How do you actually go about getting help if you need extra support during lockdown? In recent weeks, the struggles that many of the 1.5 million people classed as ‘extremely vulnerable’ to get access to some services has become apparent.
This has been most stark with getting supermarket delivery slots, but Resolver is increasingly hearing from people who are finding it hard to get the help they need from call centres and websites in almost all the main sectors.
To highlight the scale of the support that’s needed, Resolver identified the numbers of people who are classed as vulnerable and made complaints in 2019 across all business sectors. The numbers show how businesses need to focus their resources on reaching the people who need prioritising the most.
The table below shows the number and percentage of people who may be vulnerable or in need of help and prioritisation during the coronavirus pandemic.
| Sector Name | Vulnerable people by number | total cases | percentage vulnerable |
| Finance | 308,559 | 587,672 | 52.51% |
| Shops | 121,747 | 848,029 | 14.36% |
| Telecoms | 85,173 | 225,792 | 37.72% |
| Travel | 82,502 | 745,437 | 11.07% |
| Restaurants | 39,992 | 204,276 | 19.58% |
| Energy | 21,321 | 68,345 | 31.20% |
| Motoring | 16,831 | 80,055 | 21.02% |
| Legal | 12,359 | 18,121 | 68.20% |
| Leisure | 12,029 | 68,815 | 17.48% |
| Services | 11,084 | 34,001 | 32.60% |
| Public Services | 10,568 | 35,996 | 29.36% |
| Insurance | 9,018 | 44,126 | 20.44% |
| Property | 6,636 | 16,359 | 40.56% |
| Health | 5,450 | 7,209 | 75.60% |
| Water | 2,236 | 6,529 | 34.25% |
Resolver’s chief executive, Alex Neill, says
From supermarkets to holiday companies, businesses are facing an unprecedented wave of people contacting them seeking help. Asking people to step back and let those most in need get help first is only one part of the solution. Businesses need to prioritise the most vulnerable people and act fast to help them resolve their issue.
To help businesses identify which of their customers may need help the most, Resolver Vulnerability Assistant software will be free throughout the pandemic. The software allows businesses to identify which complaints are more likely to be from people who need extra help or support. To enquire please contact bet@egeriainsights.com.
Find out more about the Vulnerability Assistant Portal here: https://www.egeriainsights.com/resources/news/free-support-to-identify-vulnerable-customers/
If you’d like more information about this story, contact Martyn James and the press team on press@resolvergroup.com. You can find Resolver’s general coronavirus / COVID 19 advice and resources here: http://news.resolver.co.uk/category/coronavirus/