The Priority Service Register is a free, Ofgem-mandated register held by every licensed energy supplier and every distribution network operator in Great Britain, recording households that need extra support in the event of a power cut, planned outage, or supplier interaction. Registration is voluntary, costs nothing, and unlocks rights set out under Standard Licence Condition 0 and Standard Licence Condition 26.10 of the Gas and Electricity supply licences. The catch is that suppliers do not advertise it heavily, so eligible households often pay the same bills without any of the protections.
Last reviewed: May 2026
TL;DR
- The PSR is free and is held by both your supplier and your regional Distribution Network Operator.
- Eligibility covers pensionable age, disability, long-term illness, hearing or visual impairment, dependence on power-reliant medical equipment, recent bereavement, financial vulnerability, mental health conditions, and English as a second language.
- Ofgem reported around 7 million households on supplier PSRs as of its 2024 Consumer Vulnerability Strategy update.
- Protections include priority restoration in a power cut, advance notice of planned outages, a password scheme for meter readers, and alternative-format billing.
- Registration sits under Standard Licence Condition 0 and Standard Licence Condition 26.10 of the supply licence.
What the Priority Service Register actually is
The Priority Service Register, almost always shortened to PSR, is a database. Every gas and electricity supplier licensed by Ofgem operates one. Every Distribution Network Operator, the regional companies that own the wires and pipes running into homes, operates a separate one. The two registers do not automatically sync. That last point matters. A household registered with Octopus Energy as its supplier is not automatically known to UK Power Networks, the DNO covering London, the East, and the South East. Power cuts are handled by the DNO. Billing issues are handled by the supplier. Registration needs to happen in both directions for full protection, although since 2021 Ofgem has pushed suppliers to share PSR data with DNOs to close that gap.
The register is free.
It is also not means-tested in the conventional sense. Eligibility is set out by Ofgem in the Vulnerability Code of Practice and the supply licence conditions, not by household income alone.
Who qualifies in 2026
Ofgem's published eligibility list is broader than most households assume. A household qualifies for the PSR if at least one occupant falls into any of the following categories:
- Of pensionable age (State Pension age, currently 66 in 2026 for both men and women)
- Has a disability, whether physical, sensory, or learning
- Has a long-term medical condition (this includes chronic illness, not just acute)
- Has a hearing impairment or is deaf
- Has a visual impairment or is blind
- Depends on medical equipment that requires mains electricity (dialysis machines, oxygen concentrators, nebulisers, stair lifts, electric beds, powered wheelchairs on charge)
- Has a mental health condition that affects daily functioning
- Has experienced a recent bereavement
- Is in temporary financial difficulty (loss of job, sudden change in circumstances)
- Does not have English as a first language and would struggle to read a standard bill or warning notice
- Is pregnant or has a child under five in the home
The "temporary" category is the one most often missed. A household that has just lost a wage earner, or is dealing with a sudden care responsibility, can register and stay on the PSR for a defined period without needing to prove permanent vulnerability.
What suppliers must do under SLC 0 and SLC 26.10
Standard Licence Condition 0 is the overarching obligation requiring suppliers to treat customers fairly and have specific regard to those in vulnerable situations. SLC 26.10 spells out the practical mechanics of the PSR itself.
Under those conditions, every licensed supplier must:
- Identify, record, and review PSR-eligible customers
- Offer all PSR services free of charge
- Provide bills, statements, and key communications in alternative formats on request (braille, large print, audio, talking bill, easy-read)
- Operate a free password protection scheme so customers can verify any meter reader, engineer, or doorstep caller
- Refer customers to their DNO for priority power-cut restoration
- Provide quarterly meter readings free of charge where the customer cannot read the meter themselves
- Offer free annual gas safety checks for certain qualifying categories (owner-occupiers receiving certain benefits, with no one in the household able to pay for the check)
- Not disconnect a vulnerable customer for debt during the winter months (1 October to 31 March under the Energy UK Safety Net commitment, which Ofgem has effectively embedded in licence expectations)
- Provide advance written notice of any planned outage affecting the customer
On the ground, compliance is patchy. Citizens Advice published quarterly supplier complaint data for Q4 2025 showing that PSR-related complaints made up a small but persistent share of all energy complaints, with notable variation between the largest suppliers and the smaller challengers.
The DNO side, which is where power cuts get handled
Power cuts in Great Britain are managed by the regional Distribution Network Operator, not by the supplier. There are six DNO groups covering 14 licence areas:
| DNO group | Region covered | Power cut number |
|---|---|---|
| UK Power Networks | London, South East, East of England | 105 |
| Northern Powergrid | North East, Yorkshire | 105 |
| Electricity North West | North West England | 105 |
| National Grid Electricity Distribution (formerly WPD) | Midlands, South West, South Wales | 105 |
| SP Energy Networks | Central and Southern Scotland, Merseyside, North Wales | 105 |
| Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks | Northern Scotland, Southern England | 105 |
The single number 105 routes the caller automatically to the relevant DNO based on the calling number. Registration with the DNO PSR triggers priority restoration during outages, hot meals and welfare contact during extended outages, and in some cases the deployment of a generator to a home with a medical-equipment dependency.
