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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the affordability of water bills for residents in (a) Slough and (b) Thames Valley.

Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, is responsible for ensuring that water companies charge fair prices and deliver quality services, through a process called the Price Review. Ofwat has set spending budgets over the next five years - reducing the average household water bill. While there are systems in place to deliver value for money to consumers, we acknowledge that some households struggle with their water bills.

We are committed to ensuring all customers receive reliable water and waste services. All water companies offer reduced bills for eligible customers via the WaterSure scheme and social tariffs. In addition, water companies also offer a range of other financial support measures such as payment holidays, bill matching and advice on debt management and water efficiency.

Each year the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) publishes its Water for All report, which examines the efforts made by each water company in England and Wales to support customers who need financial help or other forms of assistance if they’re in vulnerable circumstances.

Last October, Defra commissioned CCW to review the effectiveness of existing support schemes in water to ensure they are fit for purpose now and in the future. Their report sets out ten key recommendations that could result in better outcomes for the most vulnerable customers. Defra is working with CCW and industry to explore these recommendations further and a number of water companies have already established pilots to improve their support measures.