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UKRPA Seminar – Approaching Vulnerability

Posted on by ukrpa

The 2019-20 UKRPA Seminar Programme continues, with the second Seminar taking place at Gemserv Offices on Thursday 13th June 2019.

The four-part Programme, which began in November 2018, is aimed at all levels of industry participants and will take deep dives into particular areas of Revenue Protection.

The Second Seminar, ‘Approaching Vulnerability’, will focus on:

  • Key industry stakeholders’ approaches to addressing vulnerable customers;
  • Consideration of wider understanding of vulnerability, including mental health;
  • Measures to address vulnerability employed by UKRPA Members, including discussion of what could comprise best practice; and
  • Identification of the next steps for UKRPA with regard to vulnerability.

Being a significant topic within the industry, the focus on vulnerability is hugely relevant and aims to facilitate interesting and valuable discussion amongst Members and wider stakeholders. Members are therefore encouraged to promote the Seminar to your wider contacts, to whom this subject may be of interest.

UKRPA Members are entitled to two free places each. Non-Members are charged £200 per place.

Please contact UKRPA@Gemserv.com to book your place and to find out more.

Revenue Protection News Story

Posted on by ukrpa

The Daily Mirror has published an article regarding a disabled customer discovering an illegal cannabis farm in his basement. Investigation is being carried out into the activities of the customer’s caring assistant.

As the Supplier, British Gas’ Revenue Protection Unit attended the site after ascertaining the customer’s bills were exceptionally high due to the growing of the cannabis farm. The case has been ongoing since last year.

The story can be found here.

Please contact UKRPA@Gemserv.com if you have any questions.

New Chairman and confirmation of Committee membership 2018

Posted on by ukrpa

Following the General Meeting on 20th April 2018, Tony Thornton decided to step down from his role as UKRPA Chairman following seven successful years in office.

With the support of a strong Executive Committee, the Association has secured many notable achievements during that time, including:

  • Revamping the UKRPA strategy to focus on its core values
  • Growth in membership numbers from 12 to 25
  • Establishment of a quarterly members forum, to encourage roundtable discussion of best practice solutions to industry issues
  • Successful delivery of three National Revenue Protection Conferences and four educational seminars
  • Creation of an anonymous fraud reporting helpline, with over 15,000 reports disseminated to Suppliers and Distributors to date
  • Numerous television and radio appearances (including BBC, ITV, Channel 5, Sky), working to raise public awareness of energy theft issues
  • Representation of member views through responses to consultations, including Ofgem’s Tackling Electricity Theft and Tackling Gas Theft, and the Sentencing Council’s Theft Offences Guideline Consultation

At its meeting in January 2018, the UKRPA Committee reaffirmed its preference for a Chair independent of its membership.   Accordingly, the Committee ratified Paul Rocke as the replacement Chair, who assumes the role with immediate effect.

Paul has worked tirelessly within the energy industry for over eight years as an employee of Gemserv.  He brings invaluable knowledge and skills to the Association, drawing from his experience with central market code governance and trade associations within the electricity and gas space. He currently chairs a number of groups and has worked very closely with Tony since 2013, to deliver services to the UKRPA.

It will be business as usual for the UKRPA, with Paul being ably supported in his role by Rachel Bird (as the UKRPA Secretary). At the General Meeting, the membership elected its Committee for 2018/19. The following representatives were unanimously elected to the Committee:

  • Ian Main, Scottish Power (Vice Chair)
  • Mike Wilkinson, npower Meterplus (Vice Chair)
  • Lynne Fallon, Centrica (Executive Committee Member)
  • Karen Ainsworth, Electricity North West (Executive Committee Member)
  • Claire Copplestone, SSE Metering (Executive Committee Member)