Switching to First Utility to raise £250,000 for children’s charity

Independent supplier First Utility has formed a first of its kind partnership which aims to raise £250,000 for children’s charity the NSPCC.

It has pledged to donate £2 a month, for a period of two years, to the charity for every new customer that switches their gas and electricity supply to it during the month of May.

First Utility will donate a pound each for every electricity and gas supply signed up direct via the First Utility website regardless of tariff, it said.

Customers who switch both supplies to First Utility will raise £48 each over the course of the partnership, enough funding for 12 children to speak to a Childline counsellor.

The supplier is also giving new customers the opportunity to donate part or all of the average £229 per year it says customers will save by switching as well.

First Utility’s chief executive Ian McCaig said: “The NSPCC was chosen by our employees as our national charity partner in 2013 and we are proud to be extending that support over the next two years with a clear commitment to raise significant funds for a deeply important cause.”

“We hope that by dedicating the month of May to the NSPCC we will not only raise money for the charity, but also help families financially by lowering their household energy bills.”

NSPCC’s head of partnerships Claire Hoyle said: “We’re delighted to be working with First Utility on this one-of-a-kind initiative, giving people a way to support our work by simply switching energy provider. We’re hoping that households across the UK will join the fight for every childhood by switching to First Utility this May.”

The NSPCC works to help children who’ve been abused to rebuild their lives, protect those at risk, and find the best ways of preventing abuse from ever happening.