Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has published a downloadable customer guide on looped electricity services, together with an example of the letter it sends to affected homes. Both documents are dated 16/06/20261.
A looped service is where electricity is connected from one property to another, so neighbours share the same connection. SSEN describes this as a common way to supply homes in the past. A householder can check by looking at the meter setup: if the service is looped, two cables go into the bottom of the cut-out fuse. One cable means either no looped service or that the property is at the end of the loop. The looped cable is usually buried underground and may run under a garden or path in front of the house1.
To separate the supplies, SSEN installs a new connection directly from the street to the home, giving it its own electricity supply. The company states that no payment is asked for the completion of these works, and that the survey and any work are paid for through network investment, funded through customer bills1.
"You will not be asked for any payment for the completion of these works."
SSEN lists the intended benefits as more power for the home, improved reliability through an own connection, and support for electric vehicles and home heating systems. On billing, it states that electricity use is measured through the household's own meter, so a customer is only charged for the electricity they use, and that sharing a connection does not affect the bill1.
| Point | What SSEN says |
|---|---|
| Cost to householder | No payment asked for completion of works1 |
| Who pays | Network investment, funded through customer bills1 |
| Access to neighbour's property | Delivery partner speaks to the neighbour and arranges it directly1 |
| Renting | SSEN can work with the landlord or housing provider1 |
| Power supply during work | There may be a short power cut1 |
| Being at home | Usually required, so SSEN can access the supply safely1 |
| If the upgrade does not go ahead | The home continues to have electricity as it does today1 |
Why it matters for households
A looped service means a home's available power is tied to a neighbour's connection, which SSEN says can limit how much power is available as more electricity is used for things like heating and electric cars. Separating the supply gives the home its own connection from the street, which the company links to greater capacity and better service continuity1. For a household weighing up an electric vehicle charger or a heat pump, the connection type is one of the physical limits on what the property can draw, and it sits upstream of the meter and the tariff. SSEN states that declining the upgrade does not remove the existing supply, but that future limits on available power may follow as demand rises1. The work itself is carried out at no charge to the householder, with costs recovered through customer bills1.
What happens next
SSEN sets out a sequence: the delivery partner makes contact to arrange a visit; the home is visited to check how the electricity is set up; any work is planned and a date agreed with the householder; and the work is completed, which may involve a new cable, outside work and a short interruption to supply1. Some work can be completed in a day, while more complex work may take longer to plan and carry out. Where access to a neighbouring property or garden is needed, the delivery partner arranges this with the neighbour directly, and if access is not possible SSEN says it will look at other ways to complete the work. Groundwork is restored afterwards, including roads, pavements and, where needed, driveways or gardens1. No dates for specific areas have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Electricity improvements in your area - SSEN, ssen.co.uk