Cost of living support: Southern Water offers huge support package to households across Sussex

The water company, which serves homes across Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, is boosting the minimum discount on bills for 104,000 households from 20 per cent to 45 per cent and adding 21,000 households to the figure giving customers at least an average annual saving of £200 on a dual service bill. The support will also continue to help customers that are in greater need, to access bill discounts of up to 90 per cent.

Launching the initiative at Bognor Regis Citizens’ Advice Bureau this morning (Monday, December 5), Katy Taylor, chief customer officer at Southern Water, told this newspaper: "It’s about helping customers and making sure they can pay their bills. With the cost of living, with energy bills, it is in nobody’s interest to have customer getting really stressed about no being able to pay their bill or using to little water. You don’t want people stopping using water, not drinking or washing enough. No one can have their water turned off – it’s an essential for life. If you’re getting a water bill and you’re getting all stressed about it you’re going to struggle to pay — it’s just the right thing to do.

You can find support on the Southern Water website or by calling 0800 027 0363.

Michael Barnes, policy manager at the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said: “This will be a tough winter financially for many households so we’re really pleased to see Southern Water stepping up its efforts to help customers who are currently struggling to pay their water bill. With so much focus on energy costs, it’s often overlooked that about 1 in 5 households currently struggle to pay their water bills. There are many ways to get help with your bill and we’d urged anyone with money worries to reach out and ask for support from their water company.”

Katy said it is ‘really important that we are supporting the communities that we live in’ adding: “While Christmas excitement may be growing for many families in our region, we know that there will be lots who are worried about how they will afford it and also pay for their heating and other bills. As water is an essential service that people cannot live without, we believe it is critical that we support thousands of vulnerable households in our region

who need a break.

“Our customers live in the same communities as our colleagues and their families, people we speak to and serve every day. We are in an extremely fortunate position where we can help, which is why we have put together a package worth £98m to support customers who need help, until 2025. I would urge anyone who needs help to reach out and we will do everything we can to support you.”

To help those facing the challenge around rising food and energy costs, Southern Water is also giving out 20 community centre energy grants of £1,000 each this winter to ensure community hubs and spaces can stay open and stay warm, supporting around 6,000 people each week to continue to attend foodbanks, befriender cafes, support groups, and wellbeing classes.

Southern Water teams are working closely with many organisations who have direct contact with customers struggling financially, such as the Citizens Advice, Job Centres and Food Banks, running face-to-face support surgeries with customers. The funding is also providing a £30 food voucher to around 3,700 families in West Sussex as part of a Free School Meals initiative.

Anyone who is not on an existing discount tariff but thinks they may be entitled to discounts on their bills can complete an online form on the Southern Water website, where they can also find out information about community grants and further support.

If customers do have questions about bills or need help they can contact us for free on 0800 027 0363 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).