Ofgem has announced changes that will come into effect in January 2017 to broaden the eligibility criteria for the register, which enables customers to access free services and helps them manage their energy.
Customers on the register can get advance notice of power cuts, readings if they struggle to read their own meter, and a password system to safely identify representatives who visit their house. Currently these services are only available to disabled, chronically sick, or of pensionable age customers.
From January, suppliers will be obliged to take all reasonable steps to identify vulnerable customers and offer them the free services. This means picking up on signs of vulnerability from their day-to-day interactions with customers.
Ofgem senior partner consumers and competition Rachel Fletcher said: “Energy is an essential service. We want to see more consumers in vulnerable situations protected. That’s why we’re working with suppliers to make changes to Priority Services so many more consumers get the tailored help that they need.”
The changes will mean that customers whose situation is temporary, such as having mental health issues which prevent them from understanding their bill, or injuries which stop them from topping up their prepayment meter can be added to the register.
The regulator says that only a quarter of consumers know that they can get help if they are on the register and currently around 3.6 million electricity and 3 million gas customers are signed up to suppliers’ Priority Services Register.
Ofgem also wants suppliers to provide customers with more flexible services, tailored to their individual needs – for example establishing a picture card system for customers with learning difficulties so that representatives can enter the house. Network operators will now be required to offer Priority Services to people who live with children under five, as well as continuing to provide for the current groups of eligible consumers.
The Priority Services Register has been previously criticised for not transferring the customer’s details at the point of switching – resulting in vulnerable customers no longer being on the register when they changed supplier. Consequently, suppliers and network operators will now be required to share information about customers’ needs with each other.