Unions have slammed npower over its plans to outsource thousands of British jobs to India, claiming they are about the energy firm’s “naked greed”.

GMB said npower’s claims that its plans are part of an effort to increase customer experience “has nothing to do with that and everything to do with costs”. The energy giant today announced 1,460 employees would soon lose their jobs.

Colin Smith, GMB Northern Region Senior Organiser said the union would campaign against the offshoring of jobs to India.

He added: “This is about cost of living, bad management and naked greed.

“[The employees] have fear from a company only interested in their fat cat salaries and what they can get out of consumers who are paying ever higher energy prices so corporate bureaucrats can get fatter as their reward for failure.

“It is an absolute scandal that a company like npower can operate as a cartel player in a captive market while jobs are placed offshore, we import energy and the npower CEO cocks a snoop at the regulators and taxpayer by taking his annual bonus.”

Furious union leaders at Unison said the plans would further damage npower’s “tarnished reputation for customer service” and attacked its decision as a “Christmas nightmare for staff and customers”.

Matthew Lay, National Officer for Business and Environment said the energy supplier has “consistently let their customers and staff down”.

He added: “At a time when unemployment is high, what commitment does it show to the UK by shipping these much needed jobs abroad?”

Energy Minister Michael Fallon commiserated with the employees saying: “This is sad news and our thoughts are with all those affected by these job losses. We hope that RWE will act responsibly and put in place supportive arrangements for those who are impacted by the decision.”