WaterHelp scheme (Thames Water)

[Deleted User]

Hi,
Some background information:
I do not have a water meter installed at home and would like to apply for WaterHelp "If your household is on a low income, you may qualify for a discount on your water and waste bills through our WaterHelp scheme (formerly called WaterSure Plus). Your gross yearly household income is less than £19,565 before any deductions, and you live in a London borough. When considering your income, please include all wages, salaries, pensions and benefits for all residents of your household (excluding disability benefits).

Just wondering if anyone happened to know what kind of disability benefits would be excluded when calculating the gross household income in the last 12 months for the WaterHelp scheme please. Will ESA & PIP & Council tax reductions be excluded from the calculation?

Non dependant moved back in early this year, on fixed term contract currently earning £20k/year, the contract will end soon & have no other contract lined up yet. If total household income in the last 12 months (April 2019 - March 2020) is still less than £19,565, can we apply for Waterhelp?
Any inputs would be greatly appreciated!

Diana2014

The 25% Council tax reduction for being a single-adult household can't be excluded, as it's not a disability benefit. (You're obliged to tell the Council as soon as your household ceases to qualify for that reduction.)
PIP should be deductible for WaterHelp purposes; also ESA, if it's a successor to Incapacity Benefit. (Not if it's a successor to Unemployment Benefit, though; that's not disability-related.)

The cap on gross household income for the financial year 2019-2020, for a home in a London borough, was £19,201 - according to the claim form for this scheme which I was sent in March this year. If your combined gross income for that financial year, excluding disability benefits, is less than that figure, it's certainly worth applying. They might find other reasons to refuse but you won't know until you try!