“I now pay a fixed amount for my water which helps me budget better and means I can afford more heating this winter.”
Last month, 141 carers and the people they care for joined up to Southern Water’s Priority Service Register following a joint campaign with Carers First, promoting the benefits of joining the register to carers in Medway.
The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free and voluntary system that your supplier uses to ensure the correct support is given to its most vulnerable customers.
Joining the Priority Register let’s your utility company such as Southern Water, know you are in a situation where you might need extra support so they can best support you. Whether that is help with their free schemes and tariffs, becoming a nominee on the account of the person you care for or helping them to prioritise you in the event of any interruption to the water supply.
The Priority Services Register is a system designed and overseen by Ofgem to better ensure that individuals with special requirements have access to additional support from their energy supplier as and when they require it.
This support varies by supplier and by an individual’s circumstances, but can include:
- Large-format or Braille bills
- Advanced notice of service interruption
- Priority in a power cut
- Quarterly meter readings
If you think the Priority Services Register can help you, joining is free and only takes a few minutes. You can sign up online or by calling Southern Water for free on 0800 027 0800.
Jackie, who, until recently was a full-time carer for her mum; was supported to get on to one of Southern Water’s tariffs to help her manage her bills better, shared; “Southern Water were helpful and easy to talk to.
“I now pay a fixed amount for my water which helps me budget better and means I can afford more heating this winter.”
Meaning that Jackie now has peace of mind that she can turn her heating up this winter since joining the register.
Joe Palmer, a colleague from Southern Water, who has been working closely with Carers Fist to support more vulnerable people to join the register says:
“I feel lucky to do my job where I get to help our customers who need a little extra help. One of my favourite things is getting out to meet our customers. I’m hoping to come along to some Carers First community events in the spring and might see you there. In the meantime, do get in touch if I can help.”
If you're caring for someone, and are a Southern Water customer, contact them today to see how they can support you.
Online Help and Advice
Visit our online support section where we have provided advice and guidance on a range of relevant topics to help you in your caring role.