Many older people will be relying on their electric blanket for warmth this winter, unaware that it could be dangerous to simply plug it in again this year.

Electric blankets should be checked by a qualified technician every three years for signs of wear or damage.

Alarmingly, two out of three electric blankets owned by older people have failed safety checks over the seven years that Age Concern and E.ON have run free testing days. Government figures show that fires caused by defective electric blankets have a high rate of injury¹ and most of the casualties are aged over 60.²

In a bid to combat these worrying statistics, Age Concern and E.ON UK have teamed up to offer free electric blanket testing over 35 testing days across England, Scotland and Wales. All worn or potentially dangerous electric blankets owned by older people will be repaired or replaced by E.ON UK free of charge.

Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern England, said:

"Cold weather can be very difficult for older people who sometimes struggle to keep warm. Now is an ideal time to check that an electric blanket is safe to use. We want as many older people as possible to take advantage of our free testing scheme and to follow our safety tips."

Nina Hughes, Community Relations Manager at E.ON, said:

"While fires caused by electric blankets have fallen by half since our project began,³ the startling rate at which older people’s electric blankets fail our safety tests shows the importance of having them checked regularly by an expert. It’s just not worth taking the risk. We urge all older people in to ensure they book an appointment to have their blanket tested by an expert before they plug in and turn on."

Electric blanket testing appointments can be booked by calling 0845 676 00 31 between 8am-8pm, Monday-Friday. Calls will be charged at the local rate.

To help older people sleep in safety, E.ON is funding 35 testing days across from 9 October to 3 November. Since the scheme began in 1999, Age Concern and E.ON have tested or exchanged a total of 26,667 blankets. Of those tested, 16,381 failed the safety checks and were replaced by E.ON free of charge.

The successful project has won three consecutive Business in the Community Big Ticks (2004-6) and the accolade of Community Initiative of the Year at the 2004 Utility Industry Achievement Awards.