Thousands of our most-vulnerable customers are now benefitting from free Home Battery Packs we've provided for them

We've now offered more than 11,000 Home Battery Packs to some of our most-vulnerable customers who may benefit from the extra peace-of-mind they provide.

The aim of these battery packs is to give customers who are dependent on life-preserving medical equipment like home dialysis machines some added reassurance during a power outage.

We provide these batteries at no cost to certain customers who meet specifically-defined criteria, and who are already signed up for Priority Services. We're committed to delivering some 20,000 units to customers by the Spring of 2028, in a first-of-its-kind scheme by any network operator in the UK.

Specific customers we've identified as being eligible for a battery pack can use it to charge their essential devices at home, such as phones or tablets. The battery may also be suitable for other equipment; we recommend referring to manufacturers’ advice before connecting such items.

WATCH: Warren Mitchell talks about how his new battery is benefiting him

Here’s more information on where batteries have been offered to customers across our network areas so far:

Why we’re providing some customers with home battery packs

In a recent Citizens Advice report addressing how to improve people’s experiences during power cuts, the organisation said it was particularly concerned that some people who are dependent on electricity for medical needs aren’t getting the support they need.

We have long focused on how we support customers who are in more-vulnerable situations. In 2022, we made a commitment to provide 20,000 individuals with Home Battery Packs by the spring of 2028. In the nine months since the roll-out began, 97% of people who’ve received a battery to date have opted to keep it. 

How batteries are helping customers

The battery packs may help to minimise the impact to people of any period without power. Subject to approval from the manufacturers of specialist in-home, life-preserving medical equipment, they may keep such devices operating for longer if there’s a power cut.

The batteries can also be used with items providing light and heat, to charge mobile phones and laptops, or to power broadband routers. This will make it easier for people to keep in touch with carers, family or friends, and to get information they need, if the electricity goes off for a time. This capability is becoming particularly important as copper landlines are phased out and replaced with house phones which are dependent on a broadband connection, and therefore power.

In the event of a medical situation, or if life-preserving medical equipment is not working or is low on charge, we advise all customers to seek assistance by dialling 999 in an emergency - or 111 for help or advice.

Frances Adams (above) lives in Basingstoke and is one of the customers who’s already received a battery. She says:

“I use oxygen at home all the time, and while I already have a small battery-powered concentrator, I need my mains-powered unit for anything other than short periods.

"Now I have this home battery pack, it means I might be able to operate my mains oxygenator for a bit longer if the power goes off. This is giving me real peace of mind, when I might otherwise be quite frightened about what to do.

“I’ve only had one brief power cut since my battery was delivered, but even during that, it came in useful to keep my phone topped up so I could keep in touch.” 

Warren Mitchell (above) lives in Conon Bridge and has also received a battery. He says:

“I received a phone call from SSEN Distribution asking if I'd be interested in trying this battery. I had no idea what it would be like, but when the battery arrived, I found it was very easy to use. 

“I got mine in the summer, and so while I was able to give it a couple of 'test runs' to see how it worked, the first time I needed to use it for real was only when Storm Boelo swept in last month. 

“When I lost power, I alternated the battery with several items, and by the time the lights came back on, around 85% of the charge was remaining. It was such a relief to keep mobile phones topped up too, which is also important as we’re not actually able to get a landline here. This also meant we were able to receive SSEN's helpful texts about when we could expect to be reconnected."

Eliane Algaard, SSEN Distribution’s Services Director, says:

“Thanks to our provision of Home Battery Packs, thousands of our most-vulnerable customers go into this winter with a little extra peace-of-mind in the event their power goes off.

“The feedback from customers who’ve received a pack so far has been overwhelmingly positive. While we do all we can to run a network where power cuts are very rare occurrences, in our increasingly-volatile climate they are nevertheless a reality. These batteries make it easier for people who are medically-dependent on electricity to stay in their own home for longer.

“But even a battery as capable as the one we’re providing is only of use to people if it’s fully charged up. So, if we’ve already given you a unit, now’s a good time to get it out, ensure it’s properly charged up, and to remind yourself of how it operates.”

Helen Walker, Chief Executive at Carers UK, says:

“Reaching more than 11,000 households with home battery packs is a significant milestone in helping people feel safer and more prepared for power cuts.

“For unpaid carers, a loss of electricity can bring added worry, particularly when someone they care for relies on essential powered equipment or needs additional support to stay safe at home.

“Practical support like this can make a real difference, offering greater reassurance when the unexpected happens. We are pleased to see SSEN Distribution’s continued commitment to supporting their customers in this way.”

Who’s eligible for a battery?

People who are eligible do not need to apply for a battery.

1.3 million of our customers are signed up for what are called Priority Services. These people are offered extra help and advice before, during and after a power cut.

When customers sign up, their needs and circumstances are assessed. The specific eligibility criteria for a battery are based on detailed customer data, which we use to identify the households for whom a battery will likely provide the most benefit. This ensures the project supports the customers who are most in need of additional support. 

Eligible customers are being contacted when it’s their turn to be offered a Home Battery Pack.

Further preparations for winter storms

Ongoing investment in our tree-cutting operation is delivering continued reductions in the number of unplanned power cuts arising from trees coming into contact with the network. Essential tree-cutting works are carried out all-year-round and in all weathers, by a highly-skilled team of arborists, surveyors, trainees, and apprentices. Their high level of technical and environmental knowledge helps keep power flowing to customers, while also protecting and enhancing local environments and biodiversity.

In the north of Scotland, the tree-cutting team has increased the number of ‘spans’ – that’s the length of overhead wire suspended between two poles – by almost 40 percent since 2023.  

The way customers are kept informed during a power cut has also been improved. People will now receive more frequent, more comprehensive updates via text message to keep them informed about how repairs are progressing to resolve the network fault affecting them, along with the latest estimates of when they may be reconnected.  

In addition, a new web chat service is also now available. This means people – as an alternative to calling up the Customer Contact Centre or getting in touch via social media – can access real-time information relating to a power cut when it suits them.

Meanwhile, the fleet of generators we deploy to maintain power supplies for people in particularly-vulnerable situations during planned and unplanned power outages is also being renewed, with quieter, more efficient, and cleaner models coming on stream across the network.