Age UK deals – the people speak

Comments on experience with Age UK deals – the people speak

Comments compiled by Ray Noble from comments on Petition web pages  - 19th February 2016.

The petition calling for E.ON/Age UK to refund pensioners misled by the Age UK tariff has now reached 66,000 and support continues to grow.

Many of the comments provide testament to the concern and anger at Age UK’s aggressive commercial approach. It takes time to go through the many thousand comments, but more will follow in a future update.  Here we include just a few of them.

From energy tariff to hearing aids, stair lifts and insurance, it is a sorry tale.  It demonstrates that the problem is broader than mis-selling the energy tariff.  So here they are in raw detail and in no particular order:

Energy 

E.ON recently asked me to sign new contract with them the Age UK deals were down the page & more expensive. I changed utility providers.

Keep up the pressure. I battled on behalf of my clients, all living in supported accommodation, visited by an Age UK representative to sign them up to "cheaper electric tariffs." They were all ripped off! The worst case was an ex serviceman’s widow, she was paying over £80.00 per month with Age UK tariffs, I got her bill for electricity down to £34.00 per month to her one bedroom flat. I got her compensation of £75.00 which was paltry but a recognition of the deceit and demanded her credit of approx. £100 be refunded immediately. I continued to monitor this widow’s bill for over 12 months to ensure she was on the correct low cost tariff. I was involved in this case as Branch Chairman and Welfare Officer of Gloucester City Royal British Legion. At that time I held the post of Vice Chairman of Gloucestershire RBL. All 60 RBL Branches - some 3,500 members, across Gloucestershire were advised of my findings. My other clients, ex service and non service personnel all benefited from exposing this financial relationship between a utility provider and a Charity that caused me to question the veracity of the advice given to encourage vulnerable people to sign up to what effectively was a more expensive tariff to those which were readily available if one knew where to look.

No wonder they were keen to sell this product, I have just checked with a comparison website and found I can save £187 on my dual fuel which I shall be doing. It always seems today that there are people out there trying to "legitimately" scam folk.

As soon as Ray Noble started his petition I went to the Eon website and changed to their standard tariff - they tell me it will be £400 a year cheaper than the Age UK alternative. Nowhere were we told that part of our charge would be a donation to Age UK. The tariff was restricted to the over 60's who were expected to donate towards the charity that supports them. This is commercialism gone mad - Age UK should be ashamed of themselves!

I am an EON customer and was advised by them to renew my contract with the Age UK 2 year deal as it was best for me. EON have since advised me a better deal over £200 cheaper so have switched.

I have been involved with the charity and social services sector for many years and had an Age Concern account with EON without realizing that Age UK was a different organization. I have now been in contact with EON, partly following their statement of a reduced price from the beginning of Feb, and I now how a monthly payment of almost a third less than the Age UK payment I previously had. How can this be possible?

My parents were told by Age UK this was cheapest. When my father died I sorted things for my mum and found she was paying more than us.

I have been duped by Age UK that they were helping us. I am a 24/7 Carer for a Disabled Wife, I am with E.ON but Age UK has cost me £237 extra last year, and they were supposed to be helping us?

My 75 year old mother could only afford to heat her home for an hour in the morning and a couple of hours at night because of ridiculously high gas bills.

I had my energy on this plan for 2 years before realizing it was not as good as other tariffs offered by eon and frankly I was shocked...

Age UK are doing nothing for me. I have just renewed my E.On tariff and being 68 was offered Age UK's 2 year deal. I took the 1 year 'normal' deal; it was several £100 cheaper annually.

I'm signing because I advised my mum to go on the Age UK tariff because of their reputation, and feel let down.

They tried doing the same to my elderly parents, I looked at the figures, and realised they would be worse off, than staying with their existing service - so I sent their rep, whom claimed to be acting on behalf of Age UK (e.on) packing.

I was on the Age UK tariff with EON and was recently offered a new Age UK deal with EON AT £200 pound a year cheaper. I went online to sign up for the new deal and saw a tariff on there which was £500 pound a year less Than the one I was on. When I rang EON to ask why I had not been offered the cheapest deal I was told that they only had to tell customers when a new and cheaper deal came In on the same tariff as there existing one.

I had EON account, recommended by age concern. After 12 months of paying what they had estimated they sent a bill for £300, as they had underestimated the monthly payment. As they had my previous suppliers bills to calculate the usage by they should not have made a mistake. I felt they had misled me and sold a product that I wouldn't have brought if not recommended by age concern.

I also feel a victim of trusting E On and Age UK only to find that we have been used at our expense, over £300 according to my estimation.

