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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57663, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, how social tariffs will be funded; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of social tariffs on the residential customer bills of people who are not on a social tariff.

Social Tariffs are voluntary schemes designed and administered by water companies to provide a discounted water bill to qualifying customers who are unable to pay their water bill in full.

These schemes are permitted to be funded through cross subsidies from customers under Section 44 Flood and Water Management Act 2010. The Government is working with industry and Ofwat to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and customer charges are fair and proportionate.