Supporting customers during COVID-19
We contacted the most vulnerable households on our Priority Services Register linking them to local community support groups where appropriate. This is to make sure they have access to local support in healthcare, food and wellbeing services.
We are also registering priority organisations such as hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, care homes, sheltered accommodation, medical centres, GP surgeries, and pharmacies for our ‘Extra Care Register’. Such organisations should call us on our registration line on 0800 19 69 970 to register themselves as a critical care agency who will need extra support from us during a power cut.
Our teams working out in the community can often see who may require extra support. Where requested, we share information with first responders such as the emergency services, so they can quickly and efficiently help those in need.
We launched an app for our engineers so they can directly help customers in vulnerable circumstances in the community. The app hosts useful information on medical support, coping with social isolation, wellbeing tips and more. We have also equipped frontline workers on our customer service vans, with innovative see-through masks to help conversations flow more easily.
People can phone us free on 105, contact us online on our website, Facebook and Twitter.
British Sign Language (BSL) users can get in contact with us through our partners InterpreterNow and SignLive. Both companies help BSL users to communicate with hearing people by going on their website and connecting with an interpreter. To make it easier for you to contact us, we are in the directories of both SignLive and InterpreterNow. If you contact us using either of these services through their directories we will cover the cost of the call.
5. Coordinating support with other utilities and partners
We are working closer than ever before with our partners to join forces and have a bigger impact in supporting those in need.
Working with RNIB
RNIB is the UK’s leading sight loss charity and offers practical and emotional support to people living with sight loss. They can also connect people to local support and assist in signing up to telephone and online groups that may offer a source of comfort or company. To get this support call 0303 123 9999 (lines open weekdays from 8am-8pm and Saturday from 9am-5pm.)
If you have any questions on social distancing, shopping or mental health, read the RNIB 'Frequently Asked Questions’ page.
If you have any ideas on how we can do more for our communities, please email us.
Free to call from a mobile or landline phone. Lines are open 24 hours.
