Priority Services Register 2026: the four registers most people only join one of, and why that matters when the power goes out

Q: What do I do if there is a power cut and I rely on medical equipment?

Call 105 from any UK phone. It's free on all networks and puts you straight through to your local electricity network operator. Tell the operator you depend on medical equipment and give your address. PSR customers with medical needs are prioritised for restoration and, in some areas, can have a portable generator delivered.

4

Separate registers

Suppliers + network operators

Free

Cost to register

No fee, no means test

All

Suppliers in scheme

Mandatory licence condition

Re-register

On every switch

Coverage does not carry over

Priority Services Register coverage checker

Are you (or your household) on every register that matters?

Tick whatever applies and we tell you whether you qualify, what to do next and which of the four registers you still need to join.

Are any of these true for someone in your household?

Already registered with your electricity supplier's PSR?

Still to register with

Rules verified May 2026, Source: Ofgem PSR guidance and PSR Review (Final Proposals). Best estimate only; your supplier and network operator have the final say.

The belief most readers carry

"I'm on my supplier's PSR, I'm covered." No, you're not

Ask any vulnerable energy customer in the UK whether they're on the Priority Services Register and you'll get one of two answers: "Yes, I rang my supplier" or "I think so". The first answer feels reassuring. It shouldn't. Being on your supplier's PSR is one of four registers you need to be on, and on its own it doesn't cover what most people think it covers.

During a power cut, your supplier doesn't restore your supply. Your electricity network operator does, and that network operator only knows you exist if YOU told THEM. The supplier handles billing, communication and identification, all important. The network operator handles physical restoration of power, generators on the doorstep, advance notice of scheduled outages. Different jobs, different organisations, different lists.

Ofgem's PSR Review in 2024 to 2026 has moved things in the right direction: mandatory data-sharing between suppliers and network operators is now in force. But a single, unified national PSR that you join once and it follows you to every supplier and operator is not live in 2026. Until it is, you still need to register with all four. Here is who they are, why most articles get this wrong, and the three traps that catch eligible households every winter.

Where standard guides fail

Why most PSR articles undersell the problem

Three assumptions almost every guide makes. All three are wrong.

1

"The PSR is one register"

It is not. Every licensed energy supplier runs its own PSR, and so does every network operator, the DNO for electricity and the GDN for gas. That's at least four separate lists for the average dual-fuel household. Each operated by a different company. Each with its own form.

2

"My supplier handles power cuts"

Your supplier sells you electricity. They do not own the wires. The network operator (DNO) owns the cables and substations and is the one that decides who gets priority restoration. If they don't have you on their list, you wait in line with everyone else.

3

"Switching supplier carries it over"

It doesn't. Each supplier maintains its own register; when you switch, your old supplier removes you and your new supplier starts with a blank slate. You must re-register on day one with the new supplier. Network operators are tied to your postcode, not your supplier, so those two stay put.

How the four registers actually fit together

Who runs each register, and why they need separate lists

Suppliers and network operators do entirely different jobs. The two lists exist for different reasons.

A useful way to think about this: the supplier is the company that sends you a bill and tells you how much energy you used. The network operator is the company that physically delivers electricity or gas to your front door. You don't get to choose your network operator, it is determined by your postcode and you cannot switch it. But you do choose your supplier, and the supplier you pick has no role in keeping the lights on during a fault.

That split explains why two registers exist. The supplier's PSR is about communication and billing: large-print bills, a nominated person to receive correspondence on your behalf, password protection against bogus callers, an accessible meter location, quarterly meter readings on request. The network operator's PSR is about physical supply restoration: a priority phone line during outages, advance notice of planned engineering work, in some areas a generator delivered to the doorstep of a customer on dialysis. Different data is needed for each. Different teams run each.

The 105 number. If your power goes out for any reason, call 105 from any UK phone (free, all networks). This puts you straight through to your local electricity network operator, not your supplier. The same number works regardless of which supplier you pay your bill to.

