E. ON Next has unveiled a new energy support scheme, promising to provide thousands of customers with up to £250 to assist with their energy bills.

The energy supplier has earmarked £60million for its Winter Support Scheme, with various support on offer this year, including free credit worth £250 or more depending on individual circumstances, and the opportunity to write off energy debt.

E. ON Next has identified 60,000 of its customers as eligible for support under the scheme. These customers are currently being contacted directly to discuss the targeted support available to them, which includes agreeing future payment plans and installing smart meters.

In total, E.ON Next will be providing an additional £92million in aid, bringing this year’s support to over £440million. The supplier said the scheme will “give people a fresh start by cancelling any debt and setting them on a path to affording their energy bills”.

Chris Norbury, CEO of E. ON UK, said: “This £92 million package is dedicated to offering direct assistance, such as through our targeted Winter Support Scheme, to help get people out of debt – and to keep them out of debt – by working with them to understand their needs and provide ways of helping them now and into the future.”

The scheme has been rolled out after a successful pilot project in Coventry. This involved short-term relief for vulnerable customers through direct financial support and debt write-offs.

The pilot scheme also offered long-term solutions that “directly addressed the root cause of energy unaffordability.”

Customers were also given insulation, efficient white goods, solar panels, and heat pumps, plus a battery and time-of-use tariff, to reduce their future energy use and bills.

Alongside this new package of support for vulnerable customers this winter, the Warm Home Discount scheme for 2024/25 is now open and in progress.

This scheme, managed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), offers households claiming certain benefits a £150 discount on their electricity bills between October and March each year.

E. ON Next will contact its customers to inform them when the discount will be applied to their energy account. Eligible prepay meter customers will receive a top-up voucher.