2 million UK households get water bill discount - full list of people eligible

Water bills are among the household payments that have increased during what has been dubbed 'Awful April'. Households are gearing up for higher bills for many things, including council tax, broadband and mobile phone services. According to Money Saving Expert, the average forecast bill increase for water and sewerage firms is £33 (5.4%), which brings the average annual bill from £606 to 639. Prices vary depending on where you live in the UK, but water bills will be up for most households in the country.

If you fear you will struggle to pay your water bills in light of these increases, there are actually payments and discounts available, depending on which water company services you. According to Water UK, more than two million low-income households across the country receive help to pay their water bills. It also reports that by 2030, water companies will have committed to increasing the number of customers receiving help to 3.2 million. The nature of this financial assistance varies by region and water company, but households have been told to contact their water company if they believe they qualify for assistance.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has revealed the kinds of help available to households across the country. They are different for every water company, so the assistance is determined by the water companies themselves.

Here is the full list of eligibility.

Affinity Water

• Annual clean water bills can be capped at £160.80 if the household income is less than £22,225 excluding benefits, or if the customer is receiving:
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Job Seeker’s Allowance
  • Housing Benefit
  • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit
• Meanwhile, a household's annual clean water bill can be capped at £108 if they meet the above LIFT Standard criteria and are also in receipt of a council tax reduction/support.

Anglian Water

• Customers can get a reduced metered tariff based on their circumstances. There is up to 50% annual bill reduction.
• An individual financial assessment is used to determine a household's eligibility.

Bournemouth Water

• There are two types of help for Bournemouth Water customers:
  • WaterCare (Metered customers)
  • Assist (unmetered customers)
• To receive this help, households must be:
  • In water poverty. which means they are spending more than 5% of their household income (after housing costs) on their water bill; and
  • Have an 'equivalised' weekly income (after housing costs) of less than £400.
• Discounts for eligible households are typically between 15% and 85% but vary depending on individual circumstances.

Bristol Water

• Bill discounts are available to low-income households who are assessed as being in financial difficulty.
• Bills can be reduced to between £64 and £525 depending on circumstances.
• Additionally, you may qualify for a discount of around 20% off your bill if the bill payer and all the adults in your household receive pension credit, or if the state pension is their only income.

Cambridge

Help is available for:

• Customers who receive Pension Credit guarantee element.
• OR those with a total annual household income of less than £23,492 may qualify.

Meanwhile, families with children have an additional allowance of £1,500 per child added to the household income threshold.

The help available is:

• 60% bill reduction in Year 1.
• 40% reduction in Year 2.
• 20% reduction from Year 3 onwards.

Additionally, the following benefits do not count towards income:

• Attendance Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Carer’s Allowance
• The disabled child or severely disabled child element of the Child Tax Credit
• Disability Living Allowance
• Housing Benefit or Housing Element of Universal Credit
• Council Tax Benefit

Welsh Water

• The annual HelpU charge from 1 April 2026 is £350.16. Households can qualify if their income is under:
  • For 1 person household: £12,600
  • For 2 person household: £19,100
  • For 3+ person households: £20,000
• Income that determines eligibility does not include Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, disability benefits & premiums, carer’s allowance and carer premiums.

Essex and Suffolk Water

Water customers in Essex and Suffolk can get up to 50% against annual bill based on circumstances. It is available to customers whose annual water bill is 4% or more of net household income (after housing costs, rent or mortgage payments), and either:

• Total household income is less than £30,000; or
• Someone in the household receives Pension Credit.
• A financial assessment shows that income is not sufficient to cover bills.

Hafren Dyfrdwy

• The Here2Help Scheme is available if the household income (excluding certain benefits) is less than £24.454.
• It can offer a reduction of water bills in line with a customer’s circumstances (lowest combined bill £63.46).

Hartlepool

• Customers can get a discount of up to 50% on their water and sewerage charges.
• If they pay measured charges through a water meter, Hartlepool Water has a range of different schemes available depending on your situation. Households should contact the company directly to find out more.

Northumbrian Water

• SupportPLUS is available to customers of Northumbrian Water if their annual water bill is 4% or more of net household income (after housing costs, rent or mortgage payments), and either:
  • Total household income is less than £30,000; or
  • Someone in the household receives Pension Credit.
  • A financial assessment shows that income is not sufficient to cover bills.
• Discounts of up to 50% are available.