I understood I had been an Eon customer for at least 10 years linked to Age Concern. Last year about June I was notified yet again that my bill was to rise to over £200 a month as they hadn't been charging me enough. I rang Eon and explained that I was with them as an Age Concern customer. The lady that I spoke too ( bearing in mind my numerous contacts over the years explaining each time that I was Age Concern linked ) said that I wasn't down as having any connection with Age Concern!. She was very concerned too and double checked She said that there was no evidence of me being part of the scheme EVER and it was lodged as a complaint.  I ended my contract with them with immediate effect. I then received a letter demanding nearly £600. I couldn't afford to pay this and agreed to pay it off at £100 a month. I was then told that if I reneged on a month I would be required to pay the difference in full. I was told by Age Concern to take it up with Eon. ( They passed the buck ) and told me to deal with Eon. By this time this despicable Company had ground me down and I didn't follow it up. I did pay what they'd asked for over the following months. I moved to Utility Warehouse and my monthly bill for gas and electricity has more than halved.

My husband died in June 2013 and the bill was in his name. I contacted eon to change it to my name. The lady on the Bereavement section said that it would need to be a new contract and then started trying to sell me all sorts of things and asking me a lot of questions - my husband had only died a few days before and I was in a right state - I seem to remember telling her to stop asking me questions because I could not cope and asked her just to put the account in my name and I would pay the bill. I was than locked into a contract for two years!

I am disgusted. I joined because I trusted Age Concern. I now find I can get gas & electric 25% cheaper!

I'm signing because I also had been on an Age UK tariff and then switched to a standard tariffs, I also think Age UK should be investigated by the Charity Commission, they must have known this was a dearer tariff. They seem more interested in helping themselves than helping the aged.

As a long-time E.ON user, it's always amazed me that the Age UK rate is consistently much more expensive than the cheapest rate.

My 89 year old mother has been on this scheme. Oh have recently changed supplier for her. She was paying £30 per week and it still wasn't enough! Shame on them.

I am on a cheaper tariff with Eon and there is an even cheaper tariff I can go on!.
However the Eon staff will tell you if you phone, or go on line it is very clear! My argument is with Age UK, they are a business, they sell so much!

This is exactly what happened to me. Because the literature said that this tariff was the cheapest available, I didn't check if I should switch suppliers at the end of the first year. The cost skyrocketed in the second year.

I too signed up for the Age UK tariff a few years ago and had a similar experience.

Because I was signed up to this deal for several years believing it to be the best deal available. It wasn't, there were better deals available on e-on itself, let alone with other suppliers...

My mother has a much smaller pension than me but her bills from Eon are much larger than mine.

My 91 year old mum signed up for this but when we later checked her bills we found it was a deliberate rip off. Age UK exploit pensioners and do not support them.

I trusted Eon and age uk i feel ripped off.

I'm signing because I was on this tariff for a few years, and when I asked a few weeks ago what was the cheapest tariff for me, my monthly payment was reduced by nearly a third.

I am one of EON's customers who ended up taking the AGE UK deal after their sales person informing me it was the best deal as i was over 60.

I have been on the Eon recommended age UK tariff for over two years.
I was offered a lower one two weeks ago prior to the article in the newspaper. It was nine pounds per month lower than age UK one.

My dad was on e.on tariff through Age UK. I thought he was paying a lot per month but wouldn't let me sort it out for him as he had dementia and didn't like change. The thought he was being ripped off by a charity is not on!

I was put on this tariff by them in September and I have just received a horrendous electricity bill

My mother was ripped off with one of these tariffs.

Stair lifts

Good to see Age UK being exposed for the cutthroat sales organisation they really are. Its not only power they sell at inflated rates. I know from personal experience they usually sell stairlifts at 25%-50% above the price other companies would supply the exact same product. They rely on the perception that as a charity they would not attempt to rip off the elderly. They will only offer a competitive price if you're prepared to shop around but most people who think they are buying from a charity would think that would not be necessary.

Its not just energy deals, my parents got a quote for a stairlift through Age UK, it was £2,000 more than going direct.

My mother-in-law is one of those being ripped off in this way. Age UK is a disgrace. Not only power, but they quoted a price to install a stairlift that was nearly double that of a local company - for the identical make of stairlift.

Bathroom adaptation

A friend approached Age UK for recommendations for having a bathroom installed for his severely disabled wife. The firm quoted £13,000 then made a big show of ringing their sales manager and said today we can do it for£7,000. We advised him to get independent quotes and one came up with £4,000 for everything he needed including materials and vat. He was so pleased apparently Age UK would have had a big cut out of the original quote. This couple was so relieved they went somewhere else because they didn't have that sort of money and Age UK should know that the majority of senior citizens are not wealthy. I am disgusted with them and would certainly never use them.

Age UK did a very bad job for my parents installing a shower room. It has so far taken 6months and still not complete and we have been treated with contempt and fed up, especially as I put my parents in a hotel for 3 weeks.

I think Age UK should be under major investigation in a lot of what they do. My mum had a quote off one of their companies for a bathroom replacement - quote of over £6000 for a small bathroom, which she subsequently had done for £2.000. The salesman had taken full advantage of her age and venerability and but for our intervention would have been out of pocket.

