British Gas launches scheme to alleviate UK fuel poverty

British Gas is launching a £150m scheme to alleviate fuel poverty, in partnership with local authorities and five charities.

The energy company is considering an advertising campaign, through BMP DDB, later this year to publicise the initiative, called the Home Essentials for Life Project (HELP).

The joint initiative, which will target some of the UK’s most deprived areas, will offer low-income households a package of services, free of charge. This will include installation of condensing boilers, health checks and discounts on fuel bills, as well as the provision of freezers and fridges. The initiative will aim to help about 1 million people who cannot afford to keep warm.

Energy minister Brian Wilson says: “HELP’s targets are ambitious, but the outcome will be improved living conditions for thousands of households. This is a fine example of the innovative approaches that energy companies are developing in support of the Government’s wider fuel poverty strategy.”

Across the UK, 500 projects will be set up in various urban, suburban and rural areas. The partner charities are Scope, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Help the Aged, Save the Children and the Family Welfare Association.