ENERGY company Drax Group is providing free electricity to small care homes during the Covid-19 crisis.

Drax is helping 27 of its small care home customers across Yorkshire and The Humber by cancelling their gas and electricity bills for two months.

They include Linton Woods in Linton on Ouse, Beverley Parklands, Beverley, Westfield Park in Goole, Blantyre House, Bridlington, and St Hill Establishments, Selby.

They are among 170 care homes selected to receive the free energy, in communities local to Drax’s operations and already supplied by Opus Energy and Haven Power which are both part of Drax Group.

Drax is also donating £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline, a national charity helping SMEs facing financial hardship, as well as providing reduced and deferred payment plans for business customers adversely impacted by the lockdown.

Drax’s donation to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline will provide support and free advice to small businesses and self-employed people who are facing financial hardship as a result of Covid-19.

Drax Group CEO, Will Gardiner said: “We’re working hard to offer more support to our customers and communities during this crisis.

“Care homes are critically important – they do incredible work looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and we know this pandemic is putting them under immense pressure. As a gesture of appreciation for the excellent work these businesses are doing, we’re cancelling their energy bills for a couple of months.”

He added: “We know a lot of businesses are having a tough time, as the lockdown is having a major impact on many different sectors, so we’ve donated £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline. This will help to ensure those businesses who may be struggling to pay their bills can access the advice and support they need.”

Care homes selected to receive free energy from Drax’s supply businesses, Haven Power and Opus Energy, will receive a letter notifying them that their bills have been cancelled.

Drax owns and operates eight power stations across England and Scotland, as well as two energy supply businesses, Opus Energy and Haven Power, which have offices in the South East and Wales.