CCW champions WaterSure update

CCW has championed a series of improvements to WaterSure, the scheme that caps bills for low-income, metered customers with high essential needs due to medical conditions or family size.

The watchdog has made the following six main recommendations to the UK and Welsh governments, after extensive engagement:

• Extend the list of qualifying benefits to include non-means tested disability benefits, such as disability living allowance and personal independence payments, subject to an upper income threshold.

• Cap bills at average metered bill or average bill level, whichever is lower.

• Add an additional bill cap level for single occupiers which reflects the average metered bill for one person.

• Remove the potential requirement for a medical practitioner’s note in the case of conditions not specifically named in the regulations.

• List more conditions and highlight the inclusive nature of qualifying medical conditions.

• The Welsh Government should make the scheme statutory in Wales; it currently operates on a voluntary basis. 

CCW also made the following additional recommendations concerning the future operation of the scheme: 

• Companies and other stakeholders should do more to collectively promote WaterSure at an England and Wales level.

• Companies should target water efficiency advice and support at WaterSure large family claimants.

• Companies should ensure they are signing up medical claimants for Priority Services Register support, where appropriate. 

  
  

WaterSure has remained largely unchanged for 25 years. Andy White, senior leader for social policy at CCW, said: “WaterSure has provided invaluable support to hundreds of thousands of low-income households for almost 25 years, but the time is now ripe for change.

“With water bills set to rise significantly over the next five years, it’s critical we have robust support in place - particularly for lower-income customers who are living with a medical condition, which places high demands on their water use.”

More than 230,000 customers benefitted from the scheme in 2023-24, with the average annual bill reduction just under £300 per household.

CCW added that should a single social tariff scheme be introduced as it has recommended, consideration should be given to whether there is scope to absorb WaterSure into the design of a new scheme, or whether it should remain separate. Both schemes are primarily funded through cross subsidy from other customers’ bills, with WaterSure adding £2-3.

Representing the Government, Baroness Hayman of Ullock told the Lords last week in response to a question about water bill affordability that it was “important that the suggestions it made [CCW] are looked at seriously”.