Water bill announcement will be “extremely distressing” for older people in poverty

Director of Policy & Influencing at Independent Age, Morgan Vine said:

“Today we learnt that in April, water bills will be rising even more than the amount announced by Ofwat at the end of last year, due to the effects of inflation. This will be extremely distressing news for the millions of older people living on low incomes across the country who were already braced for a steep increase, and will now have to find even more money from their stretched budgets. Polling we commissioned in October revealed the widespread anxiety felt by many people in later life regarding their water bills, with 66% of older people (65+) in England with an income of under £15,000 saying they would find it difficult to manage a 20% increase to their water bill.

“With the postcode lottery of water costs, some people are now facing increases of more than 40%. The older people we speak to are already making drastic cutbacks to save on water. This means not showering every day, leaving bedding and clothes dirty to save on laundry and not always flushing the toilet. This shouldn’t be happening in modern Britain.

“There is some support out there as all water companies do provide a social tariff, but the system is hampered by an unfair postcode lottery, consumers can’t shop around for a provider and are faced with a patchwork of different schemes with varying eligibility criteria and fluctuating discounts. That’s why we’re urging the UK Government to introduce a single standardised social tariff for England and Wales to support those struggling to afford their water bills. Where you live shouldn’t dictate how much help you receive toward an essential bill, and in 2025, nobody should be having to limit their water usage because of cost.”