Cold weather payments of over £3.5 million

With summer well underway, this year's freezing winter feels a distant memory. But, following one of the worst winters in recent times, gas customers on the Age UK (1) Energy tariff, provided by E.ON, are set to receive additional Cold Weather Payments totalling more than £3.5 million (2).

Funded by E.ON, this sum will provide some financial relief to those in later life who were faced with higher energy bills after this year's bitter winter. The payment is to all Age UK gas customers and is in addition to the Government's Cold Weather Payment (3).

Gordon Morris, Managing Director of Age UK Enterprises, said: 'We do all we can to support those in later life manage their finances. This is why, with the support of E.ON, we guarantee that our gas customers will receive a minimum Cold Weather Payment of £10 on top of the Government's Payment - and this rises to £20 for customers aged 80 or above. Additional payments are also made based on the number of days the temperature drops below freezing between the beginning of December and the end of February.

'Over the past 11 years, our relationship with E.ON has delivered real benefits to people in later life for whom the cost of keeping warm can be a real concern, and our customers have benefitted from around £15m in Cold Weather Payments alone during this time.'

Graham Bartlett, Managing Director of E.ON Energy Solutions, said: 'Our Cold Weather Payments offer Age UK gas customers some practical support during the colder months. As the only energy supplier to offer energy products specifically designed to meet the needs of people in later life, we know how important this reassurance is.

'We've worked with Age UK for many years and are delighted with the signing of our new 10 year partnership. We intend to continue to bring financial assistance, competitive prices and excellent service to our customers for years to come.'

The guaranteed Cold Weather Payment is part of the tailored proposition developed for Age UK by E.ON, one of the UK's leading electricity and gas companies. The Age UK E.ON Energy product is designed based on insight into the needs of those in later life. It offers a range of tariffs for higher and lower users including price protection and online product options, information and advice on how to reduce energy usage, clear bills, no standing charges and dedicated customer support.

To find out more about Age UK Energy, including Cold Weather Payments, please call 0800 015 6784 or go to our energy page 

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For more information contact Imogen Dunn or Rhys Phillips by email  or call 020 7360 7878

1. Age UK Energy offers new customers the opportunity to freeze prices until April 2013 with the Price Protection tariff. Working in conjunction with Age UK Enterprises it offers a tailored energy product that can help those in later life to lower their energy bills. All new customers to Age UK Energy receive a complimentary carbon monoxide alarm, twin pack LED lights or TV PowerDown and a welcome pack full of useful advice.
2. Total overall figure £3,568,972.46 ex VAT
3. The government allows people on a low income to claim for Cold Weather Payment benefit to help people each week of very cold weather in your area. To find out more, people should visit our webpage.

Notes to Editors

Age UK

For media enquiries relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland please contact the appropriate national office: Age Scotland on 0131 668 8055, Age Cymru on 029 2043 1562 and Age NI on 028 9024 5729.

Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged, dedicated to improving later life. We provide free information, advice and support to over five million people; commercial products and services to over one million customers; and research and campaign on the issues that matter to people in later life. Our work focuses on five key areas: money matters, health and well being, home and care, work and training and leisure and lifestyle.

We work with our national partners, Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI (together the Age UK Family), our local Age UK partners in England and local Age Concerns. We also work internationally for people in later life as a member of the DEC and with our sister charity Help Age International. Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and company number 6825798).

Age Concern England and Help the Aged (both registered charities), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group ("we"). Charitable services are offered through Age UK and commercial products are offered by the Charity's trading companies, which donate their net profits to Age UK (the Charity).

Age UK Enterprises

To fund its charitable activities, Age UK needs a constant flow of independent income. It seeks to achieve this through a balance of traditional fund raising and trading activities. The trading activities, through Age UK Enterprises enable it to meet the needs of older people, through products specifically designed to meet these needs; quality products such as general insurance and energy Services.

Age UK Enterprises is the commercial services arm of Age UK. Age UK Enterprises incorporates: Age UK Energy, Age UK Insurance Services and Age UK Guaranteed Funeral Plans. Log on to our products page for details.

Age UK Motor Insurance is now proudly on Which? Magazine's Recommended Providers List of car insurers. Which? Magazine analyse the whole UK car insurance market to find out which brands offer the best policies. Instead of picking Best Buys based on specific scenarios (that are only relevant in specific cases), the experts at Which? magazine focus on the quality of policies. Age UK Enterprises is part of the Social Enterprise Coalition; an organisation that represents a wide range of social enterprises with the overarching aim of working in partnership for the creation of effective sector products, services and knowledge-sharing networks to help stimulate and encourage growth, development and sustainability of social enterprises in England.

