Ofwat endorses industry affordability practice and issues guidance on wider vulnerability

Ofwat is consulting until 18 October on new guidance for water companies on supporting customers who are non-financially vulnerable. This could be for a variety of reasons, including health, disability, personal circumstance or language barriers.

The draft guidance sets out the following five objectives, each of which has minimum expectations attached:

• a high standard of service and support;

• inclusive by design;

• systems for identifying customers in need of extra help;

• effective records of need; and

• effective vulnerability strategies for the short, medium and long term.

Ofwat said the guidance provides clarity on its expectations; sets a direction of travel for vulnerability support; and empowers customers and the third sector to hold companies to account.

The regulator said it plans to publish a separate document on its expectations around how companies should operate their priority services registers.

Separately, Ofwat has assessed companies’ compliance with its seven ‘Paying Fair’ principles which seek good outcomes for customers in financial vulnerability. It reported all companies are compliant, and highlighted practices at Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Severn Trent Water, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water as “exemplary”.