Why is the support being offered?
More than five million customers across the UK are behind on their energy bills, while total energy debt has doubled over the past three years.
Around 75 per cent of outstanding debt has no repayment arrangement in place.
Unpaid energy debt adds an average of £60 to domestic bills. Baringa forecasts that this could rise to £100 if total debt reaches £7billion by the end of the year.
Average bills are also expected to rise again from January because of gas price movements.
Jessica Taplin, chief executive of Charis, said: “Helping people with their energy costs can provide immediate financial relief, but it can also help them stay warm and well, reduce anxiety about bills and prevent difficulties escalating into crisis.”
EDF is also calling for a targeted social discount to build on the existing Warm Home Discount scheme.
Joe Souto, EDF’s director of retail, said: “A targeted social discount could help households most at risk by reducing bills at source, making it easier for customers to keep up with payments and less likely that they fall into arrears in the first place.”