Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) announced on 10 February 2026 that it has partnered with Policy in Practice to embed Priority Services Register eligibility into the Policy in Practice "Better Off" calculator. Under the arrangement, front-line advisers using the calculator will be automatically prompted when a household's circumstances match PSR criteria, allowing registration to be offered in the same conversation as a benefit check1.
SSEN said the partnership covers "vulnerable households across central southern England and the north of Scotland"1. The company already supports over 1.2 million people through the PSR, and said it knows many more are eligible but have not signed up1. The announcement cites £24 billion of support left unclaimed each year across the UK1. It also states that Ofgem has encouraged Distribution Network Operators to use data to help identify these households1.
Eliane Algaard, SSEN's Services Director, said:
"No one should be left in the dark because they didn't realise additional help was available to them during power cuts. While we already support over 1.2 million people through PSR, we know many more are eligible but, for various reasons, haven't signed up yet."
Deven Ghelani, Director of Policy in Practice, said the partnership "turns our much-loved Better Off Calculator into a powerful tool for safety"1.
SSEN lists the following as qualifying for its PSR1:
| Eligibility criteria |
|---|
| Are deaf or hard of hearing |
| Have a disability |
| Live with children under five |
| Are blind or partially-sighted |
| Have a chronic illness |
| Use medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity |
| Are over 60 |
Registration brings regular updates, safety advice, a dedicated 24-hour helpline and communication in a format that meets the household's needs, which SSEN says can include large print, Braille, alternative languages or British Sign Language1. SSEN's freephone number for the register is 0800 294 32591. The eligibility criteria and the joining process are set out separately; households in Northern Ireland fall under a different scheme, the Customer Care Register.
Why it matters for households
The PSR is the mechanism by which a household is flagged to its network operator before a power cut, rather than after one. Being on it means advance warning of planned interruptions, priority during restoration and, where needed, alternative arrangements such as heating or access to a helpline. For a home that depends on mains-powered medical equipment, refrigeration for medication or communication in an accessible format, that flag is the practical link between a supply failure and a safe response.
The significance of this announcement is where the prompt now appears. Benefit checks are a routine contact point for households on low incomes, and the calculator is used by advisers across a range of services. Embedding the eligibility test there means the question is asked by someone already reviewing a household's circumstances, rather than relying on the household to identify itself as vulnerable and approach SSEN. SSEN's own framing is that this closes an awareness gap rather than adding a new benefit1.
For a household's energy independence, the register does not change supply arrangements or reduce reliance on the grid. It changes what happens when that reliance fails. The register is free and does not affect billing or tariffs1.
What happens next
No timetable, target number of registrations or review date is given in the announcement. SSEN has not reported how many advisers or which organisations will use the updated calculator, or whether the approach will extend beyond central southern England and the north of Scotland1.