Social tariffs

Most water companies in England and Wales offer a social tariff for households on low incomes. These provide reduced bills for eligible customers. Eligibility criteria and discount levels vary by company.

Contact your water company directly to ask about their social tariff, or check their website. The name varies — some call it a WaterHelp tariff, a Helping Hand scheme, or similar.

WaterSure

WaterSure is a national scheme that caps your metered water bill at the average metered bill for your water company. You may qualify if: you are metered and receive certain benefits, and either you have three or more children in your household or you use a lot of water for medical reasons.

Apply to your water company. If you qualify, your bills are capped regardless of how much water you use — which is particularly helpful for larger families on benefits.

Water meters

If you have a water meter, you pay for what you use. If your household uses less water than average (typically households with fewer occupants than bedrooms), a meter is likely to reduce your bills.

You can request a free meter from your water company. You then have 24 months to switch back to unmeasured bills if the meter turns out to cost more.

If you are struggling to pay

Water companies are required to have a policy for customers struggling to pay. Contact your company directly — they cannot cut off water supply to domestic customers and will have payment plans and support available.

Citizens Advice can also help with water debt and identifying additional support.