How SSEN’s Priority Service could support your family in a power cut

Electricity is a crucial resource for our everyday lives, helping us heat our houses, cook our family meals, sterilise baby bottles, and connect us to the internet for work. For some households, it can be a vital requirement for medical equipment used to care for a loved one.

That’s why unexpected power cuts can prove such a worrying challenge, especially for young families and vulnerable individuals, as the winter weather gains a frosty chill.

But help is available, as your electricity network operator may offer Priority Services to help keep you safe and comfortable when power cuts occur.

The service has been a discussion in recent threads over on our Talk board, with Mumsnetters praising the benefits:

“Are you on the priority services register with your provider? Whenever we have had a powercut they do their utmost to get us reconnected ASAP as DH has cancer and I have 2 under 5's in the house (one is under 1) so if you are not registered it would be worth doing it.” bloodywhitecat

“If you have any vulnerabilities meaning you are eligible for the priority services register make sure these are updated too.” GreebosNanny

Scottish & Southern Electricity Network’s Priority Services Register offers families and individuals advanced warning of any planned power cuts, as well as a welfare team that can help to assist during longer power cuts caused by extreme weather.

So, who is eligible for this service and how can you register?

What is a priority services register?

A priority services register is free to sign up to and if you’re eligible, you can receive support and help during unexpected and planned power cuts.

At Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), signing up to their Priority Services Register offers a wide array of benefits and help to those who need it the most. SSEN is not the company that sends out your electricity bills, but the one who maintains and repairs the electricity networks.

Not only is SSEN’s Priority Services free to subscribe to, but every benefit is free of charge to receive. So you don’t have to worry about additional costs or a hefty bill when the power comes back on.

What are the biggest benefits of SSEN’s Priority Services?

1. Stay updated

SSEN will offer regular power updates 24 hours a day, including when the power needs to be turned off to carry out essential maintenance. In this scenario, you or your nominated contact will receive an advanced warning. You will also benefit from a dedicated 24 hour priority service phone number.

2. Be connected to help

SSEN works with local authorities, emergency services and agencies, such as the British Red Cross, to offer extra care to people on the Priority Services Register.

3. Keep you supplied

If you use medical equipment or aids powered by electricity, SSEN will provide support and assistance during prolonged power interruptions.

4. Personalised advice

When it comes to concerns, one size does not fit all, and at SSEN they will offer advice on how to prepare for a power outage in a way that suits your specific needs. You can discuss this with Braille, textphone, Easy Read, audio CD, or a language other than English.

5. Provisions for the community

Access to local welfare vehicles can help SSEN provide meals, drinks, warmth, and charging points to vulnerable members of the community.

A woman attempting to charge her phone using a power bank during a power cut surrounded by candles

Signing up to a priority services register means you get additional support when needed most

Who is eligible for the priority services register?

The service aims to support vulnerable members of the community, including young families or people living with chronic illness. You are encouraged to register if you are:

Deaf or hard of hearing
Have a disability
Live with children under five years old
Are blind or partially sighted
Have a chronic illness
Use medical equipment/aids reliant on electricity
Are over 60 years old
Temporarily need extra support

It’s important to note that SSEN doesn’t require proof of eligibility.

How can you register for SSEN’s Priority Services Register?

Registering is simple and you can apply multiple ways.

Join by calling SSEN on 0800 294 3259 or click here and fill out the easy online form. This information booklet provides more details, as well as a form to fill out and send back via Freepost.

If you use a textphone, you can register by calling 0800 316 5457.

If your situation changes and you no longer wish to receive the benefits of SSEN's Priority Services, you can email the team on [email protected].

How can Priority Services assist during bad weather?

Weather can have an impact on power services, as high winds, extremely low temperatures and snow can cause damage to the overhead network. Luckily, SSEN is on hand 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

If a power cut has been caused by extreme weather and the fault is complex, it may take longer than they'd like to repair. If the power will be off for an extended time, the SSEN team may offer additional support, such as:

Welfare units and reimbursement of costs

SSEN has a dedicated team who are trained to support customers during power cuts. When there is a high volume of vulnerable people impacted or the power cut is prolonged, SSEN can dispatch welfare units to a community. These may be specialist vehicles transporting hot water or community teams that can knock door to door to check on households.

Hot food provisions may be available via a food truck, which will be parked in a central location. If a welfare unit isn't a viable option, due to an inaccessible location or an overwhelming amount of faults, SSEN may be able to offer reimbursement of costs for food and drink.

A picture of a street in London through a window that's covered in rain

Support is available to families during extreme weather and prolonged power cuts

Alternative accommodation

Staying home during a prolonged power cut can be challenging for some people, and they may need alternative accommodation to suit their needs. In very extreme circumstances, such as an outage that lasts several days, SSEN may advise a household to seek alternative accommodation. If this happens, they will advise on how you can reclaim these costs.

Compensation

Ofgem sets clear guidelines for compensation if customers do not receive the service of network supply they expect. In normal weather, this means that the failure of an electricity supply must be repaired within 12 hours.

However, in extreme weather conditions, customers may be eligible for compensation under Guaranteed Standards if they have been without power for a prolonged period. You will not need to request this compensation, as it should be automatically issued.

Helpful tips during a power cut

If you suffer an unexpected power cut, try to remain calm and follow SSEN's simple steps.

1. Check

You need to make sure it's an issue with the network, and not just a problem with your household. Knock on your neighbours' doors and see whether they have suffered an outage too. You can also check your fuse box to see if any of the switches are turned off. If your meter has a display, this also means power is coming into your property.

2. Reset

Try a complete reset of your fuse box by turning off the main switches first, and then all of the smaller ones. Then turn the smaller switches on first, followed by the larger switches.

3. Report

If you have reset your internal switches, checked in with your neighbours and still have no power, you can report it to the SSEN Power Track site. You can also call them on 105 to speak to a representative.

About SSEN

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is responsible for providing power to over 3.9 million homes and businesses across central southern England, as well as the north of Scotland. They were first formed in 1998 following a merger between Scottish Hydroelectric and Southern Electric.

Learn more about SSEN here

About the author

Kat Romero is a writer and journalist with over a decade’s experience in the industry. Hailing from London, she has become experienced in scouring the market to find the latest and best products and services that are designed to make parents’ lives easier.

Away from her desk, Kat can be found consuming far too much coffee and spending her weekends with her toddler and partner - soaking up the sights of London and sampling anything new and exciting that has opened up within walking distance.