More than 80,000 children across Greater Manchester are living in families who have fallen behind with their energy bills - with some unable to sleep because their bedroom is too cold.

The figures, based on new research from The Children’s Society, reveal an estimated 81,800 children across the region live with families who have fallen into debt with their energy bills.

Leigh is the parliamentary constituency worst affected in Greater Manchester by energy debt, with around a fifth of children - an estimated 5,100 - living in families who are behind with their bills.

Families in energy debt are often forced to choose between keeping their children warm and paying down debt. Too often parents have little choice but to turn the heating down, leaving their children without a hot meal, hot bath, or warm bedroom at night.

The charity’s report shows that children living in families struggling with energy debt are at much higher risk of becoming ill during the winter.

It also exposes how energy companies are failing to follow the rules and are using damaging debt practices when families get into energy debt - leaving homes cold and harming children’s and parents’ health.

Suppliers are legally required to assess how much of their debt families can realistically afford to repay. They are also required to make it easy for customers to raise concerns. But the report finds that in many cases this is not happening.

The research shows 44 per cent of parents falling into energy debt across the north west found their energy company aggressive, or felt intimidated by their supplier, with 44pc also saying they were not treated with respect or given the support they needed.

And almost two thirds suffered anxiety, stress or depression as a result of getting into energy debt.

Some 39pc of children living in families who have been in energy debt have had trouble sleeping because their bedroom was too cold.

Children whose families face energy debts were three times more likely to have been ill last winter and their homes are also three times more likely to have damp or mould.

Across the UK, an estimated 2.2m children are living in families who have been in energy debt.

Rob Jackson, area director for The Children’s Society in Greater Manchester, said: “Huge numbers of families are struggling to make ends meet yet companies are making them the victims of their damaging debt practices.

“It is time they show some warmth and stop failing vulnerable families. They need to follow their agreements to work with, not against, families in energy debt and find workable solutions. No child should be made to grow up in a cold home because their parents are trapped in an energy debt trap.”

The charity is calling on the government to change the law so energy companies treat families with children as vulnerable customers - and make sure those who put on pre-pay meters because they are in debt do not pay more for their energy as a result.

Bosses also want affordable debt repayment plans to be offered, including suspending or lowering payments during the winter, when children are most at risk.

MP: ‘These figures paint a startling picture’

Leigh MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham, blasted energy companies over ‘soaring costs’ - and called for a freeze in prices.

He told the M.E.N: “The Children’s Society figures paint a startling picture. There are over one-million working households struggling to afford their energy bills and over 5,000 children in Leigh living in families who are falling behind on their bills.

“Fuel poverty can severely affect people’s health and also puts a strain on the NHS. It is absolutely critical that the government prioritises support to those households most at risk by improving energy efficiency measures in the housing stock and backing Labour’s calls for a freeze in energy prices. It is unacceptable that working parents facing a cost of living crisis are unable to pay the bills as a result of soaring energy costs.”