Provision of Services for persons who are of Pensionable Age or Disabled or Chronically Sick

This code provides you with protection if you are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick.

If you are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick you can register with your electricity and gas supplier, to ensure your supplier knows your specific needs or requirements and can provide you with information on the services available to you.

If you are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick you can get additional help from your electricity or gas supplier:

• Suppliers must be able to provide you with communications and information in a format to suit your needs, for example if you have any difficulty with your eyesight or hearing.
• If you cannot read your electricity or gas meter (and you have no one else in your house who can) you can ask your supplier to read your meter for you (at least four times every year).
• If you are struggling to access your meter, your supplier may also be able to move your meter to a more accessible location. This is provided free of charge.
• If anyone working for your supplier visits your house you can request that they provide identification in a means that suits you e.g. in braille, large font etc.
• If you are worried about bogus callers you can ask your supplier to be part of their password scheme. In this you provide your supplier with a password that they will use each time one of their employees call you (either on the phone or in person), so that you can identify they are who they say they are.
• If you are struggling to understand or manage your gas or electricity bills and have someone who could help you, you can ask your supplier to send your bills to this person. This will not cost you anything and you can still receive a copy of each bill at the same time.
• If you have gas and you either live alone or the rest of your household is of pensionable age, disabled or chronically ill, you can ask your suppler to arrange a free annual gas safety inspection of your gas appliances.

If you are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick and live alone or the rest of your household falls under this category (or are under 18) your electricity or gas supplier cannot disconnect your supply over winter (1 October to 31 March).

For the full Code of Practice on Provision of Services for persons who are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick click here.