Committed to delivering the best service for all our customers and identifying and supporting our most vulnerable.
We do this by:
- Taking every opportunity to identify vulnerable customers.
- Raising awareness of who we are and how we can help.
- Broadening the definition of vulnerability to include transient vulnerability (customers who would not usually be classed as vulnerable, but who may need extra support during a specific period of time).
- Working in partnership and sharing data where it can benefit vulnerable customers.
- Tackling wider social issues as a socially responsible organisation.
Raising awareness
As well as our national advertising campaign, we recognise that there is a need for a more focussed approach to awareness to ensure that we directly reach our most in need communities.
Our approach in 2015-16 has been to directly target vulnerable customers in those geographical areas where our data highlighted the greatest need, using innovative methods:
Pharmacy bags
To help us raise awareness for vulnerable and hard to reach customers who may not engage actively in society due to illness or disability, we launched a campaign to advertise our additional support services on pharmacy bags. Feedback from our stakeholders told us that many vulnerable customers will have regular contact with their GP and pick up repeat prescriptions.
The bags were printed in English and in Welsh and over 300,000 were distributed in over 600 pharmacies. Pharmacies were selected due to their location in our identified areas of most need.
GP surgeries
In addition, we partnered with 29 GP surgeries to display digital awareness information in waiting rooms.
Car park tickets
We engaged with local car parks within our most vulnerable areas and printed PSR awareness messages on the back of car park tickets. Over 1.7 million tickets were commissioned in English and in Welsh. The aim was not only to target vulnerable customers but also their friends, family and carers.
Direct mailing
We targeted 26 postcodes in our most vulnerable communities impacting 7,500 homes for direct mailing as a result of our data mapping. Customers were directly mailed with a postcard giving the number to call in a power cut and details of how to join our Priority Services Register should they need extra help.
Caring for our customers
You can find out more about our consumer vulnerability initiatives on the Caring for our Customers page.