Northern Ireland is different. NIE Networks operates the entire distribution network and runs the Customer Care Register, the local equivalent of the PSR. The protections are similar but the regulator is the Utility Regulator in Belfast, not Ofgem.
The password protection scheme, which almost no one uses
Every supplier offering PSR services must operate a free password scheme. The customer picks a password. Any meter reader, engineer, or supplier representative attending the property is supposed to use that password as identification.
In practice, take-up is low. Ofgem's 2024 Vulnerability Strategy progress report noted that password scheme awareness sat far below registration awareness, and field staff often fail to volunteer the password unprompted. The scheme exists; it requires the household to insist on it.
Free annual gas safety check, the underused right
A free annual gas safety check is available to owner-occupiers who meet specific criteria:
- Receive a means-tested benefit (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, income-based JSA or ESA, Income Support)
- Live alone or with others who are all of pensionable age, disabled, or under five
- No other adult in the household can pay for the check
The supplier arranges and pays for a Gas Safe registered engineer to inspect every gas appliance in the home. This is separate from any landlord obligation under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; private renters whose landlord is responsible cannot claim this through their supplier.
How to register, and the gaps to watch
Registration is done either by phone, by online form, or in writing. Most major suppliers also offer registration during a normal billing call if the customer mentions a qualifying circumstance.
British Gas's PSR sign-up page lists every eligibility category and offers registration without account verification for new customers. Octopus Energy embeds PSR questions in the standard onboarding flow for new customers as of 2024. EDF Energy and E.ON Next both offer dedicated PSR phone lines.
The gap most households fall into is moving home. The PSR record does not automatically follow the customer. A move triggers a fresh registration with the new supplier and, often, a fresh registration with the new DNO if moving across regional boundaries. Ofgem flagged this gap explicitly in its 2024 Consumer Vulnerability Strategy refresh and asked suppliers to improve data-handover at switching, but the friction remains in practice.
What changed in 2025 and what is changing in 2026
Ofgem's December 2024 decision on Strengthening the Consumer Vulnerability Strategy expanded PSR data sharing between suppliers and DNOs, made password schemes opt-out rather than opt-in for newly registered customers, and required suppliers to review PSR records every two years rather than allow indefinite registration.
From April 2026 a new requirement obliges suppliers to proactively flag PSR eligibility during any inbound call where the customer mentions a relevant life event (bereavement, hospitalisation, new diagnosis). The change sits inside the wider Consumer Standards licence reforms that came into force on 31 July 2023 and have been progressively tightened.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Priority Service Register cost anything?
No. The PSR and every service attached to it (alternative-format bills, password scheme, free meter readings, free annual gas safety check for qualifying categories) are free under the supply licence. Any supplier charging for these is in breach of Standard Licence Condition 26.10.
Can someone register on behalf of a relative?
Yes. A friend, relative, carer, or charity can register a household with that household's consent. Most suppliers accept third-party registration by phone or form, and Ofgem's 2024 vulnerability strategy explicitly supports this route.
Does PSR registration affect credit checks or insurance?
No. The PSR is an internal supplier and DNO record. It is not visible to credit reference agencies, does not appear on insurance quotes, and is not shared with third parties beyond the regulated network and emergency-response chain.
What happens to PSR status when switching supplier?
The record does not automatically transfer. Customers should re-register with the new supplier as soon as the switch completes, ideally during the welcome call. Ofgem's December 2024 decision asked suppliers to share PSR data at switch but full automation is not yet in place.
Is the Priority Service Register the same as the Warm Home Discount?
No. The Warm Home Discount is a separate one-off bill credit (currently £150 per qualifying household per winter). PSR registration does not automatically grant Warm Home Discount eligibility, and vice versa, although the eligibility categories overlap heavily.
Does the PSR cover Northern Ireland?
Not directly. Great Britain's PSR is an Ofgem-licence obligation. Northern Ireland's equivalent is the Customer Care Register operated by NIE Networks and the local supply licences, regulated by the Utility Regulator. The protections are similar but the framework is separate.
Sources
- Ofgem: Priority Services Register (2024)
- Ofgem: Consumer Vulnerability Strategy progress report (December 2024)
- Ofgem: Consumer Standards licence decision (July 2023)
- Citizens Advice: Energy policy research and complaint data (2025)
- GOV.UK: Warm Home Discount scheme guidance
- Utility Regulator (Northern Ireland): Customer Care Register