Fuel poverty charity calls on government to review water social tariffs

National Energy Action (NEA) has called on the government to conduct a thorough review of social tariff guidance in consultation with water companies and stakeholders to make the support across England and Wales fairer for all.

That was one of three recommendations in a new paper, Water poverty: the consistency of social tariffs, published as part of the fuel poverty specialist’s People Living in Water Poverty and Fuel Poverty work programme.

The NEA also recommended particular consideration should be given to alternative options for funding social tariffs schemes; and that the government should prescribe core eligibility criteria allowing companies to continue to take account of regional circumstances while removing unacceptable variances in levels of support.

The charity pointed out that seven years on from the introduction of the first social tariffs in 2013, the guidance has never been reviewed, despite issues emerging.

It also published an accompanying paper considering how the Covid-19 crisis has impacted the issues identified in the main report.