Help for customers struggling to afford their water bills

With soaring energy bills and other rising costs turning up the heat on household finances, it’s even more important to make sure you’re getting the help you need from your water company.

It’s a utility that is often overlooked when it comes to saving money, despite water companies offering a wide range of assistance schemes.

Only 4 per cent of bill payers reported receiving financial help from their water company during the past year – meaning millions of customers are potentially missing out on untapped support.

Here are a few ways you can reduce your water bills and free up vital cash to spend on other rising costs.

Help for low-income households

Whether it’s taking a payment break to you get your finances back on track or having your bills reduced through a social tariff, water companies have a wide range of schemes to support people who are struggling to afford their water bills. Some social tariffs can cut the bills of low-income customers by as much as 90 per cent, although the reductions do vary depending on your circumstances and supplier.

Our help with my bills page summarises what’s on offer but it’s important to contact your supplier to discuss the best support for your situation

Trial a water meter

If you’re among the 40 per cent of households who still do not have a water meter, it’s worth checking if you might be better off with one. Not everyone will save on a meter but some customers find they can cut their bills by hundreds of pounds. Last year our water meter calculator helped tens of thousands of households identify annual bill savings totalling nearly £14 million. Give it a go

Cap your bills with WaterSure

WaterSure is offered by all companies in England and Wales. It limits metered bills for high water users on a low income to – at most – the average bill for the region. The average saving is about £270 a year. Customers qualify for help through this scheme if they are metered; in receipt of certain welfare benefits and are receiving child benefit for three or more children under the age of 19 or have someone living at the property with a medical condition requiring high water use. Ask your water company for more information.

Benefits Calculator and Grants Search

When you’re struggling to make ends meet it’s even more important to make sure you’re accessing the welfare payments or other forms of support that you might be entitled to. Our Benefits Calculator and Grants Search make it easy for you to identify whether you might be eligible for means-tested benefits or support through a charitable fund

Get smart at the art of saving water

A large chunk of our energy costs stem from the hot water we use in our home – so getting a little more savvy in the way we use water can help us build up a head of steam with those savings. Simple steps like taking shorter showers or making sure your dishwasher is always full loaded can add up to valuable savings over the year. Take a look at some of our tips

CCW is also leading efforts to strengthen support for households facing hardship through a raft measures we recommended in our water affordability review. Keep up to speed with our campaign to end water poverty