Extra support during switchover
What the Priority Services Register is
The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service offered by phone, broadband, and energy companies. It flags your account so the company knows you need extra support. You do not pay anything to join, and there is no obligation attached.
There are two separate registers:
- Your energy supplier's PSR, which covers electricity and gas supply
- Your phone or broadband provider's PSR, which covers your landline and internet service
They are run independently. Joining one does not automatically add you to the other. If you want protection from both, you need to contact both.
What the PSR gives you
The exact services vary by provider, but under Ofcom's General Conditions (GC C5), phone and broadband providers must offer PSR customers:
- Advance notice before any planned work or migration that could affect your service
- Priority fault repair, meaning your line is fixed before non-PSR customers in an outage
- A free solution for making emergency calls during a power cut (a battery backup unit, a mobile handset, or call diversion, depending on the provider)
- Bills and communications in accessible formats if needed (large print, braille, etc.)
- A nominated contact who can speak to the provider on your behalf
Who qualifies
You can join the PSR if you are in any of these situations:
- Over 65
- Disabled or with a long-term health condition
- Living with a mental health condition
- Chronically ill or recovering from a serious illness
- Dependent on the landline with no mobile signal or poor mobile coverage
- Caring for someone in any of the above categories
- In temporary vulnerable circumstances (recently bereaved, dealing with a crisis)
Providers do not require proof. You tell them your situation and they add you.
How to join
Call your phone or broadband provider and ask to be added to the Priority Services Register. You can usually do this through the general customer service number. Some providers also let you sign up online.
Provider PSR pages
- BT Priority Services Register
- Sky Priority Services Register
- Virgin Media Priority Services
- TalkTalk Priority Services Register
- Vodafone Priority Services
For your energy supplier's PSR, contact them separately or visit the Ofgem guide to extra help.
How Ofcom protects vulnerable customers during migration
Ofcom has told providers they must not migrate customers who are at risk from losing their landline service without proper safeguards. According to Ofcom's vulnerability guidance, providers must:
- Identify customers who rely on the landline for safety (telecare users, people with no mobile, people with health conditions)
- Confirm that any connected safety devices will work on the new digital line before migrating
- Provide a working alternative for emergency calls during power cuts
- Not proceed with migration if doing so would leave someone without a safe way to call for help
In practice, this means your provider should contact you before the switch, ask about connected devices, and check whether you need extra support. If they have not done this, call them. Do not wait for them to contact you. See contact your provider for a call script.
If something goes wrong
If your provider migrates your line and a safety device stops working, or you are left without phone access and no alternative:
- Call the provider's fault line and explain the situation. Mention that you are on the Priority Services Register (if you are) and that this is a safety issue.
- If they do not resolve it within a reasonable time, complain formally in writing.
- If the complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks, escalate to the provider's ombudsman (either Ombudsman Services or CEDR, depending on the provider).
- You can also report the issue to Ofcom. Ofcom does not resolve individual complaints, but reports help them identify providers that are not meeting their obligations.