INFO: Priority Service Registers

Do you care for a vulnerable person?

Consumer Focus states that energy suppliers are obliged to offer a range of free services (e.g. it can be arranged for your quarterly bill to be read free of charge if you are visually impaired or you could receive it in large print/Braille/CD), known as the priority services register, to their most vulnerable customers. These services are free to join and are available from all mains gas and electricity suppliers.

The scheme is available to all household gas and electricity consumers who are any of the following:

• of pensionable age
• have a disability
• have a hearing and/or visual impairment
• have long-term ill-health

It’s important to know that there are some free services that you can only get if you are receiving a means-tested or income-tested benefit.


To join an energy supplier’s priority services register an individual has to contact their supplier to request that they are added (a relative/carer can do this on behalf of someone else).


Consumer Focus have also produced a template letter which people can use to fill in and post/email to their energy supplier to register which you can download.