28 January 2009
Householders living in and around Devon and Cornwall will be able to get specialist energy debt and fuel poverty advice thanks to a new partnership between Plymouth Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) and EDF Energy.
The energy company, which has offices in Plymouth and Exeter and 2,000 staff in the South West, is to fund the first energy advice development post at Plymouth CAB. The adviser will work with frontline agencies throughout Devon and Cornwall, supporting households in the counties experiencing fuel debt and financial hardship.
The initiative starts this month and builds on the close relationship between the two organisations.
Simon Green, EDF Energy Director of Customer Services for the South West, said: “EDF Energy has led the industry in taking action to support our customers at risk of fuel poverty[1]. We were the first company to introduce a social tariff for our most vulnerable customers, a trust fund for customers in serious household debt and the first to level out prepayment meter tariffs with customers paying by cash or cheque for electricity.
“We recognise that in these tough financial times many people are struggling with their bills. We have a good relationship with Plymouth CAB and asked them to come up with ideas for how we could support their work locally. We’re delighted with this new initiative.”
Last year EDF Energy seconded a manager to Plymouth CAB for six months to lead on a debt advice project. They also improved the number of calls the charity can respond to and boosted volunteer numbers. Plymouth CAB is also represented on the independent EDF Energy Trust Fund board of trustees, providing advice and grants of more than £8 million to customers most in need.
Marie Spiers, currently at Plymouth CAB in another role, takes up the post.
She said: “It’s a challenging and exciting role. As well as working directly with households in or at risk of fuel poverty, I will be providing training to agency workers throughout Devon and Cornwall so they are better able to support customers in fuel debt or experiencing fuel poverty.”
She will also provide information on grants to access insulation and central heating, along with advice about the help available from energy suppliers through priority registers, social tariffs and trust funds. The role will also include supporting low income households to ensure they are claiming the state benefits they are entitled to and maximising their income to meet essential costs, including energy bills.
[1] Fuel poverty is defined as households needing to spend more than 10% of their income on energy bills in order to keep warm.
Gill Tishler, Director of Plymouth CAB, said: “We’re delighted to have this opportunity to support advice workers in tackling more effectively the serious problem of fuel poverty and energy debt. EDF Energy has always been receptive to suggestions for improvements in their arrangements for vulnerable customers and this role will provide a focus for that constructive feedback.”
Plymouth CAB, which has more than 40 volunteers and 18 full time staff, deals with thousands of inquiries every year and estimate about 40 per cent are debt-related.
The new post is funded for two years and is part of EDF Energy’s long-standing commitment to vulnerable customers, which goes far beyond regulatory obligations to support customers struggling to pay energy bills and to keep warm.
Earlier this month EDF Energy launched its fourth annual Safe, Warm and Well campaign, providing information and advice to older people to help them stay safe, warm and well this winter.
EDF Energy’s Energy Assist Tariff provides a 15 per cent discount to more than 115,000 of its most vulnerable customers and has been recognised as one of the most generous social tariffs in the industry. These customers, including those on prepayment meters, are making a total annual saving, on average, of up to £184.90 per year on dual fuel tariffs, compared to the company’s standard prices.
EDF Energy’s pre-payment bills for a typical customer, whether on a duel-fuel, electricity-only or gas-only tariff, are on average currently the cheapest of any of the main six suppliers.
In 2008/09, EDF Energy will spend more than £13 million on targeted help for its vulnerable customers and is committed to increase this targeted support to £13.6 million in 2009/10 and £16 million in 2010/11.
The energy efficiency initiative announced by the Government in 2008 will see EDF Energy invest up to an additional £100 million in energy efficiency measures through to 2011. This is on top of the £215 million EDF Energy is already committed to investing in energy efficiency measures over the next three years, of which £139 million will be spent on measures for priority vulnerable customers.
Plymouth CAB can be contacted Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm, through its drop-in service at Cobourg House, 32 Mayflower Street, or by calling 08448 269 717. Advice is also available at www.plymouthcab.org.uk
Ends
For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Dan Pritchard in the EDF Energy press office on 01392 813783
Notes to Editors
The combination of EDF Energy and British Energy forms one of the UK’s largest energy companies. The combined business is the UK’s largest producer of electricity. With a current installed capacity of around 16.5GW, we produce almost one-quarter of the nation's electricity from our nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms.
We provide power to a quarter of the UK’s population via our electricity distribution networks in London, the South East and the East of England and supply gas and electricity to over 5.5 million business and residential customers.
Through Our Climate and Social Commitments we have launched the biggest environmental and social packages of any UK energy company. The company is also a key player in national infrastructure projects including management of private electricity networks serving four London airports and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the country’s first major new railway in 100 years.
EDF Energy and British Energy together employ nearly 20,000 people at locations across the UK. The combined companies are part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.