Emergency credit must be given to households struggling to pay for gas and elect, warns watchdog

Suppliers would also have to provide "friendly hours" credit overnight, at weekends and on public holidays, when top up points may be closed.

Under the measures, vulnerable prepayment customers will have to be given breathing space while they work out an alternative way to pay for the supply.

This includes those who temporarily can't afford to top up or get to their local shop to do so because of mobility issues or they're self-isolating due to Covid-19.

It also wants to turn current voluntary arrangements that help customers through winter months into a licence requirement too.

This would mean that suppliers would have to set rates based on customers' ability to pay them and monitor them, rather than offering it as an option.

The plans are currently undergoing a consultation period that ends on August 24 before these measures become compulsory.

A spokesperson from Energy UK, the trade body that represents suppliers, said: "Energy suppliers work hard to help vulnerable customers, including those who use prepayment meters, and many are already offering extensive support in line with these proposals, going beyond existing licence requirements."

They added that Energy UK is also working on its own set of voluntary measures to improve the levels of support for vulnerable customers.

Energy firms are allowed to start chasing up unpaid bills again from July 1, more than three months after being put on hold.

Instead, energy bills have soared by £32 a month during lockdown – we explain how to save money.

In April, energy firms were urged to write off debts for low-income families during the pandemic.