WICS probes prepay and licensed providers’ use of of liquidity support

Licensed providers in the Scottish business retail market had until Friday to provide the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) with a response to an information request it issued on the customer prepayments they are holding, as well as details on how they are using the extra liquidity provided to them by Scottish Water to support customers hit by Covid-19.

WICS chief executive Alan Sutherland said the information would be used to brief the Scottish Government on the effectiveness of its 19 March measure, which announced Scottish Water would relax prepayment arrangements for wholesale water charges from licensed providers from 1 April. The information will also help understand whether any further action is required to support businesses through the pandemic.

WICS and the Scottish Government have been clear that licensed providers are expected to pass benefits on to customers.