Ovo Energy has announced a £50m support package to help customers in "immediate need" this winter.

However, the founder of the energy supplier warned that without immediate action the UK will "see a winter like never before" with people "going hungry and going cold". 

Stephen Fitzpatrick also put forward also 10-point action plan to deal with the energy crisis and called on the Government to take more action to support the poorest family. 

Under the plan, every household would get some help towards bills, but with low-income families being prioritised in a similar way to how the tax-free allowance works.

He is also urging the Government to bring forward support measures, saying the £400 help towards bills – and up to another £650 for those on qualifying benefits – should be made in full before Christmas.

Mr Fitzpatrick told the BBC that helping low-income families with energy bills “has to be the first order of business” for the next prime minister.

READ MORE: Warning of ‘shattering impact’ of cost-of-living crisis on poorest families

“If we don’t use every available moment over the next 12 weeks to solve this, we are going to see a winter like never before, with people going hungry and going cold and the NHS being overwhelmed by the health impacts of the energy crisis,” he said.

It comes after industry regulator Ofgem last week confirmed that energy bills for the 24 million British households on the price cap will rise by 80% in October from £1,971 to £3,549.

Ovo energy's own support package, which will help its 4.5 million customers, will include debt repayment holidays for all prepayment meter customers, as well as 200per cent increase in emergency top-up credit for customers on a pre-payment meter. 

It will also offer free technology and services, such as smart thermostats and boiler checks.

Mr Fitzpatrick said: “Important and difficult decisions need to be made quickly. Some of these will need to take immediate effect, some in the months and years ahead. But we must start now.

“At Ovo, we will continue to play an active role in proposing solutions, and putting our customers’ interests at the heart of the response.”

READ MORE: Scottish and UK governments’ cost-of-living support ‘inadequate’ – survey

As part of the call for action from the government, Ovo also called for the 

 higher charges faced by pre-payment customers to be scrapped as it branded them a “poverty penalty”.

The group added that the standing charge, which customers pay regardless of their energy use, should be abolished, arguing that it is “the single biggest source of customer confusion on energy bills, and causes the greatest resentment”.