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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of social tariffs on household water affordability; and what steps he is taking to ensure that water companies provide adequate support for customers struggling to pay their bills.

Water companies must ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. Companies have therefore more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through social tariffs – from 4% to 9 and government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported.

The Independent Water Commission made a recommendation to consult on a National Social Tariff which the Government is taking into consideration and will provide a response to later this year in a White Paper.