Priority Services Register checker
Short answer: you can ask to join if someone at home is of State Pension age, pregnant or has young children, has a disability, long-term or mental health condition, uses powered medical equipment, or has had a recent change like a hospital stay or bereavement. It's free. Join with your energy supplier, your network operator and your water company.
Criteria from Ofgem and CCW, read 1 November 2026.
What you get
Help varies by company. Ofgem lists priority support in an emergency, advance notice of planned power cuts where possible, a password scheme for callers, a nominated contact such as a relative or carer, accessible bills, meter help and help reconnecting gas. Water companies can deliver an emergency water supply to registered customers (CCW). Joining doesn't bring extra compensation or mean your power comes back first.
Every company's sign-up page
| Electricity network operator | Area | Priority services |
|---|---|---|
| UK Power Networks | London, South East and East of England | Sign-up page |
| National Grid Electricity Distribution | Midlands, South West and South Wales | Sign-up page |
| Northern Powergrid | North East, Yorkshire and north Lincolnshire | Sign-up page |
| SSEN | North of Scotland and central southern England | Sign-up page |
| SP Energy Networks | Central and southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales | Sign-up page |
| Electricity North West | North West England | Sign-up page |
| NIE Networks | Northern Ireland (Customer Care Register) | Sign-up page |
| Gas network | Area | Priority services |
|---|---|---|
| Cadent | North West, West Midlands, East of England and north London | Sign-up page |
| Northern Gas Networks | North East, Yorkshire and northern Cumbria | Sign-up page |
| SGN | Scotland and southern England | Sign-up page |
| Wales & West Utilities | Wales and South West England | Sign-up page |
| Water company | Rough area | Priority services |
|---|---|---|
| Affinity Water | Parts of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Surrey, north-west London and Kent | Priority services |
| Anglian Water | East of England, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire | Priority services |
| Bristol Water | Bristol and the surrounding area | Priority services |
| Cambridge Water | Cambridge and the surrounding area | Priority services |
| Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water | Most of Wales and parts of Herefordshire | Priority services |
| Essex & Suffolk Water | Parts of Essex and Suffolk | Priority services |
| Hafren Dyfrdwy | Wrexham, parts of Powys and nearby | Priority services |
| Northumbrian Water | North East England | Priority services |
| Portsmouth Water | Portsmouth and south-east Hampshire | Priority services |
| SES Water | East Surrey and parts of south London, Kent and West Sussex | Priority services |
| Severn Trent | The Midlands | Priority services |
| South East Water | Parts of Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire | Priority services |
| South Staffs Water | South Staffordshire and the Black Country | Priority services |
| South West Water | Devon, Cornwall and parts of Dorset and Somerset | Priority services |
| Southern Water | Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight | Priority services |
| Thames Water | London and the Thames Valley | Priority services |
| United Utilities | North West England | Priority services |
| Wessex Water | Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Bath | Priority services |
| Yorkshire Water | Yorkshire | Priority services |
| Scottish Water | Scotland | Priority services |
| NI Water | Northern Ireland | Priority services |
Links opened on 1 November 2026. Areas are rough: your bill shows your water company, and the ENA postcode tool shows your electricity and gas networks. Some sites (UK Power Networks, SP Energy Networks, Portsmouth Water) block automated checks, so we took those links from the company's own site search.
More: Priority Services Register: a plain guide · emergency planning for disabled people and carers · emergency plan for older people · no water in my area · power cuts near me
Frequently asked questions
Who can join the Priority Services Register?
Ofgem says you can ask to join if you've reached State Pension age, are pregnant or have young children, struggle with speaking or reading English, have a disability or long-term condition (including mental health conditions, conditions affecting sight, hearing or smell, or medical equipment that needs power), or have had a recent change such as a hospital stay, bereavement or job loss.
Do I have to join more than one register?
Ofgem says your energy supplier and your network operator each keep their own register, so ask both, and each supplier if gas and electricity come from different ones. The industry PSR site says your details can be shared with participating companies, including your water company, when you register with your electricity network operator. Check with each company that you're on its list.
Can anyone join the water company register?
CCW, the water consumer body for England and Wales, says anyone can register for priority services. It's aimed at people who need extra help, for example with mobility, sight, hearing or medical needs for water.
Does the Priority Services Register cost anything?
No. It's free. Nobody should ask you to pay to join.
Will my power come back first if I'm on the register?
No. Network operators say joining doesn't mean your power is restored first, and there's no extra compensation. You get extra help instead, such as updates, advance notice of planned cuts and, where offered, support like battery packs or hot meals.
Is there a Priority Services Register in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland has Customer Care Registers instead: NIE Networks for electricity and NI Water for water. Ask your gas and electricity suppliers too.
Are my answers sent anywhere?
No. The checker runs in your browser and nothing you tick is sent to us. To join, you use each company's own form or phone line.
Sources
- Ofgem: Join your supplier's Priority Services Register, read 1 November 2026
- CCW: Extra free help, priority services (water, England and Wales), read 1 November 2026
- The PSR (industry site): who can join and how details are shared, read 1 November 2026
- Energy Networks Association: find my network operator, read 1 November 2026
- Water UK: find your water supplier, read 1 November 2026
- Each network operator's and water company's own priority services page (links in the tables below), read 1 November 2026
General information, not advice about your circumstances. Each company decides who it adds to its register.
Civilian Survival Handbook is an independent UK site. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Ofgem, any network operator, the Met Office, the Environment Agency or the UK Government.