Our values
Since 2005, we have been industry leaders in affordability support. Through our tailored assistance programme (TAP), we offer various schemes and low-rate tariffs to help customers afford their ongoing water charges and repay any debt. We also offer practical advice to help them reduce their water and energy bills.
We believe that water use should not be rationed by a customer’s ability to pay – no one should be in water poverty.
To achieve this, we:
- encourage engagement with customers who are financially vulnerable
- build relationships of mutual trust with debt advice agencies/partners
- support a holistic approach to debt management
- offer tailored solutions with flexibility to meet an individual’s financial circumstances
- prefer a sustainable and affordable level of payment of whatever size to no payment at all.
The support we offer
We offer a variety of schemes and tariffs designed to assist customers in managing their water bills.
These include flexible payment plans, debt repayment solutions, and long-term support tariffs.
If you need support, find out more about our help-to-pay schemes.
Our ambition for 2030
In our business plan, we have set out how we will eradicate water poverty by 2030. No one should have to ration what they use based on their ability to pay.
We are doing this by:
- increasing the number of customers on social tariffs to 140,000
- auto-enrolling customers onto tariffs where we can by expanding data-sharing partnerships with the DWP, local councils, fire services, etc
- developing, and in some cases funding, initiatives with the debt advice sector, charities, customer organisations and partners to raise awareness and increase uptake
- funding debt advice and other community projects to improve access to services and financial resilience through the Wessex Water Foundation
- developing more innovative and progressive tariffs to support affordability and send the correct incentives to customers
- helping customers save water and money through our range of water efficiency initiatives and smart metering.
How we meet Ofwat’s Paying Fair Guidelines
In February 2024, Ofwat introduced its Paying Fair Guidelines which include specific principles around services for customers struggling to pay or in debt.
The guidelines also set out minimum service expectation areas to ensure certain standards are met. We are 99% compliant with the guidelines.
PartnerHub
If you represent or work for an independent charity or body that provides advice and support to our customers, who may struggle to pay their bills, then we want to work with you.
Together we can support customers throughout our region, particularly those who are having difficulty affording their water bills, or who have additional needs that we should be aware of in our day-to-day services.
Our PartnerHub provides you with information on the support we offer and gives you access to resources to help you raise awareness and apply for support on behalf of your clients.
Every Customer Matters