Are you one of thousands of households missing out on up to £400 free cash to help pay water bills? How to apply
IF you’re struggling to pay your water bills, there is plenty of help available including social tariffs and grants from your water company.
And with the Consumer Council for Water warning that water bills in the UK could rise by as much as 70% by 2030, more people than ever could need extra support.
Water companies themselves are hinting at future hikes, too.
The Sun reported last month that Thames Water bosses had said bills will need to go up by 40% to pay for much-needed improvements to the company’s infrastructure.
With inflation, that’s a 56% increase, which could push up household bills by £262 a year on average.
Southern Water, which covers much of the south of England, is proposing an even bigger 70% rise – up £749 a year after inflation.
More than two million customers are receiving some form of support from companies to help with paying their water bill.
However, research from the water regulator, Ofwat, found that only 30% of customers are aware of what help is available.
Social tariffs
If you’re on a low income and are struggling to pay your water bills, contact your supplier and ask them about social tariffs.
Every water company has one, and they can reduce your bill by hundreds of pounds.
However, the eligibility criteria and level of support depends on who is supplying your water.
You might get a percentage discount – for instance, eligible customers of Southern Water, Wessex Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy will get up to 90% off, depending on personal circumstances.
Other companies offer a much lower fixed rate than usual. For example, qualifying Affinity Water customers will get their annual water bills capped at £119.50.
Customers who receive a council tax reduction may only have to pay £79.70.
Here are some of the suppliers that have help available:
- Affinity water – Lift
- Anglian Water – Lite
- Bournemouth Water – WaterCare
- Bristol Water – Assist
- Cambridge Water – Assure
- Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water – HelpU
- Essex and Suffolk Water – SupportPLUS
- Hafren Dyfrdwy – Here2Help
- Hartlepool – Lite
- Northumbrian Water – SupportPLUS
- Portsmouth Water – Helping Hand
- Severn Trent Water – Big Difference
- South East Water
- Southern Water – Essentials
- South Staffordshire Water – Assure
- South West Water – WaterCare
- SES Water – Water Support
- Thames Water – WaterHelp
- United Utilities – Back on Track
- Wessex Water – Assist
- Yorkshire Water – WaterSupport
It’s best to contact your supplier directly to ask what help is available and how to apply.
WaterSure bill cap scheme
The WaterSure scheme caps water and sewage bills for eligible customers – typically those who need a lot of water due to a disability or because there are lots of school-aged children living in the house.
To qualify, you need to receive certain income-related benefits and to have a water meter installed.
Every water company offers WaterStart. The list of eligible benefits you must claim to qualify includes:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit awarded at a rate higher than the family element
Some water providers have extended the scheme to cover households where someone receives the Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments.
You’ll also need to show that you need a lot of water and that this is essential for your family.
This usually means that someone in the household has a medical condition, or that there are three or more children under 19 who use the property as their main home.
Citizen’s Advice says that the following medical conditions will automatically qualify a household for WaterSure, as long as all other eligibility criteria are met:
- Desquamation (flaky skin disease)
- Weeping skin disease (eczema, psoriasis or varicose ulceration)
- Incontinence
- Abdominal stomas
- Renal failure requiring dialysis at home – although you won’t qualify for WaterSure if you’re already getting a contribution to your water costs from the NHS
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
Other medical conditions may be eligible, but the water company might ask for details from a GP.
To apply, you will need to fill in a form, which can be found on your water supplier’s website. Ask your supplier if you can’t find theirs.
Your GP will need to confirm the medical condition, which could be done using a free stamp, or you might have to pay for a certificate.
Each water company applies its own cap for people who are eligible for WaterSure.
You should check with your supplier to see what its scheme offers.
Dealing with water debts
If you are in debt with your water company, there are often several ways that your supplier can help.
As soon as you start to struggle, you must call the company and explain your situation.
Schemes available include:
- Water Direct: This is a scheme that allows you to pay water bills directly from your benefits payments if you are in debt with your supplier. Visit your water company’s website for details.
- Debt support schemes: Thames Water offer a scheme that will match payments towards arrears pound for pound, Dwr Cymru will clear your arrears if you sign up to stick with a payment plan, and United Utilities has a trust fund to help people out of poverty and debt.
Flexible payments
Most water companies will allow you to change the way you pay to allow you to budget more easily – for instance, by paying weekly, fortnightly and even monthly.
Some will allow you to take a payment holiday to help you manage short-term financial difficulties.
Contact your water supplier to see how they can help.
What other help can I get with my water bills?
Double-check your bill to make sure you’re only paying for services you actually use.
For example, if you have a soak-away in your garden, you shouldn’t be paying for surface water drainage charges.
Similarly, if you’ve got a septic tank, you don’t have to pay sewerage fees.
Water companies could backdate your refund, so get in touch with the firm that covers your area directly.
When you get your water bill, take a proper look at it and compare it to earlier bills.
If there’s an unexplained increase, you should investigate why that is. For example, you could have a water leak.
Some customers who are on a meter but struggle to keep their water use down could get extra help.
Many water companies also offer free water-saving devices that shave pounds off your bills.
Contact your supplier or check out savewatersavemoney.co.uk.
Freebies include shower timers and buffalo bags, which save water with every toilet flush.
You can find more information online.
COULD A WATER METER SAVE YOU CASH?
COMMENT by Tara Evans, Head of Consumer at The Sun:
IF You have more bedrooms in your house than you have people, then it might be worth seeing if you could save money by installing a water meter.
Your company will usually install the meter within three months of you requesting.
Be careful, as you could end up paying more.
The Consumer Council for Water’s calculator will help you calculate if you could save money.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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