Top energy provider British Gas has today announced that it will be investing £37 million in support of its vulnerable customers.
The money will be used in two ways:
1) A £50 payment for around 340,000 of the company’s Essentials discounted tariff customers to help with their winter fuel bills. This will be provided as credit on winter bills. All Essentials customers will receive a letter by the end of February informing them of the £50 credit to follow.2) An investment of £20 million in the British Gas Energy Trust, an independent charity which helps people who are struggling with household debts.
Ian Peters, chief operating officer at British Gas, said: “We know that money is very tight for many people in Britain right now, particularly our elderly, poor and disabled customers.
“That’s why we promised to hold our Essentials prices throughout the winter – and it’s why today we’re announcing this additional one-off payment to provide extra help following the recent extremely cold weather.
“We are also making a further donation of £20 million to the British Gas Energy Trust, to bring direct financial help to many more people who are having difficulty with their household debts. We expect the majority of this assistance to be distributed in 2011 and 2012.”
Tom Wright, chairman of the British Gas Energy Trust, said: “The Trust welcomes this excellent news and the difference the extra funding will make to the Trust’s ability to help even more people.”