The four parties in one table

The four organisations that each run a separate Priority Services Register
Who	What they do	Why they need your PSR data
Electricity supplier	Sells you electricity, sends bills	Large-print or audio bills, nominated person, password scheme, accessible meter help
Gas supplier	Sells you gas, sends bills (often same company as electricity, sometimes not)	Same as above, plus priority gas reconnection after an outage
Electricity network operator (DNO)	Owns the cables, restores power after faults	Advance notice of planned outages, priority restoration during power cuts, in some areas generator support
Gas network operator (GDN)	Owns the gas pipes, restores supply after faults or leaks	Priority gas reconnection, advance notice of pipe-replacement programmes

Who qualifies for the Priority Services Register

Eligibility is wider than most people assume. There are two routes in: a permanent vulnerability or a temporary one. Both are valid, both are free.

Permanent vulnerability

Ongoing

You qualify if you (or someone in your household):

Have reached State Pension age;
Are pregnant or have children under 5;
Have a disability or long-term medical condition;
Have a mental health condition;
Have a hearing, sight or speech impairment;
Rely on electric medical equipment (dialysis, oxygen, stairlift, nebuliser);
Struggle with reading, speaking or understanding English.

Temporary vulnerability

~12 months

Equally valid, just as free, lasts around 12 months:

Recent bereavement;
Recovery from surgery, accident or serious illness;
Recent job loss or sudden change of income;
Leaving care or supported accommodation;
Domestic abuse or temporary safeguarding need;
Any short-term reason where keeping the lights on is harder than usual.

The thing most articles miss. "Pregnant or have children under 5" is the most common permanent reason, but it is also the one most often misread as an emergency-only category. It is not. You can register the day you find out you are pregnant and stay on until the youngest child turns 5. That's roughly six years of cover for one registration.

What the Priority Services Register actually gives you

Eight services, free, available the day after you register. Some come from the supplier, some from the network operator, which is why you need to be on both.

Priority support during a power cut, network operators contact PSR customers first when faults are reported, and (in some areas) deliver portable generators or alternative heating to households relying on medical equipment;
Advance notice of scheduled outages, planned engineering work is communicated to PSR customers ahead of the general notice, giving you time to charge devices and arrange alternatives;
Identification and password scheme, engineers visiting your home carry photo ID and use a password you set in advance, so you can refuse entry to bogus callers without confrontation;
Nominated person, a family member, carer or friend can receive bills, communications and outage updates on your behalf without you handing over your account;
Meter relocation, prepayment meters in awkward locations (lofts, cellars) can be moved to an accessible height free of charge, or swapped for a smart meter you can top up from your phone;
Quarterly meter readings on request, if you can't read your meter yourself, the supplier will arrange a free visit;
Bills in your preferred format, large print, braille, audio recording, or via a nominated person;
Priority gas reconnection, after a gas outage or leak repair, network operators reconnect PSR customers first.

There is no obligation to use all of them. You can register and only ever benefit from the password scheme. The point is that the rest are there if you need them, and you cannot opt in later in the middle of a crisis. Register now while it's quiet.

What goes wrong on the ground

Three traps that leave eligible households uncovered

All three are common. All three are avoidable in 15 minutes.

1

On the supplier register, invisible to the network operator

The single most common pattern. Household rings the supplier, gets confirmed on the supplier's PSR, hangs up reassured. A storm takes out the local substation six months later. The network operator pulls up its priority list to decide which streets to restore first. The household isn't on it. The 2024 data-sharing rules have improved this, but coverage still has gaps, register directly with the network operator and stop relying on the handshake.

Roughly half of UK PSR registrations sit with a supplier but not with the corresponding network operator.

2

Switched supplier, never re-registered

You qualify, you register, your supplier offers a £200 cheaper deal a year later, you switch, and your PSR doesn't move. New supplier doesn't even know you used to be on one. The network operator records may still be intact (those are tied to your postcode, not your supplier) but supplier-level services like large-print bills, the nominated person and the password scheme reset to nothing. Re-register the same day your new contract starts.

There is currently no automatic transfer of PSR status between suppliers. Ofgem's PSR Review may change this from 2026 onwards, but it is not in force yet.

