Vulnerable Customers and stakeholder engagement
Reflecting the CEC trial’s dual focus upon demand reduction and positive social impacts, research was directed at measuring and improving levels of vulnerable customer sign-up to the Priority Services Register. Baseline surveys revealed that general awareness of the PSR in both communities was very low at less than 8% of those interviewed.
Against this background, working through community-based intermediary organisations as part of the locally branded strategies, nominal sign up targets through local groups and friendship networks were readily achieved, with local groups and residents in both areas being very willing to share information and to identify individuals who they felt might benefit.
This more networked ‘local’ approach to promoting the PSR was specifically linked to the development of ‘emotionally connected, caring community’ as the key driver for collective behaviour change offering opportunities to address support needs for vulnerable and ‘fuel poor’ customers.