British Gas announces huge recruitment drive at its Leeds call centre off Meadow Lane with 250 new jobs

The energy giant announced plans to grow its team of call centre operators at its base off Meadow Lane as winter approaches.

New staff are expected to be in post by the end of the year, bringing the total number at the Leeds headquarters to more than 900.

The company said it has a £100m support package available and staff will be given additional training on helping customers struggling with energy costs.

Additional training on assisting customers in the UK with financial difficulty will also be rolled out.

It comes as part of a nationwide commitment to increasing its existing customer service teams and hire more than 700 new call centre staff.

Last winter, British Gas experienced an increase in calls which it attributed to the energy crisis. The company said it invested £25m in its customer services operations to meet the demand.