BRITISH Gas is looking to recruit 250 people to help customers struggling with energy costs this winter.

The energy provider is expanding its team of call centre operators in Leeds and providing additional training on assisting customers with financial difficulty. 

Last winter, British Gas experienced an increase in call volume due to the energy crisis and invested £25 million in its customer services operations to meet this demand.

British Gas has put a £100 million support package in place to help with energy costs.

The increased staff numbers will also mean longer opening times for customers - 8am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 2pm on Saturday. 

These roles will all be in post by the end of the year with continued hiring taking place in January. 

It is part of the company’s aim to move all its call centre resources to the UK.

Chris O’Shea, CEO of Centrica, parent company of British Gas, said: “Although energy prices have come down slightly, many of our customers are still struggling overall with the cost of living and need to speak to us for longer about their energy bills. Strengthening our call centre operations in Leeds will allow us to help more households.”