A supermarket is opening up its cafés free of charge to community groups this winter which are struggling to meet because of escalating energy bills, and offering them unlimited hot drinks to keep them warm.

Asda, which also launched this week a £1 winter warmer meal deal for over 60s, is intending to turn areas in some of its 205 on-site eateries over to organisations struggling to get together this winter because of rising costs.

With new research by its Income Tracker suggesting that people aged 65 to 74 are now £163 worse-off compared to this time last year, the retailer says it is stepping-up support for its older customers.

A warming meal deal is available from next month in its cafés to all those aged 60 and over where £1 will buy a bowl of hot soup, a roll and unlimited tea and coffee. The new initiative will run alongside its hugely popular ‘Kids eat for £1’ deal, which has seen 557,000 meals served to youngsters since late June.

While the Community Cuppa campaign will enable community groups, struggling to run or rent their own spaces because of high energy costs, to use chairs and tables in Asda cafés on weekday afternoons to get members together with every meeting coming with the offer of unlimited hot drinks for those visiting.

And with estimations by Age UK that 2.8 million older households will still be living in fuel poverty this winter despite the Government freezing the energy price cap, Asda's charitable foundation is also setting aside £500,000 for groups offering vital services in the current climate.

Individual grants worth up to a maximum of £2,000 are available and priority will be given to groups and charities needing financial help to cover increased energy costs or who want to use their facilities to create ‘warm banks’ that can welcome people struggling to heat their home.

Mohsin Issa, Asda’s Co-owner, said: "We know that this winter is set to be incredibly hard for thousands of pensioners as they worry about how to keep themselves warm in the face of rising living costs and a fixed income.

"We’ve already been able to serve over half a million meals through our Kids Eat for £1 initiative in our cafes and we’re hoping our new offer of soup and hot drinks for over 60s will prove just as impactful for those who need it most.

"Meanwhile, the cost of living grant programme led by Asda’s charity The Asda Foundation will support grassroots organisations who are providing a lifeline in their communities during these tough times."

In August, with escalating bills on the horizon, Kent County Council was encouraged to consider using churches and libraries as warm banks in winter that would give people struggling to heat their homes somewhere to go.

Kent County Council's shadow cabinet member for adult social care, Cllr Kelly Grehan revealed that she was preparing a list of possible places residents could use to keep warm, sit and play games, chat, use computers or enjoy activities for free.

Millmead Sure Start Centre in Margate is expected to open the county's very first warm bank next month primarily for pre-school children and their families.