We recognise that many residential customers have special needs - and we try to make their lives simpler where we can with customer care and a range of products. We offer a choice of energy products designed for our elderly customers.

 

Fuel poverty

In 2003, about 2.5 million households in Britain estimated that they could not afford to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost. As the second largest energy supplier in the UK, we have a commitment to tackling fuel poverty. We are already making a strong contribution to tackling fuel poverty, through a range of products and programmes that make a real difference. We are engaged in the fuel poverty debate through proactive supporting the Government-sponsored Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG) and further activity at a local level. We are working with Government and many other stakeholders to eradicate fuel poverty. Our policy on fuel poverty is an important component of our corporate social responsibility - part of our sustainable energy supply business.  

Strategic vision for fuel poverty

'Working with Government to eradicate fuel poverty, through leadership in understanding customers, innovation in product development and excellence in delivery.'  

• Our policy will deliver on three key objectives:
• To demonstrate energy expertise in terms of innovative, cost-effective solutions to fuel poverty
• To provide a significant contribution to the Government's aim of eradicating fuel poverty by 2016-2018
• To influence other stakeholders so that they deliver improved housing quality, better targeting of benefits and greater wealth creation.

  Our target is to take 250,000 households out of fuel poverty by 2010 through our various programmes. We will prioritise our efforts towards the most vulnerable households.  

Important features

• Exceeds the minimum requirements for compliance with our statutory obligation under EEC
• Requires action programmes to be focused
• We will be able to lobby from a position of strength on national policy for energy costs, housing improvements and household income.

 

Action Plan

• We'll deliver through a range of innovative, targeted and well-executed initiatives, eg Heatstreets and Staywarm We will do this fully aligned with our strategic and commercial objectives
• The primary means of delivery will be through our energy efficiency programme and social energy products
• We'll continue to support Warm Front, helping the Government to improve the quality of housing for poorer households.
• Helping older customers
• We recognise that many residential customers have special needs - and we try to make their lives simpler where we can with customer care and a range of products.
• We offer a choice of energy products designed for our elderly customers.

 

Staywarm

Staywarm is designed to offer complete peace of mind for the over-60s. However much electricity and gas is needed, customers pay a fixed low price - weekly, fortnightly or monthly - either by direct debit or by cash or cheque at the Post Office. The price paid depends on the number of people in the household and the number of bedrooms in the house, and the sum is guaranteed for a year from when a customer signs up. Customers can therefore keep warm all year round without worrying about unexpectedly large energy bills. A number of customers have told us that Staywarm has allowed them to heat their homes properly during the winter for the first time in many years, while remaining free from the financial worry of large bills. Staywarm also refers all eligible customers to the Government's Warm Front scheme, which offers free energy efficiency advice and grants for heating measures and insulation.  

Age Concern energy services

Powergen is aware that older people are often concerned about the cost of heating and lighting, especially in winter. With this in mind, we teamed up with Age Concern to provide electricity and a unique gas tariff specifically to meet their needs. With this tariff, gas customers aged 60 and over receive a cold weather payment. This is the equivalent of an extra two hours' gas fire heating for every day the temperature drops below freezing between December and February. In addition, they receive dedicated customer service, r efficiency advice, free carbon monoxide detectors and a hypothermia thermometer, three free low-energy light bulbs and special offers on energy-saving measures.  

'We Test You Rest' campaign

During the winter months, many older people use an electric blanket as an efficient way of keeping warm, not only at night, but also during the daytime. Each year, more than 5,000 fires are caused as a direct result of unsafe electric blankets. Many of these victims are older people - the over 64-year-olds are more likely than anyone else to die from an electric blanket fire. Electric blankets that are more than 10 years old often do not have adequate 'overheat' protection mechanisms in them and it is these blankets that cause 99% of all electric blanket fires. An estimated three million blankets over 10 years old are in use in the UK. Powergen have sponsored the electric blanket testing campaign 'We Test, You Rest' for the past five years. This sponsorship has enabled Age Concern to replace faulty blankets completely free of charge. Electric blankets should be safety-checked every three years but many older people either are not aware of this or simply can't afford to have their blanket checked, as testing can cost up to £35. Powergen paid for 40 testing days for the autumn 2003 campaign. Last year also saw the addition of Energy Efficiency Community Advisors who attended all events. The advisors complemented the campaign by delivering energy efficiency advice to customers. Around 70% of the 3,643 blankets tested were found to be faulty and were replaced free of charge, potentially saving 2,549 lives. The scheme has received the support of the UK Government Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).  

Priority services register

We have a priority services register containing details of customers of pensionable age, the chronically sick and the disabled. This entitles them to extra services if needed. To those with sight difficulties we are able to provide:

• braille bills
• large print bills
• talking bills
• special adaptors.
  

We have a facility for customers with hearing difficulties as a means of communication called Minicom. It lets them have a typed conversation rather than a verbal one. The Minicom machine is on at all times. This means that when a customer rings the Minicom, they will be presented with a pre-typed message asking for their details so we can contact them.
   
"For the past five years, Age Concern and Powergen have worked together on an integrated partnership, which has successfully delivered a number of shared benefits for both organisations. The most significant part of this partnership has been the testing of electric blankets for older people whereby all faulty blankets have been replace free of charge. Working together, we have prevented 17,314 older people enduring potentially life-threatening accidents. In addition, thousands of older people have benefited from our cost-effective gas and electricity deal, which means those people over the age of 60 on the gas tariff have received by credit a total of £450,000."   Brian Kilkelly
Head of Corporate Partnerships, Age Concern England.