Portsmouth Water

• Water bills will be capped at the company's minimum charge for the year, which is currently £94.00, if the right criteria is met.
• It's available to any household with an income of less than £22,020.
• However, the following do not count as income when being assessed:
• • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit
  • Mortgage Interest Relief
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Housing / Council Tax Benefit
  • Disability Living Allowance

Severn Trent Water

• There is the Big Difference Scheme for household income of less than £24,454. Meanwhile, households with child dependants may be eligible for an additional income allowance in excess of this.
• There is a minimum discount of £117, with a maximum discount of £764.

South East Water

• If the total household income (excluding any disability and housing payment you receive) is between £17,000 and £22,020, customers will receive a 30% reduction on their water bill.
• If a household's income is less than £17,000, they will receive a 50% reduction on their bill.

Southern Water

For customers of Southern Water, there is the Essentials Tariff. This is available if:

• A household's income is less than £22,020 (excluding Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments) and they have savings of less than £16,000.
• OR if everyone in your household receives pension credits and has savings of less than £16,000.

The household's annual bill will be discounted by between 45% and 90%, depending on circumstances. However, the discount for those qualifying only through someone receiving pension credit is only 45%.

South Staffordshire Water

Help is available to customers who

• Receive Pension Credit guarantee element.
• OR those with a total annual household income of less than £23,492 may qualify.

Additionally, families with children have an additional allowance of £1,500 per child added to the household income threshold.

The following benefits do not count towards income:

• Attendance Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Carer’s Allowance
• The disabled child or severely disabled child element of Child Tax Credit
• Disability Living Allowance
• Housing Benefit or Housing Element of Universal Credit
• Council Tax Benefit

Customers can get:

• 60% bill reduction in year 1.
• 40% reduction in year 2.
• 20% reduction from year 3 onwards.

South West Water

There are two types of assistance available for South West Water customers:

• WaterCare (Metered customers)
• Assist (unmetered customers)

Discounts between 15% and 85% are available to households if:

• If they are in water poverty, which means they are spending more than 5% of their household income (after housing costs) on their water bill; and
• Have an ‘equivalised’ weekly income (after housing costs) of less than £400.

SES Water

• 50% discounts are available on annual water bills.
• Customers could be eligible if they are in receipt of income-related benefits or if they earn:
  • Less than £19,995 before any deductions, if you do not live in a London borough; or
  • Less than £25,207 before any deductions, if you do live in a London borough

• SES Water also offers the following schemes:

• Breathing Space allows you to pause your payments if you need help getting back on your feet.
• WaterSure will cap your water bills if you’re a metered customer on benefits, if you have a large family or have medical conditions that mean you use lots of water.
• WaterDirect allows you to pay your water bills directly from your benefits.

Thames Water

• If a Thames Water customer's water bill is more than 5% of their income after housing costs, disability benefits and council tax, they will be eligible for WaterHelp, depending on how many people live at their property.
• Discounts of between 25% and 99% are available.

United Utilities

United Utilities customers receiving Pension Credit can qualify for help with their water bills. It will depend on whether you live alone or with other adults at the same address who also receive Pension Credit.

• Single pensioner home – £310.80
• Multiple pensioner home – £442.80

There is also the Back on Track scheme, available to those who receive at least one of these income-related benefits:

• Income support
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Income-based job seeker’s allowance
• Universal credit
• Working tax credit
• Child tax credit
• Housing benefit
• Council tax reduction/support
• Pension credit

Plus, households must also be either in arrears with previous years’ water charges or have a household income of less than £21,500 a year if applying due to a recent life event.

Their water bill will be reduced to between £112.80 and £595.20, depending on circumstances.

Wessex Water

• Those who are struggling to pay and need a large discount on their bill can apply, and they don't need to be in receipt of benefits to do so.
• Bills can be reduced to between £64 and £525 depending on circumstances.

Yorkshire Water

• Yorkshire Water customers could be eligible if they have a household income below £21,000, or below £26,000 with dependants.
• Annual bills are capped, depending on individual circumstances, at either £295, £390 or £469.