British Gas launches winter death campaign
Published on : 15/11/2007
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British Gas has struck up a partnership with Help the Aged to campaign for the government to more to wipe out fuel poverty in the UK.
The energy provider has started the campaign after research found that one million elderly people are forced to cut back on essentials in order to pay their energy bills in the winter months.
It is thought that pensioners in the UK could avoid some of their hardship if they were made more aware of benefits available to them, with the government's unclaimed benefit total currently standing at £4.5 billion.
Commenting on the campaign, spokesperson Anna Pearson said: "The government has a potential jackpot of £4.5 billion waiting for older people, but it dangles this vital cash behind a complex maze of means-tested benefits and as a result, money continually fails to reach those who need it to survive.
"The Partnership is urging older people to take advantage of the current benefits system."
British Gas also recently launched a new scheme to encourage customers to adopt more energy efficient lifestyles after research found that £1 in every £3 spent on electricity is wasted by UK households.
