Heat networks regulation: consumer protection guidance​

Closes 17 Oct 2025

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Protections for Consumers in Vulnerable Situations

Summary

In this chapter, we provide draft guidance on the full suite of protections for consumers in vulnerable situations. This includes the following authorisation conditions:

  • Priority Services Register
  • Security Deposits, Payment Difficulties, Disconnections and Direct Debits
  • Prepayment Meters
  • Self-disconnection

Details

In acknowledging this guidance, stakeholders should also take note of the principle-based requirement in the Standards of Conduct to provide consumers in vulnerable situations with additional support.

Similarly, stakeholders should take note where other authorisation conditions and guidance also require additional protections for consumers in vulnerable situations.

We have included initial guidance on advanced and smart meters, which we will keep under review to ensure alignment with developments in the Heat Networks Technical Assurance Standard (HNTAS).

We acknowledge that interactions may exist between current housing regulations, such as those set out by the Regulator for Social Housing in England & Wales and the Scottish Housing Regulator. We encourage stakeholders to provide their views on how we may best ensure we are aligned with existing regulations.

Before you give us your views

You’ll need to read the full details in:

20. Do you have any views on interactions between the protections for heat network consumers in vulnerable situations and existing regulations in housing, such as the social housing, leasehold and freehold, and private rental sectors?
21. Do you find our proposed guidance on priority services registers relevant to the corresponding authorisation condition, and useful?
22. Do you find our proposed guidance on security deposits, payment difficulties, disconnections and direct debits relevant to the corresponding authorisation condition, and useful?
23. Do you find our proposed guidance on prepayment meters relevant to the corresponding authorisation condition, and useful?
24. Do you find our proposed guidance on self-disconnection relevant to the corresponding authorisation condition, and useful?
25. Do you have suggestions for what we should consider including in a future iteration of the guidance on protections for consumers in vulnerable situations, to make it more useful?