Energy UK, the trade body for the energy industry, published a briefing on 14 March 2025 on data sharing to support vulnerable customers1. The briefing argues that suppliers cannot provide tailored support unless they know about individual circumstances, and that government datasets should be used to identify households in need1.
The briefing states that data on vulnerability can come from existing datasets held by institutions such as the Department of Work and Pensions and the National Health Service, or from energy suppliers sharing their own data with other essential services such as the water industry1. It says matching against these datasets would allow the government to roll out targeted support through the energy bill to households who need it most1.
Energy UK also points to the previous government's consultation on a multi-sector shared Priority Services Register, which committed to creating a "Share Once Support Register" merging the current PSR with equivalent telecoms registers1. Energy UK says incorporating data from government sources such as the DWP and NHS should be a priority for the next government1.
"The next Government should look urgently to set up a cross-Whitehall project to develop data access and data matching."
The briefing sets out obstacles as well as proposals. It says data sharing raises challenges including ensuring all parties use the same legal basis to handle vulnerability data, and addressing privacy concerns1. It adds that an industry-wide system for efficient and consistent data sharing across England and Wales needs coordination between sectors, and that transparency and strong data protection measures are needed to build the trust that encourages customers to share their data1.
| Element | Position set out by Energy UK |
|---|---|
| Data sources named | DWP, NHS, energy suppliers' own datasets, water industry1 |
| Proposed mechanism | Cross-Whitehall project on data access and data matching1 |
| Existing commitment referenced | "Share Once Support Register" merging the PSR with telecoms registers1 |
| Stated challenges | Common legal basis, privacy concerns, cross-sector coordination, customer trust1 |
Why it matters for households
The Priority Services Register is the route by which households in vulnerable circumstances are recorded with their supplier and receive extra help, and the briefing treats the completeness of that record as the core problem: suppliers can only act on circumstances they know about1. If government data were matched into a shared register, support delivered through the energy bill could reach households that suppliers have not identified themselves1. The briefing does not set out which benefits, health conditions or other criteria would trigger a match, and no eligibility detail has been reported1. It also does not say how a household would be told its data had been used, beyond the general call for transparency and strong data protection1.
For a household's energy independence, the practical effect described is narrower than it may sound. The briefing concerns targeting of bill support and the administration of vulnerability data, not changes to tariffs, meters or supply arrangements1. The scope of the proposed coordination is stated as England and Wales, and the briefing does not address arrangements elsewhere in the UK1.
What happens next
The briefing calls on the next government to set up the cross-Whitehall project urgently, and to prioritise incorporating DWP and NHS data into a shared register1. No timetable, responsible department or funding for such a project is given in the briefing, and no government response to it has been reported1. The status of the previous government's "Share Once Support Register" commitment under the current government has not been reported1.
Sources1 cited
- Data sharing to support vulnerable customers - Energy UK, energy-uk.org.uk