CSPA is supporting the Independent Age petition which calls on the UK Government to introduce a national social tariff for water in England and Wales, ensuring that affordability support is available to all low-income households, regardless of where they live or which water company they are served by.
Currently, water affordability support in England and Wales is fragmented. Each water company runs its own social tariff, with different eligibility criteria, levels of support, and application processes. As a result, people in similar circumstances can receive very different levels of help, or none at all, simply because of where they live. This is deeply unfair and should not be affecting vulnerable customers.
As sky high household bills continue to place pressure on budgets, the absence of a national approach to water affordability is increasingly unsustainable. Independent Age’s research has found that if nothing changes, around one million older households could be in water poverty by 2030.
But this is not inevitable. A national social tariff for water bills would lift hundreds of thousands of households of all ages out of water poverty and ensure fairness and consistency for everyone struggling with their bills.
The UK Government has already missed too many opportunities to tackle the growing crisis of water poverty. It’s time to fix this system and ensure no one is forced to cut back on this basic necessity. The time for action is now.
Sign this petition calling for the UK Government to introduce a national social tariff for water by filling out the form on the below link.
Sign the petition for a national social tariff for water
