To support the development of our customer vulnerability strategy and associated initiatives, we externally engaged with a diverse group of individuals and businesses known or likely to have experienced vulnerability across our networks. We have also engaged with support service organisations within our network that work with customers experiencing vulnerability daily.

Acknowledging the complex and dynamic nature of vulnerability, we considered a range of causes of vulnerability including, personal characteristics, situational circumstances and impact of being off supply.

Our engagement was designed to:

• understand the impact we can have in easing, or mitigating, the challenges faced by customers in vulnerable circumstances
• explore how we can best support vulnerable individuals and groups, especially in areas that may disproportionately impact customers in the future, such as the energy transition and climate change (through extreme temperature and weather events).

• vulnerability is complex and can impact any customer in the right circumstance
• determinants of vulnerability can be difficult to isolate. Individual and situational factors are often compounding, meaning risk-factors can be discreet until a critical stage is reached
• external factors, such as a high-inflation and cost-of-living environment, are creating vulnerable situations amongst previously ‘secure’ customers, such as middle-high income households
• the energy transition is complicating individual financial circumstances. Some customers are accessing the financial benefits available whilst others are largely locked out based on their informational and/or circumstantial situation
• efforts by us to support customers in vulnerable circumstance were positively viewed
• some advocacy group individuals appreciated the proactive steps we were taking to address vulnerability and other hardships. It was seen as “getting on the front foot” before customers are forced into making changes to their energy supply arrangements.

We have used our engagement findings to shape our customer vulnerability strategy. The engagement has also assisted in shaping the initiatives we have submitted to the regulator, that focus on supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances.

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