we can get off expensive gas.”

Linda Burnip, of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPac), warned that the current cost-of-living crisis “will not be eased in any way by trying to force disabled people into unsuitable, low-paid or non-existent work-from-home jobs.”

She said: “Rather than slashing social security payments for those most financially disadvantaged in society, the Chancellor should redistribute the funding for his planned tax cuts to those groups of people with immediate effect.”

Research by disability charity Sense shows half of jobseekers with complex disabilities do not feel they have the support and equipment they need to look for work.

Sense head of policy Sarah White said that the move to force people into work would punish disabled people, piling onto their anxiety levels.

She said: “If the government is serious about getting more people into work then it needs to make sure the right support is in place.

“Forcing people to find work without investing in assistive technology, training for assessors and holding employers to account is just shifting the issues onto disabled people rather than creating lasting change.”