Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 11
13th Report - Regulation of water, energy and broadband
Published 11 Sep 2026
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Regulation of water, energy and broadband All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
In the energy and water sectors, companies maintain the Priority Services Register (PSR) to provide support to customers with additional communication, safety and access needs.28 Ofgem and Ofwat have encouraged companies in their sectors to increase take-up of the PSR by customers.29 Take-up of the PSR has increased over time: in energy, it increased from 16% in 2016–17 to 34% of customers in 2024–25; in water, it increased from 2% in 2019–20 to 13% of all households in 2024–25.30 However, take-up in water remains well below Ofwat’s estimate that half of households could be eligible.31 A survey reported by Citizens Advice in 2026 found that public awareness of the PSR remains low.32
From: Public Accounts Committee, 13th Report - Regulation of water, energy and broadband (HC 105), 11 September 2026
Government response
Government response awaited: deadline 11 November 2026.