NICOLA Sturgeon is meeting with energy firms today, just days before the price cap is expected to be announced to go above £3000 a year.

The First Minister has convened a summit with some of the biggest energy providers to discuss what they can do in the coming months when bills are due to rocket.

Scottish Power, OVO Energy, Centrica, Octopus and E.ON, as well as industry bodies and key consumer and poverty organisations will attend the meeting.

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Sturgeon said she wants energy giants to ensure customers are not cut off if they can’t pay their bills.

Ahead of the summit, she called on the UK Government to stop the enormous increases that are planned for October and January.

She said: "What needs to happen is a significant intervention to stop energy bills rising in the way that is currently projected.

"What should happen is a cancellation of the next increase in the energy price cap and then work between Government and energy companies to determine how that is funded over the long term.

"The first responsibility of the UK Government right now should be to stop the misery that will otherwise be inflicted on families happening."

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She added: "The Scottish Government is also working through an emergency budget review and assessment of other levers at our disposal to try to make sure we are doing everything possible.

"But the scale of this, and the reality in terms of where the levers of power lie and where the access to resources lie, means that we need to see the UK Government really get its head out of the sand and start to take real action here."

It is expected Ofgem will increase the price cap by 82% taking average yearly bills to more than £3500 or around £300 a month.

Peter Kelly, Director, The Poverty Alliance said: “We are pleased that the First Minister will be convening this summit of energy companies, along with the Poverty Alliance and Energy Action Scotland.

“Across the country, people are increasingly being swept up amid a rising tide of hardship. But with the energy price cap due to increase in October, that tide threatens to become a flood.

“Households up and down Scotland are terrified of what the colder months will bring and the likelihood is that - without further action - lives and life chances will be at risk. The situation could scarcely be more urgent.”