A SOCIAL enterprise company has agreed a £3m deal to help ensure the poorest people in Britain are receiving the correct benefit payments.

British Gas has chosen Newcastle's Eaga Partnership as preferred bidder, subject to contract, to act as managing agent for its Quality of Life programme.

The three-year scheme will concentrate on vulnerable customers, such as the elderly. It will offer them a free benefit entitlements check to make sure they are claiming the help they are due.

British Gas will also provide free energy efficiency products and access to advice from national charities.

A British Gas spokesman said: "After a thorough tender process, it soon became evident that Eaga offered the best fit to our fuel poverty programmes.

"Eaga's offering centred on the provision of a quality benefit entitlement check, combined with their strong track record of working with vulnerable customers."

The House of Commons Trade and Industry select committee recently recommended that all utility companies operate a benefit entitlement service to help vulnerable customers who fell behind with their energy bills.

Government research estimated that more than £2bn in benefit payments went unclaimed each year.

Eaga's Gateshead call centre, which employs 90 staff, will contact more than 60,000 British Gas customers a year.

About half are expected to be put through to its benefit entitlement check centre in Newcastle, which employs 22 people.

They already carry out benefits checks for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as part of winter fuel payment schemes.

Recent results have shown that half of all households who undergo a check qualify for up to £27 a week in extra benefits.

Eaga is in talks with several other energy suppliers about similar contracts.