The Priority Services Register in London: who can join and what it does in a power cut

A power cut is a nuisance for most people. For some households it is a real risk. Someone who uses home oxygen, a powered bed or a stairlift, or who cannot get down twelve floors when the lift stops, needs more than a text saying power will be back soon. The Priority Services Register exists for them.

What the register is

The Priority Services Register, often called the PSR, is a list of customers who need extra help when the electricity supply is interrupted. It is kept by your network operator, the company that runs the cables and substations in your area.

In most of London, that is UK Power Networks. Its power cut pages include a section on extra support during a power cut and a sign up for the register. In Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon the network is run by SSEN, as confirmed in an answer from the Mayor to the London Assembly. We explain that split in our guide to power cuts in Ealing and Hounslow.

It is free to join.

Who should think about joining

Each operator sets out its own list of who qualifies, so check their website for the full wording. The types of household it is designed for include:

Situation at home	Why a power cut matters more
Powered medical equipment, such as oxygen, a ventilator, a dialysis machine or a hoist	Equipment may stop or run on a limited battery
Older people living alone	Cold, dark homes and confusion about what is happening
Disabled people or those with mobility problems	Lifts, stairlifts, powered doors and beds stop working
Families with babies or very young children	Bottles, heating and night feeds
People with sight or hearing loss	Phone updates or automated messages may not reach them
Chronic illness	Medicines kept in a fridge, heating needs

London has a particular reason to take this seriously. According to the VOA council tax stock of properties, 57.2% of London homes are flats. In Hackney the figure is 81.9% and in Wandsworth 71.5%. Many people live several floors up in blocks with lifts. When a power cut hits a block, the lift stops, communal lighting may run on emergency batteries only, and door entry systems can stop working.

What the register does and does not do

Being on the register means the network operator knows you may need extra help. Depending on the operator and the situation, that can include:

• advance warning of planned power cuts
• updates during unplanned cuts
• extra support for households most at risk during long cuts

It does not:

• stop power cuts happening to your home
• fix a fault inside your own wiring
• replace calling 999 in a medical emergency

This last point matters. If a fault is inside your home, on your side of the meter, the network operator cannot help. Only an electrician can. If the street has power and your home does not, read our guide to whether it is a power cut or a fault in your home.

How to tell if it is the network or your home

Before you call anyone, take a minute to check.

• Look at the street lights and your neighbours’ windows.
• In a block, check the corridor or stairwell lights.
• If everyone is off, call 105. It is free and routes you to the right operator.
• If only your home is off, look at the front of your consumer unit for a tripped switch. Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off.

If someone at home relies on powered equipment and the fault is inside your property, tell the electrician when you call. A good electrician will treat this as a priority and will aim to make the circuit that powers the equipment safe and working first.

A plan for medical equipment at home

Whatever register you are on, it is sensible to have your own plan.

• Know how long any battery backup on the equipment lasts.
• Keep the supplier’s helpline for the equipment somewhere you can find in the dark.
• Keep a charged phone or power bank and a torch near the bed.
• Put the equipment on a circuit that is not shared with heavy appliances, if an electrician can arrange it.
• Ask the equipment provider what to do in a long power cut.

If the equipment keeps tripping the electrics, or the socket it uses feels warm, get it checked. Our guide on why electrics keep tripping explains the usual causes.

Landlords and housing providers

If you manage rented flats, the electrics inside each flat must be inspected at least every five years under the landlord rules set out in the government guidance. That does not cover network power cuts, but it does mean faults inside the flat should be found before they leave a vulnerable tenant in the dark. Encourage tenants who qualify to join the register themselves, as the operator holds the details for the household at that address.

When you need an electrician

The register helps with network problems. For problems inside your home, such as a circuit that will not reset, half the house off, or a burning smell from the consumer unit, our no power in the house service can find the fault and make it safe. We cover the whole of London, from flats in Hackney to houses in the outer boroughs.