Npower opens UK’s first fuel banks

Npower has begun trialling the nation’s first ‘fuel banks’ in North West England, giving vulnerable customers funds to pay for gas and electricity.

Located in three food distribution centres in the Wirral Foodbank, the fuel banks are designed to help households using prepayment meters, whether or not they are Npower customers.

The big six firm first announced in April that it would trial the fuel bank project in 21 locations in Durham, Kingston-upon-Thames and Gloucester and, if successful, the scheme would be extended nationwide.

In other regions, the scheme has trialled £49 fuel bank vouchers, but in the Wirral £30 vouchers will be issued.

Npower head of policy and obligations Matthew Cole said: “We are keen to do more and this new trial with food banks could be an important breakthrough. It will provide immediate and hassle free support to households where often the choice is between food or warmth.”

“More than two million households live in fuel poverty in England, many of whom are required to make stark choices between heating or eating,” said National Energy Action (NEA) chief executive Jenny Saunders. “During times of crisis low-income households face considerable challenges in balancing competing demands on their household budget and making ends meet.

“NEA is delighted to be supporting the fuel bank pilots, which are reaching out to some of the most vulnerable people in our society and helping them to have both food and heat/power at a time of crisis.”

In March last year, a document published by fuel poverty charities NEA and Energy Action Scotland (EAS), alongside Consumer Futures, warned that unless “urgent action” is taken targets to eradicate fuel poverty will be missed.

In October, campaign group Fuel Poverty Action called on the government and energy suppliers to sign up to their “Energy Bill of Rights”, which states that to tackle fuel poverty a “right to affordable energy”, as well as preventing disconnections and self-disconnections was needed.