SSEN's Mel Grace and Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP with SSEN's Priority Services Register leaflets

The MP for Melksham, who has recently been appointed Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, dropped in to the recent event being held by Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy (WWCE) in the Melksham Community Campus, where householders could seek guidance on keep warm at home while reducing their energy bills.

SSEN’s Customer and Community Advisor, Mel Grace was on hand to advise residents - who could find themselves in a vulnerable situation during planned or unplanned power outages – of the free extra support provided by the Priority Services Register (PSR), which varies according to the individual customer's needs, and of YES Energy Solutions which offers free, expert advice on energy efficiency.

These free services, along with home emergency plans, are part of SSEN's ongoing commitment to supporting its customers and Mel discussed with the MP how her constituents could benefit by signing up for the additional assistance on offer.

Michelle Donelan, MP for Melksham said:

“It was great to see for myself the community support being offered by WWCE in Melksham.

“These energy workshops have been proving invaluable for local people, providing them with the much-needed tools to reduce their bills with advice, tips and support.”

SSEN’s Customer and Community Advisor, Mel Grace added:

“At Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, we have our customers’ needs at heart and there are still some vulnerable customers who have yet to sign up for these services, which could help bring them reassurance in difficult circumstances.

“It was great to talk to Michelle Donelan MP at this local event and to be able to further spread the message of how we can help her constituents through our PSR and YES Energy Solutions; free services that are easy to register for and that can be of a huge benefit to householders and their families.”

Mel continued:

“We have around 115,000 customers already signed up to our popular Priority Services Register, but we know there are still people in Wiltshire who may need additional assistance due to vulnerability or circumstances of fuel poverty, and we want to encourage them to speak to us or go to our website to find out how we can help them.

“It costs nothing to sign up for either of these services and the information is easy to access through our website or by speaking to a customer advisor.”

Julian Barlow, Chair of WWCE said:

“We were very pleased to welcome Michelle Donelan MP and Scottish and Southern Electricity Network’s Mel Grace at one of our energy advice events in Melksham recently.

“It was great to have SSEN on hand to talk to residents about the Priority Service Register, offering useful information which complimented the practical energy efficiency advice provided by WWCE’s carbon reduction champion, Jessica Thimbleby.”

Priority Services Register

Customers are eligible for the Priority Services Register if they:

  • Are deaf or hard of hearing
  • Have a disability
  • Live with children under five
  • Are blind or partially sighted
  • Have a chronic illness
  • Use medical equipment/aids reliant on electricity
  • Are over 60
  • Temporarily need extra support

For more information on our Priority Services Register, click here or call 0800 294 3259. SSEN’s PSR information leaflets are available in 11 different languages.

YES Energy Solutions

By registering at ssen.co.uk/energyadvice, eligible customers can access a range of free services including:

  • Saving energy
  • Switching energy suppliers
  • Grants and loans available for insulation and heating systems
  • Money they could be claiming such as the Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel Payment
  • Heating hot water and thermostat advice
  • Smart meters and how to use them effectively
  • Income maximisation

Customers are able to self-refer to receive advice from YES' expert advisors, who will offer guidance on how to save energy and money on home heating bills.