OT - UK Power Networks extra support in power cut - elderly?

[David]

I have recently received an email from UK Power Networks inviting me to register for additional help in the event of a power cut.

Qualifications are:

"Who can apply

? Customers who are dependent on medical equipment ? Customers who are chronically ill

? Customers with a disability

? Customers who are visually impaired or blind

? Customers who are hearing impaired or deaf

? Elderly customers

? A nursing or residential home

? Customers with young babies in household

? Any other case that you would like us to consider"

[Spaced out to prevent PAN scrunging it all together.]

One thing that struck me - nowhere does it define "Elderly".

I have passed the 65 point and am now in receipt of a State Pension (what would one have been described as an Old Age Pensioner) so presumably I may be considered to be "Elderly" but given that the pension age is rapidly receding (I got mine just in time) there does seem to be no fixed point.

Strange that they don't give any guidance. Presumably avoiding conflict and allowing anyone who feels "elderly" to apply. The application form doesn't ask for age, either, so presumably if you are feeling clapped out at 50 you still qualify.

I also have a chronic disease - T2 Diabetes - which is currently (thankfully) well managed.

So I don't feel vulnerable to a power cut; firing up the wood burner and rigging temporary lighting from the little Honda generator would be more fun than anything else. Defence in depth - we could always live in the camper for a few days until local bottled gas supplies ran out, at least.

Is this all a plot to make me feel old?

Cheers

Dave R

[Andy Burns]

interpretations would vary, I would say 80+

FFS

[newshound]

The one I just had defined "old" as 65. I didn't tick any of the other boxes but it seemed to me no harm could come from registering; at best, it might raise a flag if I phone in with a fault.

Struck me as being no bad thing to have a register to include people with stair lifts, oxygen concentrators, etc. ahead of any disruption, especially a widespread one.

[newshound]

Wnat's so wrong with the second one? These days, for a lot of people no power means no heat or hot water.

Although I do think it is a bit of an arse padding exercise.

[dennis]

They are getting ready for the rolling power cuts. They don't really want to cut people off with medical equipment.

[ARW]

Elderly babies?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I do wonder just what that help would be? I really can't see them installing a temporary generator for all those classes.

Cynical me says it may be just a PR exercise.

[Roger Mills]

At a pure guess - 75+ Then you'll be able to have the power restored in order to continue to watch your licence-free TV.

[Brian Gaff]

Weird, cos I'm visually impaired and apart from the obvious paradox of sending paper letters to blind people, I understood I was on the list already, but EDF tell me that due to the data protection act, since the split of the power generation and supply companies, they cannot inform the uk power networks about me without my permission in writing.

My brain hurts. Brian

[Andrew Gabriel]

Some ~20 years ago, my street reached the point where the ring mains was broken in 2 places underground, and although we all still had power through backfeeding, they decided they needed to repair it. That was a planned outage for a day, and a large generator was parked up to keep power on to 1 or 2 houses for the day. I didn't know the people in those, but I guess there was someone with a medial need.

[charles]

about 18 months ago, a builder 3 doors down the road managed to put a short on the electricty feeder cable taking out supply to 5 houses. We had a genny parked in the drive for 5 days. As did the other houses. No query about need. But then, the builder's insurance company was paying for it.

[Roger Mills]

Indeed! At best, they're going to restore power on a per-substation rather than per-premises basis. I suppose it's possible that they could prioritise substations with a high proportion of vulnerable people, but if such people are evenly distributed, forget it!

[Martin Barclay]

Err...nope. "UK Power Networks own and maintain electricity cables and lines across London, South East and East of England."

So as they only cover Anglia & the south-east of England, IMO "UK Power Networks" is a /complete/ misnomer.

[Dave Liquorice]

Quite, babies are pretty damn tough, they frequently get pulled out alive from collaspsed building a week or more after an earthquake. I think they are just to young to realise that they ought to be dead, so don't die.

Do people slob about their homes in just a T shirt and boxers? And not have a jumper or coat to put on if the heating fails or a decent duvet and blanket or two and everyone snuggle up together. Baby will really like that so you only do it when you have to.

[F Murtz]

When everybody gets smart meters it will be easy.

[harry]

In the event ofa power cut, certain people allegedly have priority in having it restored.

[RJH]

Quite - at the councils and HAs (I've worked at) vulnerable households are flagged on the system. In that way they can if possible prioritise and tailor repairs and maintenance.

I'm not sure that 'being 65' or disabled, or having children, necessarily makes people vulnerable - just more likely.

[tabbypurr]

So many youngsters seem to be whining wimps now.

NT

[Roger Mills]

What will be easy - and why?

[The Natural Philosopher]

It wont be Hive controlling your home, it will be your local Party Apparatchik...