3

"I thought 'children under 5' meant emergencies only"

A surprisingly common misreading. Parents of small children assume the PSR is reserved for medical emergencies and don't bother registering, and miss out on advance outage notices, password protection against bogus callers, and a meter that doesn't require lifting a baby into a cellar. Children under 5 is a permanent ground for as long as the youngest is under 5. Pregnancy counts from day one of the pregnancy. Register early, stay on the list for years.

Same logic applies to State Pension age, disability and long-term illness, all permanent grounds with no need to re-justify each year.

Insider insight

Ofgem's PSR Review and what actually changed in 2024 to 2026

For years, the obvious fix, one national PSR you join once and it follows you everywhere, has been talked about. Ofgem's Priority Services Register Review, with Final Proposals published in 2024 and progressed through 2025 and 2026, finally moved the needle. Three things to know:

▸Mandatory data-sharing between supplier and network operator is in force since 2024. If your supplier has you on its PSR, it must share the data with the relevant network operator. This closes the biggest historical gap.
▸A single, unified national PSR is not yet live in 2026. The proposal exists, it is in progress, but a one-click "register everywhere" service has not gone live. Until it does, the safe assumption is that you still have to register with each of the four parties separately.
▸Practical implication. The data-sharing rules help, but they don't make the system foolproof. Register directly with each supplier and each network operator. When the unified register arrives, you will already be on every list it pulls from.

If a guide tells you "just call your supplier and that puts you on every register", it is describing the system Ofgem wants, not the one that exists today.

How to register with all four parties

Roughly 15 minutes total. Have your postcode, supplier account number and (if you have one) details of any medical equipment ready.

Step 1

Electricity supplier

Call or email your electricity supplier and ask to register for the Priority Services Register. Tell them the qualifying reason (pension age, illness, pregnancy, etc.) and any specific needs (large-print bills, password scheme, nominated person).

Step 2

Gas supplier

If your gas supplier is different, repeat the same call. If you have a dual-fuel deal with one company, one call covers both, but ask the agent to confirm both fuels are flagged on their system.

Step 3

Electricity network operator (DNO)

Use the postcode lookup at energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator to find your local DNO, then register directly with them, it's the operator who restores power, not the supplier.

Step 4

Gas network operator (GDN)

Use the same Energy Networks Association lookup to find your GDN, usually Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, SGN or Wales & West Utilities. Register for priority gas reconnection and advance notice of pipe replacement programmes.

Registering on behalf of someone else. You can register a relative or neighbour by calling their supplier or network operator with them in the room, the agent will ask them to confirm verbally. This is a common route for older parents and adult children helping out.

What to actually do

What to do now, depending on your situation

Five common cases. Find yours, do the thing.

If you've never registered

Work through the four steps above today. Block out 15 minutes. The hardest part is finding the DNO and GDN, and the postcode lookup at energynetworks.org takes 20 seconds. After that, three short phone calls or online forms and you're done.

If you just switched supplier

Re-register with the new supplier on day one. Your network operator records stay intact (those follow your postcode, not your supplier), so you only need to redo the supplier-level registration. Keep a note in your diary for next time.

If your situation has just changed

Pregnancy, surgery, bereavement, recent job loss, register now for around 12 months of cover. You can extend if the circumstances continue. No proof required for short-term reasons; suppliers and network operators take you at your word.

If you're helping a relative register

Call their supplier and network operators together, with them in the room. The agent will confirm with the person directly. While you're on the line, set up a nominated person (you) to receive bills and communications on their behalf, useful if they struggle with paperwork.

If you depend on electric medical equipment

This is the highest-stakes case. Register with the electricity network operator first, ahead of the supplier. Make sure they have your medical equipment listed. In a power cut, call 105 immediately and tell the operator you depend on medical equipment, that triggers priority restoration and, in some areas, a doorstep generator.

If you're not sure whether you're already on

Call your supplier and ask for the PSR team. If they confirm you're on, ask for written confirmation by email, and then do the same for the gas supplier and both network operators. Don't assume one confirmation means coverage everywhere.

Other UK energy support schemes alongside the PSR

If you qualify for the PSR, you'll typically qualify for several of these too. They are not the same thing and the PSR is free of any means test, but most people who need the PSR are also entitled to financial help.

