Thousands of Barnsley residents are set to have more money in their pockets thanks to a successful partnership between Barnsley Council and Yorkshire Water.

Photo: Angie Markham-Nock, Yorkshire Water, and Cllr Martin Bancroft at Barnsley Town Hall

By working together and sharing data, the council helped identify low-income families who could get support from Yorkshire Water but weren’t claiming it. By identifying households that claim Council Tax support, help has reached people automatically, without them needing to apply. Based on the information the teams shared:

• 6,537 households have now been added to a water bill reduction scheme.
• Based on average savings, these households are expected to save more than £1.4 million over the next year.
• 3,037 households were already benefitting from one of Yorkshire Water’s bill reduction schemes.

Cllr Martin Bancroft, Cabinet Spokesperson for Core Services, said: “

I’d thank the council’s Council Tax and Benefits team and Yorkshire Water for working together to put more money back into people’s pockets. This work means thousands of residents are now getting help they might otherwise have missed. It’s a brilliant example of organisations working together to make a real difference.”

Angie Nock, Affordability and Vulnerability Strategy Manager, at Yorkshire Water, added: 

"We have a wide range of options for people who are struggling financially, and this partnership is a shining example of how much organisations can help people when they come together with a clear purpose. We urge anyone who is struggling financially, and feel they can’t afford their water bills, to contact us.”