The boss of EDF UK’s customer arm, Philippe Commaret, has announced a cut in standing charges for more than 250,000 homes that the company supplies.

These households will witness a reduction in their daily standing charges, dropping to 56p per day in the first three months of the coming year, down from the current 87p.

However, Mr Commaret noted that it is not sustainable for individual energy suppliers to bear the sole responsibility of helping customers in need.

This approach also risks leaving certain households without adequate support if they are served by suppliers with less comprehensive assistance packages.

Mr Commaret told the PA news agency: “It’s not something that can be enduring, so the reason we are doing it is also to call on Ofgem and government to think about the way that tariffs are set up.

“The reality is that the situation since last year has worsened, not only in terms of the number of customers who are indebted, but also in terms of debt per customer. That’s why we believe we need to take action to help the customers who are most in need.”