Priority Services Register
Join the Priority Services Register to get extra support from your gas, electricity or water provider.
This page is part of our Safe and warm information hub.
Get extra support from your gas, electricity or water suppliers.
What is the Priority Services Register?
SGN, our partners in the Safe and Warm project have made this helpful video explaining the Priority Services Register.
Who can join the Priority Services Register?
You can join the Priority Services Register if you:
- Have recently been bereaved
- Use medical equipment that needs electricity or water
- Are living with a chronic illness
- Have a disability
- Are state pension age
- Are pregnant or have children under 5
- Are blind or partially sighted
- Are deaf or hard of hearing
- Have lost all or some of your sense of smell
- Have a mental health condition (e.g. anxiety, depression)
- Need documents translated
Why join the Priority Services Register?
Communicating with your supplier
Letters, phone calls and other messages from your energy provider could be important for you to keep your supply working or to save money. You may sometimes have important information to share with them.
Your provider may be able to offer:
- 24 hour contact number - You can get information to help you contact your providers quickly if you have a problem with your supply that could affect your health.
- Letters in accessible formats - They can also offer letters in large print, textphone, audio or a different language.
- Password - You can set up a password, so that you can always be sure you're talking to someone from the energy provider.
- Nominated contact - Tell the energy provider to contact someone else to deal with anything to do with energy or water supply, such as a friend, family member, carer or anyone you trust.
Planning for outages
Power cuts or planned outages could be serious. Especially if you rely on medical equipment that uses electricity or water or changes in temperature could make your symptoms worse.
Sometimes energy suppliers have to cut off supply for a short time to carry out repairs, or have advanced warning of severe weather. If you're on a priority list, they'll let you know before they do this, so you can plan ahead.
You may also be able to get portable generators, alternative heating and cooking appliances or bottled water when your supply is off.
How do I sign up for the Priority Services Register?
To make sure you are on your energy provider’s priority list, you need to contact them directly. Each provider has a different form, so the first step is making sure you know who your provider is. This is not the same as the company you pay your bills to.
England, Scotland and Wales
If you’re in England, Scotland or Wales, you can find out who your provider is on the Priority Services Register website. Enter your postcode and you’ll be redirected to the right page to send them your application.
Northern Ireland
The Priority Services Register doesn’t work in the same way in Northern Ireland, but you can still get extra support:
- For electricity you can join the Medical Customer Care Register.
- For water, you can join the Customer Care Register offered by NI Water.
- For gas, it is likely you can join SSE’s Energy Care Scheme or the Firmus Care Scheme, depending on who your provider is.
Help joining the Priority Services Register
This process can feel complicated if you are not used to doing things online. You may want to find an adviser to help you through it. See Useful contacts for organisations that offer this kind of support.
Oil heating
For people who use oil for their heating, there is the Cold Weather Priority Scheme. Not all oil providers are part of this scheme. You, or someone in your home, must be 75 or older to be part of it. Speak to your oil provider to see if you can be added to their priority list.
More information and advice