I have an elderly neighbor who needed a new bathroom to suit his changing needs. His daughter contacted Age Uk thinking they are the good guys and the man was charged £6000 for a half of the bathroom done with very poor quality materials as we discovered a few months later when they started corroding. Another example why we shouldn't trust charities just because they are charities.

Motability

Another link with similar abuse - Motability UK and Haven British Holidays.

I have had concerns about other products sponsored or endorsed by Age UK. In particular I bought a Quingo mobility scooter because of this association. I thought that the association meant that they had in fact tested the vehicles and the service. It seems likely now that their endorsed products are no better than anything else on the market and the onus is on the buyer to make their own checks.


Help with shopping

When I came out of hospital I had to approach Age UK to do my weekly shop. They charged £22 a time and I had to sign up for 12 weeks.


Insurance

Age UK a while ago offered a check sheet of vital information to leave for whoever has to cope with ones estate. All I got was insurance brochures! The other question is how much "vital work" do they do for the money they receive? And of course the massive salaries they give themselves.

Every year I get a car insurance quote from Age UK. It is always very expensive compared to others. Proves that just because it's a charity doesn't make it good value. Shame, because they are trading on trust so you might not do due diligence and get comparisons.

I have personally had quotes from Age UK for various insurances and they have been much more expensive than the competition. Unfortunately a lot of elderly people are convinced that they must be the best options, when they clearly are not. My own parents used them for years and I could not convince them they were being misled.

Age UK house insurance is far more expensive than most other companies.

My car insurance renewal quote went from £240 per year full com to £700! When I contacted them, I was told it was because all insurance premiums were going up. I eventually contacted a well-known insurance company who never knew me from Adam, and got my full com insurance for £225.

It may not be only the Utilities with Age UK, I went for Travel Ins: for Aus.: as I thought Age UK, as a 70 year old, I would have a better deal. Their quote was as much as the return flight. I went on line and found the same deal for a Third of the price Age UK offered.

I ditched Age UK last year when they raised my motor insurance to a totally unacceptable level - despite no claims ever being made (plus over 50 years clean driving). I get the impression that they're out to make money in any way possible. I took the house insurance off them as well. They won't get my business again.

Need to look at the cost of their insurances as well! A lot more expensive than they should be.

I have asked them for car insurance and rejected them because I found other companies cheaper.  I've given them a wide berth on everything they do - they aren't for senior citizens that's for sure.

I am signing on behalf of my father as he doesn't have a computer and I have found that Age UK is not good for House Insurance as well.  They wanted to double his Annual policy. They appear to do under handed things .

AGE UK wanted over £2,000 to insure my father's (who is a pensioner) car, when cheapest quote, elsewhere, was less than £200.

I applied for Age UK Travel Insurance last year for myself and husband (both in our 70's), having used them several times previously. This time I was quoted over £300 for a 3-week cruise of the Mediterranean (no changes to medical conditions). This was almost £200 more than other quotes! I complained bitterly to Age UK, but they weren't interested.

I have not had an energy quote from Age UK but did receive a house/contents insurance quote from them. This quote was 5 times higher than the insurance I eventually took up. Their mailing implied that they could provide very competitive rates but this was nowhere near the case. When I complained their response was very poor and did not address my concerns.

Hearing Aids

I have also cancelled my direct debit to Age UK. You should check out their recommended hearing aid company!! Wanted to charge my 89-year-old mum £1500! Got very shirty when we said "no thanks"!

Age UK recommended a hearing aid company. The guy visited our home. Complained about our cat. Used an 18 Century sofa table on which to set up his gizmos. And told my 89 year old mum that it would be £1500!! And after a good 90 mins of his "droning" took off in a huff! I did lodge a complaint with Age UK. Had I not been at home, I suspect he would have made her sign on the dotted line!! He "overlooked" the fact that mum is deaf in her right ear having had a stapedectomy years ago!! We have now cancelled our regular DD to Age UK each month. (PS: the cat didn't like him at all and never let him out of her sight!).

Alarms

I am signing as this needs to be looked into. I also have questions regards the sum Age UK charge for installing pipe alarms for the elderly. I was quoted over £200 for my 92-year-old mother. A commercial company Call24 charged around £29. It struck me Age UK was swindling the elderly with that too.

General

Age UK unequivocally do tell porkies. I've had several recommendations from them regarding traders i.e. electricians, plumbers etc., but they have not been checked out thoroughly enough. Also I have phoned Age UK to inform them of some traders’ shenanigans, but they refuse to strike them off. Says it all really.


I am not a fan of AGE UK since I asked them for help with a form - they could not come to me and the person who helped would not talk over the phone. I am partially sighted and housebound with another problem.

Page contents updated 22nd February 2016  17.33 pm

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