British gas sends first e-bills

Wednesday, 29 October 2003 12:00 AM

British gas has started to send out its first paperless bills to around 100,000 customers.

Customers who buy both gas and electricity from the company and have opted to be billed quarterly via email rather than through the post will save £10 a year by switching to the new payment method.

However, demands for late payment would still be send out by post, the firm said, in order to reach customers who changed their email address.

The company predicts one million of its 17 million customers will be getting e-bills by 2005.

A recent survey of 1,000 people for British Gas found that many used the internet during work hours for personal business such as paying bills and managing their finances.

Of those questioned, 41 per cent checked their bank balance or transferred money while at work, 39 per cent shopped for gifts on-line, 37 per cent had booked a holiday, and 28 per cent paid bills.

Richard Hepworth, from British Gas, said employers should not necessarily frown upon the practice, adding: "All but a few people who 'home from work' say that sorting out home hassles during the day frees them up to concentrate harder on their work and makes them more productive."

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