Can I claim assistance with my water bills?

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Can I claim assistance with my water bills?

Although many households benefit from having a meter, some may suffer hardship because they need to use large volumes of water for essential purposes.

Certain metered household customers are protected from paying large water bills under government regulations. If you are eligible then you will pay only the average household water bill for your water company.

In order to qualify for this capped bill you, or someone living with you, will need to be in receipt of one of the following seven benefits:

council tax benefit;
housing benefit;
Income Support;
income-based Job seeker's Allowance;
Working Tax Credit;
Child Tax Credit (except families in receipt of the family element only); and
Pension Credit.

You will then also need to either be responsible for three or more children under the age of 19 in full time education living in the property or have, (or have someone living with you who has) one of the following medical conditions:

desquamation, (flaky skin loss);
weeping skin disease, (eczema, psoriasis, varicose ulceration);
incontinence;
abdominal stoma;
chrohn's disease;
ulcerative colitis, or
renal failure requiring dialysis at home (where there is no contribution by the local health authority for the cost of the water used) .

And as a result of that condition the person affected is obliged to use a significant additional volume of water.

Additionally, where a doctor certifies (by the provision of a doctor's certificate) that you, or someone living with you, need to use a lot of additional water because of any other medical condition you may qualify for the capped bill.

This tariff is not available to metered customers who choose to use a lot of water in, for example, garden sprinklers or swimming pools.

Whilst the regulations only apply to companies operating wholly or mainly in England, the two companies operating in Wales have introduced equivalent tariffs on a voluntary basis.

More information see:

the Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) Regulations 1999
and their amendments

If you believe that you may qualify, you should contact your water company for more details and an application form.

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