Welsh Water disability discount.

Vapegirlclouds

Hello
I've just been moved to Welsh Water. Our Water rates were previously paid in with our rent. The council has stopped doing this & we now have to pay almost £60 a month whereas it was split weekly previously. 

I was looking on their website & they offer a substantial discount for those who are disabled providing they have a meter installed. It doesn't matter how much water you actually use as it's all capped. But you have to have the meter.
Surely if it doesn't matter how much water you use on this tariff with a meter & it doesn't matter what you use off the meter. Then this discount should be offered to every disabled customer? It seems coercive to me. 
I'll attach a link
What do you all think?
https://www.dwrcymru.com/en/support-with-bills/watersure-tariff 

cymruchris

Vapegirlclouds said:

Then this discount should be offered to every disabled customer? It seems coercive to me. 

My understanding of the scheme is that it's for those whose disability requires the use of larger than average amounts of water, so that those that 'need' to use a lot of water aren't discouraged from doing so, so that's people with certain skin conditions for example, but not for someone who has arthritis of the knees. 

It's their 'offer' and they can set the term as they see fit. 

If I had the choice of a cap on my water bill as I had a certain disability, or to pay 'water rates' on a non-metered account, and it was cheaper, I'd choose the meter option.

I know not everyone wants a meter - but do you have a particular reason for preferring not to have one?

freesha

It's not a 'disability discount', you have to have a medical condition which causes you to use more water.

And of course you need a meter to take advantage of it. If your water is a set rate of £500pa, you can already use however much water you like and still get charged the same amount. This ensures that people with medical conditions are penalised for using a high amount of water.