Set up a Priority Services Register bill nominee
A privacy-conscious process for nominating a trusted person to receive energy bills while keeping account permissions and household costs clear.
A resident who needs help reading or acting on energy bills can ask the supplier about the Priority Services Register and nominate a trusted person to receive communications and bills. In a shared home, define that nominee's role in writing, keep payment authority separate, and make sure the account holder still knows what has been received and paid.
Decide what help the resident actually needs
Start with the barrier, not the label. A resident may need large-print bills, a different contact channel, help reading the meter, a trusted recipient for letters, or support after a temporary life change. Write down the practical request in the resident's own words.
Ofgem's current Priority Services Register guidance says help can be needed permanently or for a short period. Listed services include accessible account information, regular meter readings, and the ability to nominate a trusted person to receive communications and bills.
The supplier and network operator keep their own registers. Billing help belongs with the energy supplier, while network support concerns the pipes, wires, and interruptions. If gas and electricity come from different suppliers, Ofgem says each supplier must be contacted separately.
Set up a bill nominee with clear consent
The resident should contact the supplier through an official channel and ask to join its Priority Services Register, explaining the support needed. For a bill nominee, provide only the details the supplier requests and ask it to confirm where future bills and notices will go.
Before the call, agree on four boundaries:
1. whether the nominee receives copies or replaces the resident as the correspondence recipient;
2. whether the nominee may discuss the account with the supplier;
3. who is allowed to approve tariff or payment changes;
4. how the nominee will pass urgent notices to the household.
Receiving a bill does not automatically mean a person can enter contracts, change direct debits, or make legal decisions for the account holder. Ask the supplier what its nominee arrangement permits. If broader authority is needed, obtain appropriate independent advice rather than assuming a roommate relationship is enough.
Consent should be specific and revocable. The resident can state which address or contact detail may be used and which household information should remain private. Avoid placing medical details in a general roommate chat. The HomeCo guide to accessible household communication preferences can help turn the resident's choices into a practical, limited plan.
Build a reliable bill handoff
Choose one routine for every incoming bill. The nominee records the receipt date, amount due, due date, meter-reading status, and any action required. The account holder receives an accessible summary or copy through the agreed channel. Shared charges can then enter the household ledger without exposing unrelated account information.
Set a shorter deadline for urgent notices such as failed payments, meter appointments, debt contact, or a tariff ending. Include a backup contact for periods when the nominee is away, but add that person to the supplier account only with the resident's consent.
Review the arrangement after a supplier switch, a move, or a change in the resident's needs. Ofgem says a customer who switches supplier needs to ask to join the new supplier's Priority Services Register. Do not assume the billing nomination followed automatically.
How HomeCo helps
Use HomeCo only for the nonsensitive household actions. Schedule tasks for checking that a bill arrived, entering the shared amount, and confirming payment. Keep the supplier's confirmation, account credentials, and the resident's reasons for requesting support outside the household workspace in storage chosen by the resident.
The shared expense record should show only what roommates need to split the expense: service period, shared amount, due date, and settlement status. It does not need eligibility details or the reason the resident requested support. A scheduled task can prompt the resident to confirm that the nominee and contact method still work.
Frequently asked questions
Can any roommate become the bill nominee?
The nominee should be someone the eligible resident trusts, and the supplier must set up the arrangement. Being a roommate by itself does not grant access to another person's energy account.
Does nomination make the nominee responsible for the debt?
Receiving communications is not the same as accepting contractual liability. Confirm the nominee's permissions with the supplier and do not describe them as a joint account holder unless they actually are one.
Will the nomination transfer to a new supplier?
Do not rely on that. Ofgem advises customers who switch supplier to ask to join the new supplier's Priority Services Register. Reconfirm the nominee and requested services after the switch.