Home Heat Helpline launch new drive to urge vulnerable to access free energy register - Priority Service Register can provide 10 ways to help older residents, disabled and those with long term health problems with their heating and electricity needs - The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) and Leonard Cheshire today launched a new drive to get vulnerable people to call the Helpline to find out how they can gain access to vital benefits through the energy industry’s Priority Service Register. The nationwide scheme has been designed to help those of pensionable age, disabled energy users and those of who suffer from long term health problem gain access to a range of benefits and advice that could help them with their energy bills, metering and communicating with their energy supplier. The Helpline today set out a checklist of 10 ways in which a vulnerable customer could benefit from the Priority Service Register by calling the helpline:
Duncan Sedgwick, Chief Executive of the Energy Retail Association said: “Whilst thousands of people have already accessed the energy industry’s Priority Service Register since it was established we want more people who may need assistance with metering, billing or communicating with their supplier to contact the Helpline so that we can arrange for them to be included onto the register as soon as possible. “Even though the weather is getting warmer, acting now will mean that vulnerable households will be prepared when the winter comes around again in a few months time.” Joanne Foster, Policy and Assembly Officer for Leonard Cheshire said: “Leonard Cheshire are supporting the Helpline’s drive to raise awareness of the priority service register and to ensure that as many disabled people know exactly what they are entitled to. Disabled people across the UK are twice as likely to live in poverty as non disabled people and daily face difficult decisions such as whether to pay for energy or food.” To show how the Priority Service Register can help households, Valerie, from Nottingham explains how one call to the Helpline quickly led to her to receiving help, advice and lower bills: “A friend of mine called the Home Heat Helpline on my behalf and put me in touch with one of their advisors. The helpline staff were really friendly and helpful, and after speaking to them my supplier reduced my monthly fuel bill by 10 per cent which will make a real difference. I am also now on the Priority Service Register which means I get my metre read more often and other benefits to help me manage my fuel bills. “I would urge anyone who is concerned about paying their fuel bills to give the helpline a call. It was very useful for me and it may be able to help you too.” To access the Priority Service Register, customers who are of pensionable age, disabled or suffer from long term health problems should call the Helpline on 0800 33 66 99. The Helpline’s team of trained advisors will put them directly in touch with the Priority Service Register team at their gas and electricity supplier. The advice comes from the Home Heat Helpline that was set up to help vulnerable customers who had problems heating their home. The helpline is the only service for all customers who have difficulties with heating their homes or paying for their energy bills no matter who their energy supplier is. Over 50,000 people have called the Home Heat Helpline so far. It is staffed by expert advisors, including former health professionals who are trained to give advice on how to stay warm during cold weather. The Helpline can also take calls from intermediaries calling on behalf of vulnerable people, such as friends, family, carers, social workers or health visitors. Ends Notes to Editors Four Communications 0870 420 3245 HHH@fourcommunications.com Home Heat Helpline Oliver Wright – 020 7747 5436 oliver.wright@energy-retail.org.uk
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