All four of the UK’s gas distribution networks have joined the shared priority services register (PSR) following a change in the way they handle vulnerable customer data.
Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities are all now sharing PSR data with energy retailers and water companies after moving to using the substantial public interest (SPI) clause to share customer data, rather than explicitly asking customers for consent.
It is a major milestone for the utilities sector which has for years talked about the need for better data sharing regarding vulnerable customers, but has been constrained by issues such as consent for the information to be shared.
Mark Belmega, Cadent’s director of sustainability and social purpose, said: “At Cadent, we’ve been leading the drive for more sharing of key data across industries and are encouraged by the progress being made. We are fully supportive of the latest evolution, which will ensure greater representation on the PSR and ensuring we’re aware of additional needs so that our customer vulnerability support programmes can be tailored as appropriate.
“Furthermore, the Safeguarding Customer Working Group that Cadent founded…oversees how continual improvement, such as this, are delivered in a controlled, efficient and effective manner. We’ve also been directly supporting a significant initiative, led by Northumbrian Water, to oversee improved sharing of vulnerability data beyond utilities.”
Speaking on behalf of all gas networks, an Energy Networks Association spokesperson added: “Data sharing helps ensure that those who are vulnerable can be identified immediately, which means they can be offered priority support in an emergency situation such as a loss of gas supply.
“SPI is a positive step forward as it helps the utilities to share information between PSR holders without some of the constraints around consent. We are continually working to make the PSR service as accessible as possible to everyone who needs it and we would encourage them to sign up if they are eligible.”
Steve Crabb, the former director of consumer vulnerability at Centrica and now chair of Energy UK’s Vulnerability Commitment, has been advising the sector on sharing PSR data.
Crabb previously told Utility Week that a truly joined-up PSR for water and energy companies is to finally become a reality in the first quarter of this year as retailers start sharing their data on vulnerable customers.
Switching to the SPI clause will allow energy suppliers, who tend to have the richest data on customers, to share these details with water companies and energy networks. The latter two sectors began sharing their PSR data in March last year after resolving issues over a lack of standardisation in recording the data.
Crabb said: “We understand that the Retail Energy Code change (which is needed to reflect the fact that both industries have shifted/are shifting to using substantial public interest rather than explicit consent as the basis for data sharing) could go live in April.
“Most energy suppliers have now moved to SPI, or will have done so by the end of March. Discussions are ongoing with the small number that are still working on it.
“We certainly hope that water company PSR data will be flowing to energy suppliers from early April. The reverse flow (energy suppliers to water companies) may take a bit longer to start (no decision has been taken either way at this point) as there are a few technical issues to sort out but we are working on it.”
He explained that both energy suppliers and networks use MPAN meter numbers to identify households served, so there are rarely any problems in matching the data when a supplier adds someone to their PSR and sends it to their energy network or vice versa. However, as water companies identify addresses through supply point identifiers, the details sometimes don’t match up perfectly, meaning they need to be checked manually.