HOUSE builder Keepmoat has offered to pay the energy bills for buyers in Burnley and Accrington for a whole year.

David Wroe, new build managing director in the north west, said: “As energy bills continue to rise we are getting more and more interest from buyers who are looking to move in to a modern energy-efficient house to save money.

“At Keepmoat we are experts in energy-efficient construction and we want to remove the worry that new house buyers have over energy bills.

“We are so confident about the energy efficiency of our homes that we are happy to pay the energy bills of any new buyer for an entire year.”

The company will pay a maximum of £1,500 for a buyer’s first 12 months and the offer is available on the Acorn Park development in Accrington and its Burnley site Towneley Gardens.

The move comes after research revealed that energy bills have risen eight times higher than average earnings over the past three years.

The 'Big Six' suppliers have increased their gas and electricity prices by an average of 36 per cent since October 2010.

And during that time average earnings have risen by just 4.4 per cent.

And the National Audit Office has warned that households face a further 17 years of energy bill hikes.

Added Mr Wroe: “All new Keepmoat homes are built to be highly insulated and come with energy-efficient boilers and high-performance double glazing to help buyers slash household bills.”

Among those to benefit is first time buyer Dawn Walne, who has seen the cost of her energy bills slashed after moving to Towneley Gardens.

The 44-year-old who bought her new three bedroom home through Help to Buy said: “My energy bills have more than halved because my new house is so warm.

“I used to pay £140 a month for gas and electricity but now I’m paying just £60 a month.”

l For house buyers who do not want to take up the free energy offer Keepmoat has two different deals on offer.

An electrical package with a Sony 42 inch TV, a Sony Blu-Ray surround cinema system, an Apple iPad Air and a Sony PlayStation 4, or its all-inclusive package offers integrated appliances as well as carpets, blinds and light fittings on all homes that are built complete.