Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is partnering with a Slough charity to help raise awareness of the free additional services SSEN can offer to refugees and asylum seekers in the local community.
The distribution operator’s Customer and Community Advisor for the Thames Valley Region is working with Slough Refugee Support (SRS) to provide information and assistance to local residents through SSEN’s Priority Services Register and YES Energy Solutions.
The Slough charity was established in 1997, offering practical help – based around drop-in advice sessions – to tackle obstables refugees and asylum seekers may face as they look to settle, contribute to and thrive in the UK.
Each year, SRS deals with around 300 members of the community from different nationalities and SSEN is working with them to highlight the extra support vulnerable customers can receive in the event of a power cut, in addition to providing help through energy efficiency and money saving measures.
SSEN’s Customer and Community Advisor, Mohammed Kamraiz explains:
“Across the Thames Valley region, SSEN has nearly one million customers with a wide variety of different cultures and languages. We want to ensure that we reach out to all of our customers, especially those who may need additional assistance through vulnerability or circumstances of fuel poverty.
“By working with charities, such as Slough Refugee Support, we can reach a wider audience and help our customers to find out more about the free, additional services we can provide.”
Mohammed continued:
“We already assist a large number of our customers in Slough through our Priority Services Register and YES Energy Solutions, but we know there are still some customers who could benefit from these services who haven’t yet registered.
“Our information leaflets are available in 11 different languages, so I’d ask anyone who believes that they - or a family member or friend - could benefit from registering, to find out more about the free assistance they could receive.”
CEO of Slough Refugee Support, Taz Mohammed added:
“We join hands to help our clients, who are refugees and asylum seekers, in whatever way we can.”
SSEN offers several free services including its PSR, and confidential guidance and information through its partnership with YES Energy Solutions; helping households looking to save money, improve their energy efficiency and prepare for the potential impact to power supplies due to adverse weather events.
Through the network operator's Priority Services Register (PSR), customers who could find themselves in a vulnerable situation during planned or unplanned power outages are offered free extra support, which varies according to the individual customer's needs, and through YES Energy Solutions is also offering free, expert advice on energy efficiency; all part of SSEN's ongoing commitment to supporting its customers.
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
- Are categorised at ‘high risk’ or ‘extremely high risk’ of severe illness from coronavirus
For more information on our Priority Services Register, click here or call 0800 294 3259.
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 make their energy bills more affordable and live in a warmer more comfortable home.
About this author
