By Claire Ellicott PUBLISHED: 18:33 EST, 10 December 2013 | UPDATED: 04:51 EST, 11 December 2013 Thousands of pensioners will pay more for fuel this winter after energy giant E.ON scrapped a cheaper tariff for the elderly. The company blamed a Government plan to simplify tariffs for the closure of its Age UK deal which offered a cheaper fuel price to those over 60. It has written to customers to tell them that they have been ‘renewed’ on to its standard fixed rate variable tariff - which costs around £78 more per year. Pensioners hit: Energy giant E.ON has scrapped its Age UK deal which offered a cheaper price fuel to over 60s
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Company scraps Age UK deal which offered a cheaper prices to over 60s
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Customers switched to more expensive standard fixed rate variable tariff
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E.ON already axed its StayWarm deal for elderly customers two months ago
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Tens of thousands of customers facing bill increases of as much as £180
Age @placeholder take a commission of around 1.5per cent from the tariffs through their enterprise arm which raises money for the charity.