Help paying water bills

daisyparky

I recently got in touch with my water board United utility as I was struggling to pay my bill and was also in arrears of nearly £1000 , I don't work I'm on PIP and JSA , I also get child benefit, so they applied for a grant for me a one off payment and paid my arrears off, I don't need to pay back anything of the grant . They asked me a few more questions about me tal health , and they signed me up to a scheme for future payments of £10 a month , you've got to make sure that you keep paying it every ,month or they will end up knocking you off the scheme, they send you a payment card in the post which gives you a date when you've got to start your payments and it was so helpful , I hope that's help you good luck 

KxMx

So glad they helped you. 
We applied for a discounted tariff with Anglian Water, they picked up we were entitled to an even cheaper one and put us on that one instead. 

Diana2014

I was prompted by an earlier discussion to claim a surface water drainage rebate from Thames Water, back in November, but never received more than an autoreply, untruthfully promising that they would contact me within six working days.

Four months later, they mistakenly assumed that my enquiry was about their social tariff, WaterHelp (formerly WaterSure Plus), and sent me a claim form for that. It seems that, although they've known for many years that I've been living on a tiny budget, it took coronavirus to get them to recognise that I might be eligible for this tariff, which reduces one's water bills by 50% if one's household has a very low income.

If the tariff has worked like that since its inception, I must have been charged double what I should have been for several years - just when my income was most marginal. I wonder why this way of reducing one's water bills hasn't become much better known. I'd have applied much earlier if I'd known about it but am now stuck with arguing about when my local water company should have offered me the opportunity - and holding out on paying the current bill, meantime.

I found government guidance dated June 2012 on how water and sewerage companies should implement the power given to them by section 44 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, which "enables water and sewerage undertakers in England and Wales to include social tariffs in their charges schemes. It enables undertakers to reduce charges for individuals who would otherwise have difficulty paying their bill in full." So these social tariffs may be as much as eight - or even ten - years old.

Thames Water also runs a separate scheme which caps one's bill in defined circumstances. Both are described at https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/account-and-billing/financial-support/waterhelp . 

[Deleted User]

Diana2014 said:

and holding out on paying the current bill, meantime.

That is inadvisable, they could place a default marker on your credit file for non-payment, which will not help you in any way.

Diana2014 said:

If the tariff has worked like that since its inception, I must have been charged double what I should have been for several years - just when my income was most marginal. I wonder why this way of reducing one's water bills hasn't become much better known. I'd have applied much earlier if I'd known about it but am now stuck with arguing about when my local water company should have offered me the opportunity

I am not really sure they know your financial circumstances, it is not like you submit your income to them on an annual basis to assess. I would say it is fairly well known, it gets mentioned in MSE articles every few months, the local food banks, charities etc. mention it, it is on their website under the section for people struggling with their bills, it would be mentioned by debt help charities, benefits sites etc. Just like many other things it is the individual's responsibility to apply for things, just the same as Universal Credit, nsJSA, nsESA, Child Benefit etc. you have to apply for them. 

Jeremy535897

The application cannot be backdated, at least according to Severn Trent. See
https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-account/help-when-you-need-it/help-with-paying-your-bill/watersure-scheme/

diggingdude

remember to say thank you to everyone who pays water bills for subsidising your water bill.  we are happy to do it but maybe be grateful of the help now rather than looking for backdating/compo?