Ofgem to call for vulnerable households register, with 1.7m to miss energy support

Report shows government plan for targeted help would fail to reach homes not registered for benefits

The energy regulator Ofgem will on Monday call for vulnerable households to be better protected through a new universal priority services register, as researchers warn that about 1.7m households in severe fuel poverty will miss out on extra help because they are not registered to receive certain benefits.

A report commissioned by the Child Poverty Action Group found that the UK government’s new plans to offer targeted help for the most vulnerable households would fail to reach those who were not registered for benefits, including 688,000 fuel-poor households with children.