Priority Services Register

You are eligible if you:

• have reached your state pension age
• are disabled or have a long-term medical condition
• are recovering from an injury
• have a hearing or sight condition
• have a mental health condition
• are pregnant or have young children
• have extra communication needs (such as if you don’t speak or read English well)
• need to use medical equipment that requires a power supply
• have poor or no sense of smell
• would struggle to answer the door or get help in an emergency.

You might still be able to register for other reasons if your situation isn’t listed. For example, if you need short-term support after a stay in hospital.

You can still sign up to the Priority Services Register if your bills:

• are in someone else’s name, like your landlord
• are included in your rent, for example through a housing association.

If you have a carer or other support, they may be able to sign you up on your behalf.

The support you receive from registering can range from advance notice of power cuts to help reading your meter. Benefits can vary from company to company, but there are some key standard ones which can be viewed at Ofgem’s website. Suppliers and network operators may also be able to offer other support services, especially during the current cost of living crisis. To find out what services your supplier offers, we recommend contacting them directly.

You (or someone on your behalf) will need to contact the provider directly. The following companies allow you to register online, but if you are with another provider you will need to call them:

• Boost
• Ecotricity
• EDF Energy
• E.ON Next
• Green Energy UK
• Octopus energy
• Ovo
• Scottish Power
• Shell Energy
• Utilita

You only need to register once with each supplier. However, if you change supplier or move address, you should check whether you need to register again by contacting your supplier directly.

If you have different companies for water, electricity and gas, you will need to sign up with each.

Not necessarily, but being on the Priority Services Register means your provider will understand more about your individual needs, and ensure you receive support with them in the event of a power cut. You should also be made aware of planned power cuts in advance and be kept up to date.

Electricity or gas network distributors are responsible for getting electricity or gas to homes and businesses where you live. Each distributor has its own register, so you need to contact them directly. You can do this online, by phone, or by email, depending on the distributor.

You can find this out online by searching for your postcode on the site below:

Who’s my network operator? – Energy Networks Association (ENA)

Yes. You can find out who your water supplier is by using your postcode, and sign up to their register by contacting them directly. You can use the link below to find your supplier:

Find your supplier | Water UK