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<p>Under the Security and Emergency Measures Direction (SEMD), companies have to provide
an annual self-assessment of whether their emergency plans include prompt identification
and support of vulnerable customers, including transient vulnerabilities and customers
who are not on the Priority Service Register. Assurance and enforcement of SEMD requirements
is undertaken by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). However, neither DWI or Defra
collects data on the number of vulnerable people in each water region.</p><p> </p><p>All
water companies have priority service registers, which customers voluntarily sign
up to. The Priority Services Register is a free support service that makes sure extra
help is available to people in vulnerable situations. The number of customers signed
up to Thames Water’s priority service register has increased from 60,020 in 2017-18
to 284,379 in 2021-22.</p>
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