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Priority Services Register - Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the PSR?

    The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service offered throughout the energy industry available to domestic customers across England, Wales and Scotland. Through the PSR, eligible customers can receive additional services in relation to their communication, access and safety needs.

    With customer consent, energy suppliers and network operators will keep and share PSR information securely across the energy industry.

  • What is the benefit?

    There are many benefits to being registered on the PSR some of which are:

    • Keeping you safe; staff wear photograph identification badges and you can also agree a password with us to give you extra peace of mind.
    • Nominating someone to deal with your bills or help in a power cut, on your behalf.
    • Offering you information in other formats like large print, audio CD, braille or provide an interpreting service if you or others in your household are unable to communicate in English when contacting us.
    • Receiving an annual Free Gas safety Check where eligible (*) to check your gas supply and appliances are safe to use.
    • Advance notice of planned power cuts by your electricity network operator so you can prepare or let them know in advance that you may need help on the day.
    • Provision of alternative heating and cooking services by your gas network operator in the event of a gas outage.
    • Priority support in the event of a power cut. Network operators aim to provide welfare in the form of meals, drinks, warmth and charging points as well as receiving priority updates.

    In the event of a major power/gas outage both electricity and gas networks work closely with third party agencies to help provide extra support including your Local Authority, emergency services and British Red Cross to name a few.

    * To be eligible, you need to be on means-tested benefits and live in a house where at least one occupant is:

    • Under five years old; or
    • is of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick and either lives alone; or
    • lives with others who are all of pensionable age, disabled, chronically sick or under 18
  • How can I register upon the PSR?

    All you need to do is contact your supplier(s) or network operator directly by phone or you can visit your network provider’s webpage and complete an on-line registration form.

    You only need to register once as you will be asked for your consent to allow the energy industry to keep and share this PSR information across all companies who are involved in delivering energy to your home.

    Should you wish to establish who your Distribution Network Operator is please visit the ENA website. You may also find that many industry partners and charities can assist you to register; whether this is through gas network distributors or Citizen’s Advice.

    Once registered we do ask you to keep us up-to-date with any changes in your circumstances but network operators may also contact you every now and again, to ensure that we have accurate information allowing us to tailor our services appropriately.

    You can at any time ask to be removed from the register and if you are not certain if you are already registered then contact either your network operator or supplier(s) who will be able to confirm and help you update any records should they need to.

    You can also register someone on their behalf – for instance if you are registering a loved one, usually a simple phone call; handing the phone over to them to confirm verbally that they consent to their PSR information being kept and shared in this way, will mean that you can get them registered quickly. Alternatively completing an online form together allows for simple registration.

  • Do I need to apply every year?

    No, once registered you do not need to apply on an annual basis. We do suggest however that If you change supplier or move house you should inform your new supplier that you would like to re- register upon their system.

  • What is the cost of registering on the PSR?

    The PSR is a free service; there is no cost to the customer to register.

  • Who will have access to my PSR data?

    With your consent, your PSR data will be kept and shared between those companies who are responsible for delivering and supplying electricity and gas to your property/home. This includes the networks who transport the energy, suppliers who you pay your bills to and meter operators who are responsible for connecting you to the networks. Where we need to share your details to deliver a service you’ve asked us for such as a regular meter reading, a password or an annual gas safety check we will pass the details on as necessary to metering agents and gas safety inspectors so that they can carry out the request.

    Your details will never be used for marketing purposes meaning that you will not receive unsolicited phone calls as a result of registering and your PSR data will not be shared for purposes beyond that of the services offered through the PSR.

    There may be times where we would share your PSR data with trusted partners/parties (*) but this would only be in the instance of an electricity or gas outage or if we are working to assist in a severe weather incident. Any sharing of data will be done so in accordance to UK privacy laws and the data protection act.

    * Partners/parties include trusted charities such as the British Red Cross, who may assist during incident situations to support companies in safeguarding you and other household members.

     

  • What are the eligibility criteria to register onto the PSR?

    The PSR is designed to allow the energy industry to tailor provide support when it comes to safety, access and communication needs.

    This means that should you or someone in your household need some extra or specialised assistance during daily interactions or in the unlikely event that your power/gas is interrupted then you should consider whether you might benefit from registering.

    This could include services such as bills being printed in a larger font, through to registering an alternative contact.

    Maybe you have young/elderly dependants or some-one in your home is recovering after being discharged from hospital or you may be using medical equipment that is dependent upon electricity.

    If you have any queries or would rather speak to someone first to check whether you/your household would qualify, both your network operator and supplier(s) have teams who will be very happy to answer any queries – you can either call the main company number (as displayed upon your bill/correspondence) or alternatively details of a direct line number may be available upon their websites.

  • Can I nominate someone for you to speak to/contact?

    Yes you can nominate someone to deal with your account or any raise any questions regarding your electricity and gas supply on your behalf. Just let us know that this is a requirement and we can set this up. For instance if you are registering a friend, relative or someone you provide care for, usually a simple phone call; handing the phone over to them to confirm verbally that they consent to their PSR information being kept and shared in this way, will mean that you can get them registered quickly. Alternatively completing an online form together allows for a simple registration.

  • I’m already registered with my electricity supplier

    If you are a dual fuel customer – meaning that you have one company providing both your electricity and gas, then you only need to register once. This is the same if you do not have a gas supply. If you have two separate suppliers for your electricity and gas, it is recommended that you register with both suppliers.

  • What happens in a power cut/gas outage?

    In the unlikely event that your electricity or gas supply is interrupted, being registered upon the PSR allows the relevant companies to know that you are potentially in need of additional services.

    These can vary based upon the scale and length of outage. Customers that we know of who have electrically dependant medical equipment and/or life threatening illnesses are likely to be prioritised in order of contact and the provision of services. However whatever the reason for your registration, knowing how we can adapt our actions and communications appropriately helps us safeguard you too.

    Provision of alternative heating and cooking facilities in a gas outage and priority contact during a power cut are just two potential benefits. If you have an alternative contact registered they can also receive updates on your behalf and a security password allows you to feel safe at all times in your home.

  • What should I do if my situation changes?

    You can ask to be removed from the register any time and if you are not certain if you are already registered then just get in touch with your supplier or network operator and we can confirm or update your details and check that your receiving all the services you need from us.

  • What happens if I move or change supplier?

    If you change supplier or move house you should inform your new supplier/supplier that you would like to register upon their system. It is a good idea to use this opportunity to consider again whether there are any other needs that you may now have due to your situation changing.