Speaking at the National Energy Action Conference in Harrogate today (17th September), Neil Clitheroe, CEO ScottishPower Retail and Generation, set out a package of commitments for the company’s customers during the winter period.

ScottishPower’s Winter Commitments will include:

• No upper limit on the number of customers who can receive the Warm Home Discount Broader Group rebate¹



• A written estimated saving quote sent to all quarterly credit customers.  This has helped just under 30,000 customers reduce their bills over the last 2 years²



• Free insulation and heating measures for qualifying customers³



• A winter debt recovery break for our most vulnerable prepayment customers⁴



• No winter disconnections⁵



• Continue to offer a fixed price tariff until 31st December 2016⁶

Neil Clitheroe, ScottishPower CEO Retail and Generation said: “We understand that winter can be a particularly difficult time for many people, and it is important that we have measures in place to support our customers who need help the most. We hope that once again our package of Winter Commitments will offer help thousands of people.

“Our experienced team of community liaison officers will also be increasing their activity over the winter period, and can visit any customers who need special attention or are looking for additional support and advice.

“Our customer service teams will also help all customers ensure that they are on the best deal possible, and we would encourage any customers who want to discuss their circumstances or to get advice to give us a call.”

Media Information – ScottishPower Press Office - 0141 614 4660

Notes to Editors:

ScottishPower’s Winter Commitments in Full:

• ¹Warm Home Discount Guarantee. The Warm Home Discount scheme is a programme of support aimed at households who are living in, or are at risk of, fuel poverty. Certain customers will qualify automatically for a rebate and will receive a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions telling them this. Others can apply to ScottishPower for the rebate if they meet certain eligibility criteria*. In the third year of the scheme commencing on 1st April 2013, the rebate is £135. ScottishPower will not place any upper limit on the number of customers who can receive this rebate, should they meet the criteria. All customers who are eligible, and apply before 31st January 2014, will receive the discount. To find out more go to http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/service-and-standards/support/warm-home-discount
  
  *See website for full eligibility details



• ²A targeted tariff check campaign. ScottishPower will write to all its customers who pay for their energy on a quarterly basis, with an estimate of how much they can save by making changes to their energy account. This builds on the success of previous tariff check campaigns in the last two years, which resulted in just under 30,000 ScottishPower customers changing tariff saving them more than £4.6 million.



• ³Free Insulation and Heating Measures.  ScottishPower will offer any qualifying household free insulation & heating measures.  There is no requirement to be a ScottishPower customer in order to qualify for this offer.   Full details at: http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-at-home/home-insulation-and-boiler-offer/



• ⁴A debt recovery break for prepayment customers. ScottishPower will identify a group of its most vulnerable customers who are currently repaying a debt through their prepayment meter. The company will write to these customers and advise them that it will not be collecting any debt repayments for a 3 month period.  (December 2013 to February 2014). This should ensure that any payment made by these customers will be purely for energy that is used during the 3 month winter period.



• ⁵No Winter Disconnections. ScottishPower will not disconnect any customers for debt between November 2013 and February 2014. Disconnections are very rare, and would only ever follow a lengthy and detailed process. ScottishPower will never knowingly disconnect a vulnerable customer for debt under any circumstances.



• ⁶Fixed Prices Until 31st December 2016. Due to demand from customers for a fixed price tariff ScottishPower recently launched a new energy product that will fix prices until 31st December 2016. The Help Beat Cancer Fixed Price Energy January 2017 Offer is currently one of the longest fixed price products in the market, and has an annual average bill of £1,350**

**  Based on an average Help Beat Cancer Fixed Price Energy January 2017 Offer customer with annual mains gas usage of 16,500kWh and annual Standard Rate electricity usage of 3,300kWh, who pays monthly by Direct Debit. Prices correct as at 2nd September 2013.