PENSIONERS and disabled people are being urged to sign up to a programme designed to give them more peace of mind.

Hambleton Citizens Advice Bureau wants them to say yes to a scheme offering free gas safety checks, emergency heating in power cuts and protection against bogus callers among other things.

The bureau is backing a campaign by independent gas and electricity watchdog Energywatch to make sure more people know about the services available to people with special needs through Priority Services Registers.

The free service is available to people who are disabled or chronically sick, those of pensionable age and anyone with a visual or hearing impairment.

Hambleton CAB manager Jean Wooler said: "We see a lot of pensioners and disabled people who have no idea they are entitled to these special services provided by all gas and electricity suppliers.

"We hope the Energywatch campaign will mean more vulnerable people get a service better tailored to their needs.

"We also want to see gas and electricity companies doing more to check if their customers are eligible for the Priority Services Register. Our evidence suggests that at the moment they often fail to make sure people know about it."

For information about the Priority Services Register telephone 08459 060708.

People who are hearing impaired can text phone 18001 08490 60708, or log on to www.energywatch.org.uk