Priority Services Register: who can join and how

GOV.UK's Be Ready advice puts the Priority Services Register (PSR) among the free, quick steps worth doing now. It lets your electricity, gas and water companies know you need extra support, including when your supply is interrupted. It's available in England, Scotland and Wales; in Northern Ireland the equivalent is called the Customer Care Register.

Who can join

Eligibility is broader than many people think. The PSR website lists reasons including:

• being of pensionable age
• having children aged five or under at home
• having a health condition or limited or reduced mobility
• being medically dependent on electricity, gas or water
• needing extra communication support because of a hearing or visual impairment, or because English isn't your first language
• having a mental health condition, or a condition that affects memory, understanding or decision-making
• temporarily needing extra support after leaving hospital or after a bereavement

Ofgem adds being pregnant, and Ofwat's list for water companies also includes people with a poor sense of taste or smell and people who need extra showering or bathing because of a health condition. These lists are not exhaustive, so if you think you'd benefit, ask.

What help you can get

Support varies by company, but can include:

• Priority support in an emergency. Network operators can provide heating and cooking facilities or accommodation, and direct updates, for example by phone (Energy Networks Association).
• Advance notice of planned power cuts, wherever possible (Ofgem).
• Bottled water during a water supply interruption, delivered by your water company.
• Password and ID schemes, so you know a visitor is genuine.
• A nominated contact, such as a family member or carer, to receive bills and messages.
• Accessible information such as large print or braille, and help with meter readings or moving a prepayment meter you can't reach safely.

One thing it doesn't do: the Energy Networks Association says being on the register won't mean your power is restored more quickly or guarantee a continuous supply. You still need your own 3-day kit.

How to sign up

Electricity and gas

The quickest route is thepsr.co.uk: enter your postcode and you're sent to your local electricity network operator's form. The PSR site says your details can then be shared with participating companies, including your energy supplier, gas network and water company, so you don't need to register with each one. Ofgem notes that your supplier (the company you pay) and your network operator each keep a register, so it's worth also telling your supplier directly, online, in writing or by phone. If you have different suppliers for gas and electricity, contact both, and if you switch supplier, ask the new one to add you.

If you live on a newer estate, you may be connected to an independent network, in which case the PSR site says you need to contact that company to join its register.

Water

Ofwat says you can ask your water company to add you to its PSR, including for short-term support, and that it should confirm in writing when it has. Its welcome message should explain what help you'll get, for example whether you'll receive bottled water if your supply is off for a certain time. Water companies may contact you every two years to check your details, but you can update them at any time.

Northern Ireland

Contact your electricity and gas suppliers and NI Water about their Customer Care Registers.

Help someone else sign up

Carers, friends and family can often register on someone's behalf. GOV.UK encourages people to suggest the register to neighbours who might need extra help, particularly older people and anyone living alone. It takes a few minutes and could make a real difference in a long power or water cut.

Related: what to do in a power cut, how much water to store and staying warm when the heating fails.

Questions people ask