Putting vulnerability in the spotlight

Vulnerability. How do you classify it?

There are degrees of vulnerability. Some customers need medical equipment that relies on the electricity or water supply just to survive. Such devices might include a ventilator or a kidney dialysis machine. Others may be blind or deaf or suffer from a severe mental illness. In these instances, the vulnerability is clear.

But many, many more customers are financially vulnerable. As yet another economic shock looms on the horizon, this is a vital concern. Indeed, over the course of the last four years (since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), lots of customers who were previously doing OK are now classed as in need.

Energy UK noted in autumn 2025: “We have seen that things this year are tougher than ever. Customers face many challenges, such as disability, mental health issues, ageing, complex home lives, and financial difficulties. Energy bills are still high.”

The trade association added: “Energy debt is a major concern, and both the number of people in debt and the amount owed are increasing, especially among the most vulnerable. Ofgem reports that total energy debt has grown to £4.4 billion, up from under £1 billion in 2021 and having risen £740 million in the last year alone.

“Likewise, suppliers report that the number of customers on the Priority Services Register (PSR) is growing.”

The PSR is a free service designed to support customers with extra communication, access, or safety needs when it comes to their energy or water supply.

A core challenge for the register is that the majority of eligible customers simply don't know it exists (over 80% of adults in the UK have not heard of the PSR), haven't been identified, or face barriers to signing up.

Even among those who are aware of the PSR, a significant proportion choose not to join. In one study, of eligible customers who knew about the scheme, 21% didn't register, with over half citing embarrassment, and 35% citing pride as the reason.

That means proactive outreach is essential, but the way customers are contacted matters as much as whether they're contacted. Personalised, sensitive communication — tailored to an individual's circumstances — significantly increases the likelihood of someone registering.

Waiting for self-registration leaves a large proportion of eligible customers unreached.

UK Power Networks is one energy company that has seen the number of its customers on the PSR swell. That’s because the network has been working with artificial intelligence firm CKDelta to identify customers who are vulnerable and sign them up for support as part of a project known as Spotlight.

As part of Project Spotlight, CKDelta developed △Priority – an AI application that identifies vulnerable customers using advanced modelling across a far broader set of data points than traditional approaches.

Jo Lomax, consumer vulnerability manager, UK Power Networks, explains: “Project Spotlight is reshaping the way we support vulnerable customers. By using data-driven insights, we’re not only identifying those who need help, but also ensuring that the support we offer is personalised, relevant and timely.”

When Project Spotlight started in 2023, UK Power Networks had about 1.5 million customers on the PSR. That figure has more than doubled. “When we started the project, the target for the register was around two million,” says Fernando Ayuso, head of data science and data engineering, CKDelta. “Today that figure is at about 3.1 million, and there will be more.