Npower has committed around £2.25 million to the initiative until March 2018 and has plans to open the Fuel Banks in 10 new areas including, Birmingham, Hastings, Glasgow and Cardiff by the first half of 2016.
The Fuel Bank initiative was launched in April last year alongside The Trussell Trust, Durham Christian Partnership and National Energy Action (NEA) and provides users with pre-payment meter vouchers for gas or electricity.
Npower’s director of corporate responsibility Guy Esnouf said: “Our first step was to trial the Fuel Bank in four areas last year. This proved the concept works, getting the right support to the people who need it most. We’re now expanding to 10 new areas across the UK – including opening Fuel Banks in Scotland and Wales – meaning we can reach thousands more people in crisis.”
The scheme gives people around two weeks’ worth of energy, and the value of the voucher will fluctuate between the winter and summer months: from April to end October the value will be £30 and this will increase to £49 from 1 November to 31 March.
NEA chief executive Jenny Saunders said: “The Fuel Bank has made a significant impact in the four pilot areas.
“We found it not only enabled reconnection to energy supplies or helped avoid self-disconnection, it also helped families with their wider household budget, relieved stress and anxiety and enabled access to the basics of family life that are often and rightly taken for granted by most.”