BES Utilities offers help to customers affected by floods

Energy supplier BES Utilities has offered financial help to businesses hit by the recent floods.

Storm Desmond tore through the North West of England a fortnight ago, causing havoc across Cumbria and Lancashire as rivers burst their banks. More than 6,000 homes and businesses were flooded and many companies now face an uncertain future, and even closure, due to damage to buildings and ruined stock.

The Lancashire-based company is offering to freeze or write off gas and electricity bills and replace damaged metering equipment free of charge.

“We are keen to support our customers and there are various ways we may be able to help, either through replacing metering equipment or by offering financial support to businesses until they are able to get things back up and running.

The BES Fund – the first of its kind in the UK for non-domestic customers – was launched in September. It supports self-employed and small business customers who find themselves in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their utility bills.

BES, which has more than 40,000 non-domestic customers across the UK, is now asking those customers hit by flooding to contact them and explain how their business has been affected.

“We would ask businesses to contact us via email at [email protected] or by phone on 0844 5678 427. Our Customer Services Team is available from 8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.