The regulators of the UK Regulators Network (UKRN) have launched a new intitiative to explore how companies can better identify the needs of consumers in vulnerable circumstances across the energy and water sectors.

The aim of the project is to ensure that consumers in vulnerable circumstances are effectively supported by regulated companies.

The energy and water regulators Ofgem and Ofwat through the UKRN are working together to identify the potential benefits, opportunities and challenges to the targeted, appropriate and proportionate exchange and distribution of information about consumers’ vulnerable circumstances across the two sectors.

The UKRN has completed the scoping and initial engagement phases of the work and is now looking to engage further with interested parties to take the work forward.

Potential benefits and opportunities believe shared data could deliver include:

•  It could save time for consumers by reducing the number of potentially stressful interactions they need to have to inform a range of companies when they are experiencing a circumstance which may make them vulnerable, improving the customer experience.
• Companies will be better equipped with information to anticipate and respond to the needs of consumers in vulnerable circumstances; particularly in crisis situations, such as extreme flooding, where multiple regulated services may be affected.
• Targeted and proportionate information exchange and distribution could enable collaboration and shared learning between companies in the energy and water sectors who are looking to tackle vulnerability issues.
• There may be cost savings for companies – for example, there may be less need for companies to run awareness campaigns to identify consumers in vulnerable circumstances.

However, the regulators have acknowledged that there are data security implications associated with the exchange and distribution of sensitive consumer information that need careful management.

Consumers would need to have confidence that there is a value to them in having their information exchanged, confidence that companies’ are selecting this in a targeted and proportionate way and that it is being used appropriately, and the ability to opt out of information processing they are not comfortable with.

To establish how information about customers’ vulnerable circumstances is currently processed by water and energy companies, UKRN has circulated an information request to the trade bodies: Energy UK, Cornwall Energy and the Energy Networks Association, along with a selection of energy companies and all water companies.

The regulators have also begun engaging with some other stakeholders including consumer bodies like Citizens Advice and the Consumer Council for Water.

In the energy sector, companies will begin using a set of standardised vulnerability ‘needs codes’ during 2017, making it easier to process information that is shared. In the water sector, many companies have signalled that better cross-sector exchange of information could enable them to identify that a customer is in vulnerable circumstances more quickly and effectively.

Next steps

UKRN is now planning to engage with a broader range of stakeholders in early 2017 to gather further evidence and views with the aim of publishing its findings in spring 2017 when it will consider whether further work should be done.

Organisations interested in engaging with UKRN on the work ahould contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 31st January 2017.