Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures he has put in place to deal with trends in the level of personal debts to water companies after the introduction of universal credit; and what plans he has to introduce a mandatory social tariff to help customers who cannot afford their water bills.

Water companies have in place a number of measures to support those customers who are in debt or may be struggling to pay their water bill. The support offered can vary but includes short term concessions such as payment holidays or crisis breaks, debt write-off schemes, charitable trust grants and social tariffs.

All water companies have put in place social tariffs that provide a discounted bill to qualifying customers. This follows guidance issued by the Government in 2012 that encourages water companies to develop social tariff schemes in consultation with their customers. The Government believes that companies are best placed to develop social tariffs to reflect local needs and views.

WaterSure is a national mandated tariff that all water companies have to provide to qualifying customers. The aim is to support metered customers on a low income who have unavoidably high water use either for health reasons or because they have 3 or more children.

Most recently, the Government has introduced data sharing provisions under the Digital Economy Act that will enable water companies to better identify those customers who may need help paying their water bill.

The Consumer Council for Water offers support and advice to all customers of water companies. This includes advice about organisations and charities who may be able to offer them a grant to help them out of debt.