The cost of living crisis has taken a serious financial and emotional toll on households and businesses across the UK. Considering the dire state of things, many large companies have stepped up to take the load off of people in whatever small way possible.
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As reported by The Argus, a water provider, Southern Water has stepped up to offer a £98 million package of support, which would go towards reducing the water bills of about 125,000 vulnerable households.
Southern Water’s support package
The current support package would see the bill discounts for the eligible households going up to 45% from 20%. This would be equivalent to an average of £200 saving on people’s dual service bill, as per the report. The company is also supporting community centres by offering 20 grants of £1,000 each.
The report quotes Katy Taylor, chief customer officer at Southern Water, who states,
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
Who is eligible
The discounts offered are for UK residents living in Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The company also urged anyone in need to reach out to them and they would do everything possible to help.
Michael Barnes, policy manager at the Consumer Council for Water, said regarding the current endeavour by Southern Waters,
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.
Sources used:
The Argus: 'Southern Water announce larger bill discounts for homes in Sussex'
