Enabling Electricity Enquiry Service searches using a Unique Property Reference Number
Summary
Consumers that wish to utilise multi-channel switching services for gas, electricity, water, broadband, bank, home insurance etc. cannot make use of generic address-capture services for electricity switching as Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) search functionality is not available within the Electricity Enquiry Service (EES).
Latest update and next planned activity
Date of latest update
Latest Update
08/11/2024 - This Change Proposal has been implemented as part of the November 2024 REC Release.
Impacts Overview
Impacted Consumers
Electricity
Gas
Domestic
Non-Domestic
Impacted REC Parties and Market Participants
Energy Supplier
Distribution Network Operator
Data Collector
Data Aggregator
Green Deal Provider
Meter Asset Provider
AMR Service Provider
Other
Impacted REC Services
Electricity Enquiry Service (EES)
Priority and rationale
Standard
Priority last updated on 29 May 2026
Solution development
Problem Statement
Consumers that wish to utilise multi-channel switching services, cannot benefit from the efficiencies of using a UPRN for the electricity Switch as the EES does not provide this functionality.
Proposed solution summary
- As a Consumer, I want to be able to switch my electricity easily and efficiently.
- As I Consumer, I want to be able to quote or switch my electricity as part of a packaged search.
- As a Supplier, I want Consumers to be able to search for quotes and switch efficiently.
- As an organisation providing multi-channel switching services, I want Consumers to be able to use one set of data when requesting quotes.
No documents available.
Change Plan
Service Provider Impact Assessment window start
Completed
Start:
19 Apr 2023Due:
02 Oct 2023Completion:
02 Oct 2023Service Provider Impact Assessment window close
Completed
Start:
02 Oct 2023Due:
18 Dec 2023Completion:
18 Dec 2023Party Impact Assessment start
Completed
Start:
18 Dec 2023Due:
12 Jan 2024Completion:
12 Jan 2024Preliminary Change Report and Consultation issued
Completed
Start:
02 Feb 2024Due:
16 Feb 2024Completion:
16 Feb 2024Party Impact Assessment close
Completed
Start:
12 Jan 2024Due:
02 Feb 2024Completion:
02 Feb 2024Consultation close
Completed
Start:
16 Feb 2024Due:
08 Mar 2024Completion:
08 Mar 2024Final Change Report issued
Completed
Start:
08 Mar 2024Due:
15 Mar 2024Completion:
15 Mar 2024Responsible Committee decision
Completed
Start:
15 Mar 2024Due:
27 Mar 2024Completion:
27 Mar 2024Appeal window closure
Completed
Start:
27 Mar 2024Due:
12 Apr 2024Completion:
12 Apr 2024Original submission
Change details
Andrew Dawson - GB Group plc
19 Apr 2023
Change details
Enabling Electricity Enquiry Service searches using a Unique Property Reference Number
A user of the gas and electricity enquiry services may already have a UPRN of a a Consumer's address for which they have Consumer consent to retrieve the meter point details in order to execute a switch. Xoserve provides a search of GES by UPRN which allows this use case of the service. However, EES does not provide this functionality and users can only search by MPAN or by address.
Many organisations such as PCWs and some multi-utility suppliers, provide multi-channel switching services for gas, electricity, water, broadband, bank, motor/home insurance etc. Such organisations ideally want to ask consumers to search/enter address details once for all channels, and many of these companies make use of generic address-capture services that provide a UPRN with the address. Without a UPRN search on EES, a consumer that's already provided an address to an organisation for a broadband switch for example, will in general be required to search again for their address when switching energy with the same organisation. However, if the organisation has already captured the UPRN, then for the vast majority of premises, this will resolve to a single electricity meter point location. The electricity meter details can then be automatically retrieved directly using the UPRN, when the consumer requests a tariff quote or elects to switch, providing an significantly improved consumer onboarding experience.
Added functionality to return meter point details for one or multiple meter points (MPANs) from a search of UPRN
1) GBG is a Third Party Intermediary Service Provider. Many of our customers (PCWs, brokers and energy suppliers) provide multi-channel switching services in addition to energy switching. For non-energy channels these companies subscribe to address capture services provided by Loqate (the location management arm of GBG) and would like to search our Utilities Register product (which makes use of GES and EES) using the UPRN previously captured from our online address web services. Currently, we are unable to provide this functionality for electricity switching. 2) Most large energy suppliers will be licensed to use AddressBase Premium (either directly from OS or through an OS partner such as GBG) for other geographic functions within their organisation and will thus have access to UPRNs of all their consumers' premises. A UPRN search of EES will thus be beneficial to most market participants, including those that do not subscribe to Loqate's Utilities Register service.
Impacts
Electricity, Gas, Domestic Prepayment, Domestic Credit, Microbusiness, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Industrial and Commercial (I&C), Other (please specify in the Additional information box below)
Switching experience, Trust and confidence, Other (please provide details in Additional information box below)
Positive impact - All users of EES including suppliers, PCWs, brokers - Consumers will experience faster and improved onboarding journeys There are no perceived negative impacts to any consumers
No details provided
There is no perceived impact to the REC or any schedules
No details provided
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The UPRN is classified as OpenData. There are no DP/PII impacts relating to its use or distribution to other parties. No royalties are liable to OS for its use or sharing. As such there should be no impact to the Data Access Matrix. The UPRN should already be listed in the Data Item Catalogue so it's not expected this change proposal will require any change.
No details provided
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No details provided
Change required to the EES API Specification rather than to the EES Service Definition.
Energy Suppliers, Distribution Network Operators, Data Collectors, Data Aggregators, Green Deal Providers, Meter Asset Providers, AMR Service Providers, EES Users
Any user of EES API service that holds property UPRNs will benefit from this change
No details provided
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No
No details provided
Priority & timing
No
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R0098 also proposes a change to EES. If this proceeds, it would make sense from a design, development, testing and implementation perspectives, to coordinate both changes to EES within the same release.
No details provided
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Activity
Proposed solution summary changed to As a Consumer, I want to be able to switch my electricity easily and efficiently.As I Consumer, I want to be able to quote or switch my electricity as part of a packaged search.As a Supplier, I want Consumers to…
Proposed solution summary changed to As a Consumer, I want to be able to switch my electricity easily and efficiently.As I Consumer, I want to be able to quote or switch my electricity as part of a packaged search.As a Supplier, I want Consumers to be able to search for quotes and switch efficiently.As an organisation providing multi-channel switching services, I want Consumers to be able to use one set of data when requesting quotes..
Show moreImplementation Date has been updated to 08 Nov 2024.
Orphaned SME: Lead Technical Analyst has been allocated as SME.