A Simple Guide for Householders
Priority Services Register
0800 954 1956
www.cep.org.uk
Priority Services Register
All utility companies, including gas and electricity suppliers, are obliged to offer a range of FREE services and additional benefits to support their most vulnerable customers. The free services listed in this guide are available to all mains gas, electricity, and water customers who meet the eligibility criteria. You can ask to be added to the Priority Services Register if you: are of state pension age have a disability or a long term medical condition are recovering from an injury have a hearing or sight condition have poor or no sense of smell have a mental health condition are pregnant or have young children have extra communication needs need to use medical equipment that needs a power supply would struggle to answer the door or get help in an emergency
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By joining the Priority Services Register, the following free services may be provided: Priority support You can receive priority support in an emergency and when calling your network operator. For example, you may be provided with a dedicated number to call during a power cut. Advanced notice of power cuts Wherever possible, you can receive advanced notice of scheduled power cuts and any planned disruption. Alternative bill formats Your bill can be made available to you in a more convenient format, such as large print, braille or Talking Bills. Alternative bill recipient If you would find it helpful, you can nominate someone else to receive communications and bills from your energy supplier. The responsibility for paying the bill will still be yours, but your nominee can help you manage your account.
Priority Services Register
Free gas safety check every 12 months You can arrange to have a free safety inspection of all gas appliances and pipework.
Meter reading If you have difficulty reading your meter, your supplier can arrange to read your meter more regularly and supply more accurate bills. If you have an older style dial meter, you can contact your supplier to see if they will change this for a digital meter which will be easier to read. Moving and changing meters If your meter is difficult for you to access or reach, your supplier can look into moving it to a more convenient location. This move should be free of charge. Password scheme You can arrange with your energy supplier to have a secure password, so you can feel confident that any call or visit from your supplier is genuine.
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Be prepared in the event of a power cut Keep a wind-up or battery-operated or solarpowered torch ready. Don’t use candles or a paraffin heater. Your home phone may not work in a power cut. Use your mobile phone or an old analogue phone. You may wish to keep a battery/solar charger to hand, so you can recharge your mobile phone or tablet. Consider using a surge protector plug or an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for any sensitive electrical equipment, e.g. computers or medical equipment. Make sure any medical equipment has a battery back-up, in the event of a long power cut. If you have a mains-operated stair lift, see if there’s a manual release handle to return the stair lift safely to ground level, if needed. Some stair lifts have battery back-up. If yours has no battery back-up, contact your supplier /manufacturer to see if it’s possible to get one fitted.
Priority Services Register
Top tips if you have no power: Look outside and see if your neighbours‘ lights are on. Are the street lights on? If you are able, check your trip switch is in the ON position. If your trip switch is in the OFF position, switch off all your appliances and try to reset your trip switch. If you have a key meter and the display is lit up, contact your energy supplier. Power cut top tips Leave a light switched on, so when the power returns, you’ll know straight away. Save battery power on your phone, tablet or laptop by limiting its use. Keep your freezer door shut - contents can stay frozen for up to 12 hours. When the power returns, check to see if any of your freezer contents have defrosted and if so, do not refreeze. Turn off and unplug any appliances that might get hot, as when the power returns, you may have forgotten they were left switched on. Turn off and unplug sensitive equipment, e.g. TV, computer or solar panels.
Need more advice or help - call us on 0800 954 1956
Who provides Priority Services Registers? Priority Services Registers are offered by network operators and energy suppliers and each keep their own register. Joining should be fairly straightforward, so if you qualify, make sure you are registered with each utility separately. A relative, carer or advocate can also do this for you, or you can contact Community Energy Plus for further assistance. Network operators Electricity - National Grid www.nationalgrid.co.uk/customers-and-community /priority-services or call 0800 096 3080 Water - South West Water www.southwestwater.co.uk/household /help-support/practical-help or call 0344 346 1010 Mains Gas - Wales & West Utilities www.wwutilities.co.uk/services/priority-customers /priority-services-register or call 02920 278558 Energy suppliers For both Gas & Electricity - contact your energy supplier search online using your supplier's name and 'Priority Services'
Priority Services Register
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Cornwall's energy advice charity Our services to help householders in Cornwall enjoy warmer, energy efficient homes include: Insulation and heating solutions Energy efficiency advice and surveys Planning for renewables services Help to understand and reduce energy bills In certain circumstances, we can access funding for services - call us to discuss your needs. Visit our website for our full range of advice guides*.
Freephone 0800 954 1956 advice@cep.org.uk www.cep.org.uk
Community Energy Plus 35 River Street, Truro, TR1 2SJ Registered charity: 1068990 October 2023
Community Energy Plus
*The information in this guide is correct at the date of publishing, however some details and funding opportunities are subject to change. Visit our website for the latest guidance.