Other UK energy and fuel-poverty schemes alongside the Priority Services Register
Scheme	What it pays	How to get it
Warm Home Discount	£150 winter rebate on your electricity bill	Automatic in England and Wales if on a qualifying benefit; apply in Scotland Broader Group
Cold Weather Payment	£25 per qualifying 7-day cold snap (Nov,Mar)	Automatic if on Pension Credit, UC or other qualifying benefit
Winter Fuel Payment	£200 or £300 (over 80) for pensioners	Means-tested in England and Wales; reclaimed over £35,000 income
Pension Credit	Tops weekly income to £238 (single) / £363.25 (couple)	Apply via gov.uk/pension-credit; gateway to most other schemes
Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)	Free or part-funded insulation and heating upgrades	Apply via your supplier; runs to 31 Dec 2026

Priority Services Register, frequently asked questions

Yes. Every licensed energy supplier runs its own PSR, and so does every network operator. For a typical UK dual-fuel household that means four lists: electricity supplier, gas supplier, electricity network operator (DNO) and gas network operator (GDN). Mandatory data-sharing between suppliers and network operators is in force since 2024, but a single national register is not yet live in 2026, register with each party directly.

Yes, entirely free. There is no application fee, no means test, no income check and no requirement to be on any specific benefit. The only criterion is whether you (or someone in your household) qualify under one of the listed vulnerability categories, permanent or temporary.

No. Each supplier maintains its own register, and when you switch your old supplier removes you. Your new supplier starts with a blank slate, so you need to re-register on day one of the new contract. Your network operator registrations stay intact because they're tied to your postcode, not your supplier.

For permanent reasons (pension age, disability, long-term illness, children under 5), as long as the qualifying reason applies. For temporary reasons (bereavement, surgery recovery, recent job loss), typically around 12 months, you can extend if the circumstances continue.

No. Suppliers and network operators register you on the basis of what you tell them, they don't ask for medical letters or benefit award letters as a rule. For medical equipment registration, they may ask for the type of equipment so the network operator can prioritise correctly.

Call 105 from any UK phone. It's free on all networks and puts you straight through to your local electricity network operator. Tell the operator you depend on medical equipment and give your address. PSR customers with medical needs are prioritised for restoration and, in some areas, can have a portable generator delivered.

Use the postcode lookup at energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator. It will return your DNO (electricity) and GDN (gas) along with the contact details to register with each.

Yes. Call their supplier or network operator with them in the room, the agent will ask them to confirm verbally that they're happy for you to register on their behalf. This is a common route for adult children helping older parents, or carers helping clients.

Suppliers are prohibited from disconnecting PSR households for non-payment between 1 October and 31 March (the statutory winter period). Outside that window the protection is weaker, but suppliers are still required to take vulnerability into account before any disconnection, in practice, formal disconnection of a PSR household is extremely rare.

Ofgem's PSR Review (Final Proposals published 2024, progressed through 2025 and 2026) has been working toward a single shared PSR dataset visible across every supplier and network operator. As of May 2026 mandatory data-sharing between supplier and network operator is in force, but a fully unified one-click register is not yet live. Register with all four parties for now; you'll be on every list when the unified version arrives.

Bottom line

The PSR is the most undersold energy protection in the UK

The Priority Services Register costs nothing, takes 15 minutes, and quietly improves the experience of being an energy customer in ways most people only notice when something goes wrong. Advance notice of a planned outage instead of an unexpected one. A password instead of a doorstep argument with someone who might be a scammer. A meter that doesn't require lifting a baby into a cellar. Priority restoration when a storm takes out the local substation. Free, every one of them, for as long as the qualifying reason applies.

The catch is that the system asks you to register with four different organisations to get the full benefit. Most people register with one and assume that's enough. The actual fix is 15 minutes of phone calls. Block them out today.

Power cut right now?

Call 105 from any phone, free on every UK network. Goes straight to your local network operator.

Call 105 Find my network operator

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Priority Services Register: the four registers most people only join one of, and why that matters when the power goes out