Wales & West Utilities has sponsored a study that explores the experience of the most vulnerable in rural areas.

The gas emergency and pipeline service for Wales and southwest England, alongside other utilities and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), commissioned the study which was undertaken by the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) and Rural England CIC.

The aim of the research was to better understand the lived experience of a range of customers in vulnerable situations who live in rural areas of England, to assess the importance of rurality as a factor compounding vulnerability, and to consider in the light of these factors, whether more or better-designed PSR Priority Service Register (PSR) support could be provided.

In the report, Rural England CIC stated that:

The utilities sector has a duty to support its customers in potentially vulnerable situations, especially where they are temporarily left without electricity, gas or water due to a fault at the home or in the supply network.

Customers who meet the eligibility criteria can sign up to their utility supplier’s or network operator’s PSR, giving them access to extra help and support. Eligibility criteria for the PSR include older age, disability, long term medical conditions and hearing or visual impairment. Currently each utility company maintains its own PSR, although efforts have been made to share information so that PSR lists are complete and coherent, and customers do not need to sign up multiple times with different providers.”

Nigel Winnan, Customer & Social Obligations Strategy Manager at Wales & West Utilities, spoke at the launch of the report and said:

“At Wales & West Utilities, we have a long track record of supporting communities right across our network, but this report identifies what is different and important for those living in rural communities.

“The Priority Services Register (PSR) and the support measures utilities provide to customers are central to the study, which demonstrates their benefits, but emphasises the need to remind customers about the support we can offer. We would urge anyone over 60, who lives with a child under five, or with a chronic health condition to sign up to the PSR. It provides free additional services if there is a power cut or in the unlikely event of an interruption to your gas supply. You can find out more at wwutilities.co.uk/priority.

“As a company that serves an area with a large rural population, we are pleased to have sponsored this important report and will now work with other utilities to improve the experience for the most v and seek to bring about positive change, based on its findings.”

Joining the PSR is free and enables energy companies to provide extra support when needed. All energy companies have a PSR, which you can find on their websites, and if you allow them to share your data you only need to sign up once. To join the PSR, visit Priority Services Register at www.utilities.co.uk.

Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service, brings energy to 7.5 million people across the southwest of England and Wales.