Founded in 1989, the Public Utilities Access Forum (PUAF) is an informal association of organisations which helps to develop policy on the regulation of the public utilities providing electricity, gas, communications and water services in England and Wales. PUAF facilitates the exchange of information and opinions between bodies concerned with the provision of those utilities to consumers with low incomes or special service needs, such as the elderly and people with mental and physical disabilities. It draws the particular problems of such consumers to the attention of the industries, the regulators and other relevant bodies, promoting the adoption of policies and practices which cater for their needs, exchanging information about service provision and promoting research.