Government Plans for Help with Water Bills
13/12/2011
Plans have been outlined, in the government’s water White Paper, that vulnerable groups could receive greater help from water companies if they struggle to pay their bills.
The government has called upon water companies to develop social tariffs to help those on low incomes, such as some pensioners and lone parents, to begin in April 2013.
The current average combined water and sewerage bill for UK households is £356 a year. This is expected to rise by around 14% by 2030, although this would be below the level of the rising rate of inflation.
The current system only caps bills for households with three or more children or for some with medical conditions. The government's White Paper suggests that metering could assist some people in cutting water usage and therefore their bills.
It said that more than a third of households have a water meter fitted, and this could rise to a half by 2015.