Utility Week

34 www.utilityweek.co.uk/fLeX V U L N E R A B L E C U S T O M E R S T echnology and innovation are buzzwords normally associated with the young and upwardly mobile, but they can also play a key role in improving the lives of older or more vulnerable people. e advent of smart technology and the Internet of ings also comes at a time when utility firms are under renewed pressure to engage with harder-to-reach groups, make them aware of the help that is available and ensure customers do not languish unnecessarily on higher tariffs. Alex Neill, managing director of home products and services at consumer group Which?, says "basic customer service can be sadly lacking among energy suppliers". "It's clear that energy companies could be doing much more to ensure customers – especially those who are older or vulnerable – can easily engage with their supplier and that they are well informed about their eligibility for schemes such as the Warm Home Discount and Priority Services Register (PSR)," she says. Ofgem's 2018 State of the Energy Market report, which was published in October, revealed six million electricity customers are on the PSR, up by more than a third (36 per cent) on the previous year (4.4 million). e report also showed the equivalent figure for gas is 4.8 million, up by 30 per cent since the previous year (3.7 million). e Ofgem report was followed by a study by water watchdog the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), which found nearly 345,000 water customers are currently registered for extra help on the PSR, up 37 per cent since 2013/14. But the CCWater report was also critical of the level of support that many water companies gave when freezing temper ature s disrupted supplies last year during the "Beast from the East" and it called on the sector to improve support for customers who need extra help due to unexpected events. " e failures we saw during the Beast from the East exposed the fact that many customers in vulnerable circumstances remain at risk of not getting additional support when they need it most," says CCWater policy manager Janine Shackleton. "It's imperative water companies focus on raising awareness of the support available and collaborate with others – including local councils, charities, community groups and emergency services – to make sure more people are aware of what help exists should they ever need it." But there are several other projects and innovations currently being used and developed by energy and water companies. Here are some of the best... Innovations to lend a helping hand to those who most need it By Jamie Hailstone U lity Week Live 2019 will take place at the NEC in Birmingham on 21-22 May. For more details and to register, go to www.u lityweeklive.co.uk A new home monitoring system that allows family and friends to check the energy usage of elderly or vulnerable customers. e Howz system monitors how much energy is being used by home appliances and combines this with information from a series of sensors that detect factors such as movement and temperature in a person's home to build up a pattern of daily behaviour. Using a smartphone app, customers can check in on their family or friends and will receive alerts if the user's normal routine is broken. "In working with Howz, we have developed a truly transformative solution that establishes users' everyday energy routines so that their families can stay connected with them, wherever they are, and be alerted if something doesn't seem quite right," says EDF Energy's managing director for customers, Béatrice Bigois. e Howz home monitoring system EDF Energy and tech start-up Howz 1 f i v e Ta k e

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