38% of older people (65+) living on a low household income (under £15k per year) in England and 29% in Wales are either finding it a constant struggle – or a struggle from time to time – to keep up with their water bills, according to new research by Independent Age.
The charity has teamed up with 14 other organisations to send an open letter to the Minister for Water and Flooding, Emma Hardy, making the case for a single social tariff for water in England and Wales.
In July, it was confirmed that on average, water bills will rise by 21% over the next five years from April 2025. Independent Age is calling for a single social tariff for water to be implemented to support customers who are living on a low income so they can better afford their water bills, including people in later life.
Currently, all water companies provide a social tariff to protect customers living on low incomes, but the system is impacted by an “unfair postcode lottery” as both eligibility criteria and generosity vary between companies and there is no option to change your water supplier.
New polling commissioned by the charity also lays bare the impact high water bills have on people in later life who are in financial hardship. 40% of older people living on a low household income in England are having to cut back their spending either ‘a great deal’ or ‘a fair amount’ on their water usage. The figure was only slightly lower in Wales at 33%.
In the letter, the charities say:
“We believe everyone deserves to be able to afford basic essentials like water. However, we know from our conversations with people on low incomes that they often struggle to pay their water bills.
“Current water social tariffs provided by individual companies do 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.
“A single water social tariff would be a simple 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 enacting this recommendation would make a tangible positive difference to the lives of people of all ages living on low incomes.”
Val Thomas, 77, Essex, talks about the cutbacks she has made on water:
“I am now so worried about using water, even though maintaining good hygiene is important for my health condition, that I have cut back on water use a lot. I only shower on alternate days and never use my bath. I’m a strong person and I don’t let it affect me too much, but I know that lots of other people are in similar situations and that makes me angry.”
Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson, CBE said:
“Water is an essential utility we all need to live, and the system urgently needs reform. Older people living on a low income across the country are making drastic cutbacks on their usage because of high bills. We regularly hear from people in later life who are cutting back on washing and laundry to lower their bills to a more affordable level; this isn’t the later life any of us would want.
“We’re urging the new UK Government to take swift action to end the unfair postcode lottery by introducing a single social tariff for England and Wales. An address shouldn’t impact how much support someone in financial hardship receives towards their water bill. We know water bills will be rising over the coming years, and older people in financial insecurity will be waiting anxiously in fear of another increase that they may not be able to afford. Now is the time to take the opportunity to ensure everyone in later life can afford their water bill”.
