Two recent water bills for a property in St Leonards showing a 64% price hike. The household in question had been refused a water meter. Photo: Energise Sussex Coast

Community group backs call to end ‘postcode lottery’ for water bill discounts

Local community benefit society Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) has joined 24 other organisations including Independent Age, Age UK and the Royal National Institute of Blind People in sending an open letter to the government calling for a national ‘water social tariff’ to help vulnerable people and those on low incomes. ESC’s Gabriel Carlyle explains more.

Current water social tariffs provided by individual companies offer vital support to people living in poverty, but the postcode lottery means that people living in financial hardship across England and Wales pay vastly different amounts for their water bills.

In East Sussex, if your household income is low then you should be eligible for either a 45%+ (Southern Water) or a 30-50% (South East Water) discount on your bill. Low means less than £22,020 for Southern Water or less than £21,000 for South East Water (both excluding any disability benefits). Others who may be eligible include households with three or more children aged under-19 living at home, and those with someone who needs more water because of a medical condition.

Local residents can also apply for the discounts themselves directly using the following links:

– Southern Water: https://www.southernwater.co.uk/help-and-support/what-if-i-cant-pay-my-bill
– South East Water: https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/help/priority-services/help-paying-your-bill

A constant struggle

Households in England and Wales are expected to spend an average of £603 in 2025/26 on their water and sewerage bill, 26% more than the year before.

Independent Age commissioned nationally representative polling with YouGov in May this year. It found that 42% of older adults (65+) in England and Wales living on a low income of below £15,000 per year describe keeping up with their water bills as either a ‘constant struggle’ or a struggle from ‘time to time’.

“I only use my kettle once or twice a day – more often than not just once… I use my washing machine just once a week and have a bath just once.” – Anonymous.

The picture is similar for working age adults – research by Ofwat published in May this year found that 50% of water bill payers reported having cut down on water usage at some point because they were worried about the cost of their bill.

There is now significant backing for a national social tariff to address this, with the Independent Water Commission recently making it a key recommendation of its final report. Public support is also substantial. Research from Independent Age shows that 83% of the UK public support providing further help to older people in poverty with their water costs.

Local help, national tariff

Founded in 2012, Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) works to tackle the climate crisis and energy injustice through community-owned renewable power and energy-saving schemes. It runs a free Energy Advice service to help local residents bring down the cost of their electricity, gas and water bills: 01424 390 062.

ESC has already helped scores of local people with water debt and water bills this year – including 49 people who were eligible for a water social tariff – helping to save them over £20,000.

ESC’s director Kate Meakin told me: ‘A national water social tariff would be an effective way to provide fair and consistent support for people in financial hardship, helping ensure more people are able to access the water they need without having to make extreme sacrifices. We strongly believe introducing a national water social tariff would make a tangible positive difference to the lives of people of all ages living on low incomes. That’s why we’re calling on the government to make this a reality.’

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