Age UK Enterprises scooped up the ‘Customer Care Award' at the prestigious 2010 British Insurance Awards. The judges singled out Age UK Enterprises for its exceptional customer service which is provided by Ageas Insurance Ltd, as well as for glowing customer testimonials with a ‘world-class' customer satisfaction score of 85 per cent, and 89 per cent of customers saying that they would recommend Age UK Enterprises/Ageas (Insurance UK).

Age UK Enterprises Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for insurance mediation (311438) and to introduce potential annuity customers. Age UK Enterprises Limited is registered in England and Wales No. 3156159, registered office: Astral House, 1268 London Road, London SW16 4ER. VAT Number: 710 3843 66. Age UK Enterprises Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Age UK (registered charity No. 1128267 and registered company No. 06825798) and donates its net profits to Age UK. Age UK England (charity number 261794) has merged with Help the Aged (charity number 272786) to form Age UK, a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England: registered office address 207-221 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9UZ, company number 6825798, registered charity number 1128267.

Age UK Enterprises is based at 4th floor, 207 - 221, Pentonville Road, London, N1 9UZ.

Age UK Energy Services

Age UK EnergyReward is a tailor made gas and electricity package provided by E.ON. Age UK Energy is a trading name of Age UK Enterprises Limited (a trading company of Age UK, which donates profits to that charity). Registered in England and Wales No. 3156159. Registered Office: Astral House, 1268 London Road, London SW16 4ER. E.ON Energy Limited. Registered office: Westwood Way, Westwood Business Park, Coventry CV4 8LG, registered in England and Wales No. 3407430.

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England. Age UK Group comprises of the Age UK Charity and its group of companies. Registered charity number 1128267 and registered company number 6825798. Registered address: 207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 NUZ.

Age UK Group have worked closely with E.ON and have developed Age UK Energy/Reward, a great range of benefits, special offers, discounts and services which are all designed to help you save money on your energy. This great energy deal includes:

• Guaranteed minimum cold weather payment of £10 or £20 for gas customers aged 80 and over. An extra payment may also be paid for every day between December and February that the temperature falls below freezing*
• Save up to 8% on your bills when you take electricity as well as gas and pay for both by fixed monthly Direct Debit**
• Free welcome pack including a carbon monoxide alarm, twin pack LED night lights or TV PowerDown***, energy saving tips and much more • Doing more to help you save. As a responsible energy supplier, E.ON is dedicated to helping their customers use energy more efficiently. That's why they've launched a free service to make it easier for you to save energy and money. Visit www.eonenergyfit.com to find out more.

For more information call 0800 404 5010, drop in to a selected Age UK office**** or log on to our products page* The £10/£20 cold weather payment from E.ON is only applicable to Single Gas and Dual Fuel customers. It will be credited as a rebate in Spring and will be shown on the following bill. As a gas customer, you may also receive a payment based on the number of days the temperature falls below freezing between December and February. The temperature is taken from the Pickering Weather Station in Yorkshire, one of the coldest places in the UK.

** Discounts are not payable on final bills.

*** Whilst stocks last. If product is unavailable, alternatives will be offered.

**** Not all Age UK offices offer all Age UK products. Please check (by telephoning your local office) before arranging a visit).

About E.ON

E.ON's Energy Solutions business supplies power and gas to over 5 million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers across the country. With customers at its heart, Energy Solutions also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs. The business is designed to help customers become energy fit by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their usage and even to generate their own energy through microgeneration systems such as ground source heat pumps and solar panels for both homes and businesses. In October 2010, E.ON call centres reached the Top Ten in latest research from the Top 50 Call Centres for Customer Service. One of the UK's leading power and gas companies achieved tenth place and came top of the Utilities sector with a score of 89.10% against an overall Top 50 average of 86%, in the UK's biggest ever call centre benchmarking exercise, conducted by independent market research company GfK Mystery Shopping. E.ON also offers CaringEnergy - a single source of help to reduce energy bills, improve energy efficiency and maximise the income of homes which are currently in or at risk of fuel poverty. Through CaringEnergy customers can get help with free or discounted cavity wall and loft insulation, a free Benefits Entitlement Check and access to a fund which supports low income households and those facing financial difficulty. E.ON Energy Solutions Limited Registered office: Westwood Business Park, Coventry CV4 8LG. Registered in England and Wales No. 3407430.