The country's biggest network of foodbanks has estimated that 46 per cent of people using their service not only face hunger but find it difficult to afford to pay their heating, hot water and electricity bills.
Christians Against Poverty also found that 47 per cent of their clients who depend on emergency food supplies had gone without heating or electricity for weeks over winter.
The statistics
1.1 million three-day emergency food supplies distributed last year
28 per cent of those needing supplies had delays to their benefits
23 per cent were on low incomes
The highest number of supplies were distributed in the North West of England
428 foodbanks are part of the Trussell Trust network
40,000 people volunteer with the Trussell Trust
Trussell Trust has taken the decision to roll out the Fuel Bank scheme to more foodbanks at 18 locations across the country.
The scheme, which was developed in partnership with gas and electricity giant npower, allows foodbank users on pre-payment meters to receive to voucher to keep their lights and heating on for two weeks.
David McAuley, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust said: ""A crisis in winter for someone on a pre-payment meter who can't afford the bare essentials isn't just shocking, it's dangerous.
"Without the superb support offered by foodbanks and More Than Food schemes like the Fuel Bank people would be going cold, hungry, and falling seriously ill."
The Fuel Bank scheme has already helped more than 38,000 people in crisis.