Households that could struggle during a power cut are being urged to check whether they can join a free support register before the next storm hits. The call comes from free money advice service Money Wellness, following the UK Government's Be Ready campaign, which asks households to prepare for up to three days without essential services such as power and water.
Money Wellness said it made 38,326 referrals to the Priority Services Register in the past 12 months, up from 32,845 the year before. Its advisers often speak to people who would be eligible for the register but have never heard of it, including people with long-term health conditions, disabilities or medical equipment that relies on electricity.
What is the Priority Services Register?
The Priority Services Register is free to join. It is run by energy suppliers and electricity network operators, and it means they know to give you extra help during a power cut or other disruption. Depending on your circumstances, that can include advance warning of planned power cuts, priority updates during an outage and help such as a password scheme so you know a caller is genuine.
Many people assume the register is only for older people. But you could also qualify if you have a disability, a long-term or serious illness, a mental health condition, or children under five, or if you are pregnant or recovering from a hospital stay.
Water companies run their own priority registers too, which can include deliveries of bottled water if your supply is cut off. You can ask your water company about this separately.
Why join before the next storm
Thomas Gibbons, adviser at Money Wellness, said: "We're referring more people to the register than last year, and when people think about preparing for a storm, they usually think about torches, batteries and bottled water. But if you rely on electricity for medical equipment, or you'd struggle to manage without heating or lighting because of your health, a power cut can be far more than an inconvenience.
"Joining the Priority Services Register takes a few minutes, it's free, and it means your energy company knows you might need extra help. The best time to do it is now, before the weather turns, because once the power's gone off, it's too late."
How to join the Priority Services Register
Contact your energy supplier, either through its website, app or customer service line, and ask to be added. Your supplier will share your details with your electricity network operator and you can also contact your network operator directly.
Tell them about any medical equipment, health conditions or other needs, so they know what help you might need. Then contact your water company and ask about its own priority register.
If you have a power cut, call 105 for free from any phone to reach your local electricity network operator. Being on the register won't stop power cuts or guarantee your power comes back on sooner, so it's still important to have your own plan, such as keeping a torch, a charged power bank and any medication within easy reach, Money Wellness said.
