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Watchdogs call on companies to do more to shield customers from inflation crisis in 2023-4

by Karma Loveday

The chief executives of Ofwat and CCW have issued a joint letter to their water company counterparts calling on them to “do more to support a greater number of customers through the cost of living crisis” – “particularly as customers' water bills for next year will be impacted by higher inflation”.


David Black and Emma Clancy said this could involve expansion of social tariff schemes (through the provision of additional company finds or by boosting awareness and accessibility of the schemes), charging innovations and more support for customers in debt. But they also specifically noted: “We also know that more customers are struggling to pay their bills, beyond those that may be eligible for social tariffs, and that this is particularly the case in the context of rising inflation. We are therefore asking you to anticipate and act in advance. We are asking companies to carefully consider how to manage and mitigate any significant inflationary increases in customers' bills for 2023-24.”


Black and Clancy acknowledged many positive actions have already been taken by companies, but called for a written response from each firm by 8 December setting out its plans for supporting customers through cost of living pressures. The watchdogs said they would report on the plans “so the scale of your ambition is clear to customers”.

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