British Gas to give vulnerable customers £50 towards energy bill - 12/01/2011
Energy suppliers British Gas have launched a £37 million investment scheme to help its most vulnerable customers pay their household utility bills this winter.
The cheap energy company announced that some 340,000 householders on the Essentials tariff will receive a £50 credit on their winter bill, while the independent British Gas Energy Trust charity will be given a £20 million cash injection over the next two years.
Ian Peters, managing director of the energy supplier, commented: "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."
Audrey Gallacher, head of energy at Consumer Focus, said the move was "welcome" but the focus should be on ensuring all cheap gas and electricity customers are paying a fair price - "unfortunately, consumers simply don't believe that is the case", she added.
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