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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the impact of increased water bills on pensioners.

For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Whilst it is never wanted, bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways. This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through a £104 billion upgrade for the water sector.

This Government expects water companies to put robust support in place for customers that are struggling to pay their bills – including for pensioners. These include bill discount schemes such as WaterSure and Social Tariffs as well as financial support measures to assist households to better manage their budgets and provide flexible payments including payment holidays, payment matching, benefit entitlement checks and money/debt advice referral arrangements.

This Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported, including having regard to the interests of individuals of pensionable age. Bills must remain affordable, and customers cannot be expected to pay the price for years of underperformance in the past.