A great afternoon session with key figures from across the Water, Energy and Utilities sector, really discussing the converging focus on vulnerability, from all regulators and how this is driving alignment. Some really important key themes around data sharing, understanding support needs and collaboration across the industry.
Key Take Aways
- Disclosure challenges persist: Individuals with mental health issues often require days of preparation before making phone calls, with recovery periods extending after unsuccessful attempts.
- Systemic communication barriers: Traditional contact methods, such as phone calls, can exacerbate stress and hinder support access for vulnerable consumers.
- Human-centric system design is critical: Effective systems must be built with an understanding of actionable support needs, information clarity, and user control.
- Current vulnerability support lacks consistency: Organisations hesitate to commit to long-term support due to concerns over consistency and capacity.
- Flags alone are insufficient: Relying solely on disability or mental health flags fails to provide the nuanced, personalised support individuals require.
- Data transparency and control drive trust: Clear communication on how personal data will be used and who will access it is central to consumer confidence.
- Data sharing must lead to tangible support: Vulnerability data must be linked directly to consistent and meaningful interventions.
- Fragmented systems hinder progress: Islands of data and disparate efforts create inefficiencies, reinforcing the need for national infrastructure and shared standards.
- Opportunity to build shared national infrastructure: Drawing a parallel with the early rollout of the 999 emergency system, there is a moment to create universal, cross-sector solutions.
- Historical distrust limits disclosures: Only a small percentage of consumers disclose vulnerability to essential service providers, citing fears of harm or inaction.
- Consent-based data models empower consumers: Explicit consent models, like that of the VRS-TransUnion partnership, provide control and enable consistent cross-sector support.
- Collaboration is key: Competitive posturing between organisations risks undermining trust and obstructing the opportunity to build shared systems.
Innovation
- Consent-based distribution model: The Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS) and TransUnion partnership enables consented data sharing to hundreds of partners, removing the disclosure burden from the consumer.
- Outcome-based vulnerability flags: VRS introduces multiple vulnerability flags with associated outcomes, empowering consumers to articulate their support expectations.
- Consumer self-management portal: A redesigned portal allows individuals to manage, update, or remove their vulnerability data autonomously.
- Integration with credit monitoring tools: VRS data is now integrated with tools like CreditView, demonstrating no adverse credit impact from vulnerability disclosures.
Key Statistics
- 2–3 days: Time some consumers need to mentally prepare for a phone call.
- 2–3 days: Recovery time required after failed or stressful interactions.
- 6–7: Number of vulnerable interactions per consumer annually across essential services.
- 6.7: Average number of vulnerability flags selected per registrant.
- 88%: VRS users who select a mental health-related indicator.
- 50–75%: Consumers willing to disclose vulnerability if systems are well-designed.
- 26 million: UK consumers actively monitoring their credit file.
- 50%: VRS registrants also using credit monitoring tools.
- 13%: Disclosure rate to financial services (Mental Health Policy Institute).
- 11–14%: Disclosure rate to other essential services.
Key Discussion Points
- Consumers seek alternative, less stressful communication channels, such as email, to avoid emotional distress.
- Effective vulnerability systems must deliver actionable support, information clarity, and user control.
- Disclosure is often impeded by distrust in how data will be used and a lack of perceived benefit.
- Flags alone are insufficient; organisations need a deeper understanding of consumers’ lived experiences and desired outcomes.
- Vulnerability data must be used to provide timely, consistent support rather than populating static lists.
- The infrastructure for vulnerability data sharing remains fragmented across sectors.
- The 999 service analogy highlights the power of incremental, scalable system development.
- There is limited research on how well organisations meet existing support needs.
- Involving lived experience groups (“awkward squads”) is vital for designing effective solutions.
- High credit monitoring rates among vulnerable users suggest awareness and willingness to engage if tools are accessible.
- Vulnerability indicators must distinguish between long-term and short-term needs to enable tailored interventions.
- Cross-sector collaboration is essential to ensure consumers do not need to disclose vulnerability repeatedly.
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