All Electricity Suppliers are obligated to maintain a Priority Services Register in order to provide an additional level of assistance to their vulnerable customers.

You should be able to receive priority services if you:

• Are of pensionable age
• Are disabled or chronically sick
• Have a long-term medical condition
• Have a hearing or visual impairment or additional communication needs
• Live with a child aged under 5
• Are in a ‘vulnerable situation’, e.g.:
• Customers with certain mental health conditions which impact on them understanding their bill
• Customers who cannot top up their pre-payment meter due to injury
• Temporary circumstances where a customer needs extra support for a limited amount of time.

Each supplier will decide what services to provide to their vulnerable customers, but examples include:

• Advance notice of planned power cuts. If you are medically reliant on your supply you can arrange for the company that runs your local network (the network operator) to give you advance notice of planned power cuts (for example, where they plan to carry out engineering work).
• Priority support in an emergency. This could involve your local network operator providing alternative heating and cooking facilities in the event of supply interruption.
• Identification scheme. This is to reassure you that callers, for example meter readers, are genuine. Suppliers have to provide additional support to help you identify someone acting on behalf of their company, such as arranging a password or showing an agreed picture card upon visit.
• Password protection. Network operators must offer to agree a password with you (or your representative) that can be used by any representative of the company to enable you to identify them.
• Nominee scheme. Customers can ask their supplier to send communications (such as account statements or bills) to someone you have nominated (for example a family member or carer) who has agreed to receive them.
• Arrangements to ensure that it’s safe and practical for you to use your prepayment meter. For example moving a prepayment meter if you are unable to access it safely to top it up.
• Meter reading services at appropriate intervals. If no person occupying the premises is able to read the meter and there isn’t anyone else that the customer can nominate to read the meter on your behalf, your supplier may be able to read it for you.
• Accessible information. Account and bill information in an accessible format, for example in larger print or braille.

How to apply for Priority Services

You can simply contact your electricity supplier, using the contact details on your bill. If you are unsure who your electricity supplier is, you can ask your District Network Operator. This is the company that maintains all the electrical cables beneath our properties.

For Merseyside and Western Cheshire, the District Network Operator is SP Energy Networks www.spenergynetworks.co.uk 0330 10 10 167

For the most Easterly points of Cheshire, the District Network Operator is Electricity North West www.enwl.co.uk 0800 195 4141

District Network Operators also maintain a Priority Services Register. It is often easier to register with them, as they also give you the option to let them share your details with your electricity supplier, so you only need to apply once to be on both Priority Services Registers.