Keeping you safe and your energy flowing through COVID-19

Following guidance from SAGE, the Prime Minister has announced a lockdown for the whole of England from midnight on Thursday 5 November, with all non-essential shops, restaurants, pubs and leisure facilities to close for at least four weeks.

England now joins the rest of the UK where additional restrictions were introduced for people living in Northern Ireland on 16 October; Wales implemented a short, sharp “firebreak” lockdown to help regain control of coronavirus on 23 October while Scotland's new five-tier restrictions to tackle the pandemic are also now in force.

Since the beginning of the pandemic the energy networks have been ensuring that everyone continues to receive a safe and reliable energy supply. This will not change as the country faces further lockdown restrictions.

The energy networks continue to operate normally, even as we adapt the way we work and manage different types of lockdown nationally and regionally across the country. The work our members do is critical to keeping the UK’s energy flowing, which is why the Government identifies the work we do as essential.

Now more than ever, in the runup to Christmas, we know you are relying on us to keep you safe and warm at home. We know this is a difficult time for people and we all need to work differently. We will continue to prioritise:

• Keeping our customers and colleagues safe
• Keeping the UK’s energy flowing
• Looking after those most in need

Many of our colleagues need to leave their homes to provide essential services. Where our colleagues have to leave the house to carry out their job, the social distancing guidelines issued by the UK Government apply.

If you are self-isolating or have symptoms of COVID-19 and we are due to attend your property, please let us know. We’ll still come and help you, but our teams will take some additional precautions to keep us all safe.

We will always prioritise power cuts, gas leaks and urgent safety issues to make sure you continue to receive a safe and reliable energy supply. If you see us outside your home or if we have to visit your property during lockdown, be assured it is because it is critical. The work we do keeps you safe and warm. Any work outside your home or visit to you will be absolutely necessary to ensure you have power and heat, and to reduce the risk of any future loss of energy supply.

Those who may live in more vulnerable circumstances or deemed at higher risk should consider signing up for energy networks’ Priority Services Registers. This provides free additional services to customers in vulnerable circumstances if there is a power cut or they lose gas supply unexpectedly. You can find out more about the Register by contacting your local electricity or gas distributor. Find out more at energynetworks.org/coronavirus.

As the Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic develops, we are continuing to keep our approach under careful review. We will always take an approach which safeguards the health and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues, while maintaining a safe and reliable supply of energy.