Solar calculator showing on the digital display the word "HELP".

Cash-strapped households in Wales are being urged by the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) to stay one step ahead of rising water bills by taking advantage of untapped financial support.

With inflation levels at a six-year high, many consumers could see their water bills rise from 1 April when water companies are allowed to add RPI inflation to their 2018/19 charges – over and above the levels their price limits allow.1

That will heap more pressure on the one in eight households in Wales who already say they cannot afford their water bills – but CCWater says customers can take action now to dilute the impact.

Tom Taylor, Wales Chair at the Consumer Council for Water said: “Many households will have a financial hangover after Christmas and we don’t want water bills to add to these worries.”

“Water companies in Wales have a wide range of schemes that can substantially ease the pressure on households that are feeling the pinch. With potential water bill increases in the pipeline, we’d urge struggling customers not to bury their head in the sand – now is the time to act.”

A growing number of low-income households in Wales are already seeking help by signing up for water companies’ social tariff schemes, which can reduce bills by more than 50 per cent in some cases.

Other assistance is available through customer assistance funds, flexible payment plans and WaterSure Wales, which can reduce the bills of customers on certain benefits who also use lots of water for essential needs.

Struggling households can also try to boost their income by using the benefits calculator and grants search tool on CCWater’s website. In the past two years the calculator has helped thousands of customers identify potential annual means-tested benefits totalling more than £9 million.

A few clicks on CCWater’s water meter calculator can also help customers work out if switching to a water meter might save them money. In some cases customers can cut their bills by more than £100 a year.

To arrange an interview with CCWaters water charges expert Andy White please call CCWaters media team on 0121 345 1005/1006.

1 The Office for National Statistics previously announced the retail price index (RPI) for November 2017 had risen to 3.9 per cent.