New ways of helping hard-pressed customers

Water companies are broadening the scope of the support they are offering for hard-pressed customers to pay their water bills and manage their overall debt.

Water companies already offer a wide range of support for customers struggling to pay their bills. These include regular contributions to independently-run social funds and charitable trusts that they have set up and measures such as social tariffs to give people money off their bills.

An increasing number of companies are forming partnerships with regional Citizens Advice Bureaux. These partnerships help water companies identify who needs support and at what type and level. In some areas, water companies are even providing extra funding for local Citizens Advice Bureaux.

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