Men are a tad more likely to use credit to pay for their energy bills than women according to a new survey.

More than a fifth of UK men compared to more than 16% of women borrowed cash to pay utility bills in March, either with a loan or using their credit card.

The new survey commissioned by the Debt Advisory Centre, a debt managing business, revealed that nearly one in five people in the UK paid for their water, electricity or gas using credit last month.

Bill payers in the age group 25 to 34-year-olds are also most likely to resort to credit, found the OnePoll survey of 1,822 adults over 18.

Writing in a blog, the Debt Advisory Centre’s Money Advisor Sarah Jolly said: “When you owe money to several different lenders, it can be difficult keeping track of it all – especially when you throw your other financial commitments, like utility bills, into the mix.”

Instead of ignoring the problem, it’s better to speak to an expert to work out more manageable debt repayments, she added.

The Treasury has a list of organisations which can help with debt problems here.