The company had confirmed last week that it would cut nearly 1,460 back-office jobs in the UK, or 15 per cent of its UK-based staff, and move them to India.

It is outsourcing a further 540 British call centre jobs to Capita.

Massara told ITV’s Daybreak programme that he “feels very sorry for those people” who are losing their jobs.

Workers’ union GMB has opposed the off-shoring plans. “GMB will vigorously campaign against the off-shoring of jobs to India because it has absolutely nothing to do with customer service and everything to do with cost,” said GMB northern region senior organiser Colin Smith.

Npower have also been forced to write to 3.4 million customers to apologise after a sharp rise in complaints in the last year.

UK energy regulator Ofgem said it had been concerned about a “serious deterioration” in customer service levels.

British energy companies in general have been under the spotlight over sharply rising bills.

The UK government has announced reforms to green levies in a bid to reduce bills and all major providers, referred to as the “big six”, have pledged to pass on the 50 pounds of savings to customers.

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