Northumbrian Water, together with sister company Essex & Suffolk Water, is introducing a social tariff to help customers who are having difficulty paying their bills.
A payment package has been designed which enables customers in need to be supported and which will not add to the bills which other customers pay. The water company will also introduce a scheme to help customers struggling with significant arrears to get back on their feet.
The two new payment packages are part of the water company’s SupportPLUS measures, which the water company has in place to provide customers with a range of extra help.
Results of research carried out in 2013 and 2014, showed that Essex & Suffolk Water customers were not prepared to support a social tariff for those in financial difficulty, if it was subsidised by an increase across everyone’s bill.
Since then Essex & Suffolk Water, part of Northumbrian Water Group, has been working with partners, including StepChange Debt Charity, to design a social tariff which will not increase bills for other customers. Instead it will be funded from money already set aside to manage bad debt.
Customer Director, Claire Sharp, said:
“We are dedicated to providing our customers with the best possible service at all times. We know some customers really struggle to pay their utility bills so are introducing a social tariff scheme for our water customers who meet certain criteria. Our scheme will not mean an increase for all customers to pay for it.
“We want to support customers who are genuinely struggling to pay and we understand that sometimes life’s ups and downs mean some customers may find themselves in a challenging and worrying financial situation. Our SupportPLUS package will give extra help when it’s most needed.”
The news of this social tariff introduction builds on the existing support that Essex & Suffolk Water has in place to help those struggling to pay - which includes being the first water company to form a partnership with the StepChange Debt Charity a year ago.
The partnership enables both organisations to work closely together to identify, support and advise customers who are in financial difficulty.
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