Thames Water offers financial assistance to almost 600,000 households
Research shows almost a third of people unaware they could be eligible to reduce their utility bills
As new water and wastewater tariffs come into effect this month, Thames Water says it can offer people a range of financial assistance schemes to help ease the pressure.
Recent research revealed that nearly a third of people are unaware of the support available from utility companies, even as 60% express concerns about balancing household budgets in the coming year.
Thames Water says it has assisted almost 600,000 households, providing over £200 million in financial aid during the 2024/25 financial year.
Eligible customers can receive a 50% discount through schemes such as WaterHelp, where water bills that comprise more than 5% of a household's net income may qualify for reduced rates.
Additional support includes the WaterSure social tariff for households with water meters, which caps bills for those receiving means-tested benefits, particularly if they have medical conditions necessitating extra water or have three or more children eligible for child benefits.
Other schemes include Water Direct, which helps people on benefits who are unable to keep up with payments, and Customer Assistance, facilitating affordable monthly payments for those in debt.
Nina White, Director of Income at Thames Water, said: “Our purpose is to deliver life’s essential service, and we are determined to support customers who are struggling to pay their household bills.
“Our research shows that two-thirds of respondents are more concerned about balancing their household budgets and bills than they were before the start of the 2022 cost-of-living crisis.
“Thames Water has made great strides by targeting our support proactively working with third parties and using data, including in our pilot auto-enrolment scheme in London, and this has seen the expansion of the number of people we are helping year-on-year.
“We encourage any customer worried about their ability to pay to contact us so we can help find the right support package for their circumstances.”