CHARITIES called for a “help to repay” scheme for energy bills today as millions of households struggle to repay arrears.

An estimated 5.5 million adults in Britain are behind on their energy bills, according to a survey for the Money Advice Trust (MAT).

Some 7 per cent of those polled said they were unable to access help with their bills after contacting their suppliers for support, while 6 per cent reported being unable to get through to their firm.