Disabled man's two-year gas bill row

A DISABLED veteran who hasn't paid his gas bill for two years has forced a power giant to back down in a row over paperwork. British Gas decided not to go ahead with applying for a warrant to cut off 48-year-old David Hughes's supply after he failed to pay in protest when the company's letters did not comply with disabled laws.

Now, partially-sighted Mr Hughes wants answers as to whether he will now receive correspondence in the correct lettering and paper colour required for him to read them. The former member of the Royal Artillery, who lives in Annesley Avenue, Layton, said: "I will now be asking questions of MPs and members of the House of Lords as to how so many major companies are getting away with breaking the law by not coming into line with what is required of them under the Disability Discrimination Act. I don't know what will happen in the future. I turned up at court and wanted to file a counter claim against them as they have never sent me a letter in the format I require, which is against the rules of the Disability Act. "For each letter they have sent me I could claim compensation of up to £3,000 - the letters I have received would mean if the case against them was successful they could owe me £700,000. I haven't got a clue what is going to happen now with my bill. British Gas haven't told me anything about what will happen in the future."

A lifelong disability campaigner, Mr Hughes was himself declared officially disabled in 2001 after being nearly blinded in a street attack. He had previously served with the Royal Artillery in Germany and comes from a long line of servicemen and women.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is currently running a campaign named 20/20 which aims for the visually impaired to receive all communications in readable formats by 2020.

Bill Alker from the RNIB said: "We receive more complaints about this than any other part of the Disability Discrimination Act. He may have protection under the act to receive information in a format they can read and is welcome to call the RNIB and ask for advice from our dedicated officer."

A British Gas spokeswoman said: "We apologise to Mr Hughes for the inconvenience caused. We have already reduced the customer's bills twice as a gesture of goodwill. Mr Hughes has also been added to our Extra Care Register and is now receiving his bills in the correct format. However, the outstanding, reduced balances for both his gas and electric usage dating back to 2006 are still due for payment."