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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Emma Munbodh

How 200,000 Thames Water customers can get 50% off their water bills

Water prices are rising year on year - and this month, millions of homes in England and Wales will see their annual bills go up by an average of £8 .

At less than £1 month, this may sound insignificant, but couple the rise with phone, TV, energy and council tax increases, and that paltry minimum wage rise will quickly be cancelled out.

That's where it pays to be savvy with your spending - such as haggling on price plans and cancelling services you don't need.

When it comes to water, your money-saving options are pretty limited. You could Do you have to accept a water meter - when it will and won't save you money , but the majority of homes will find they have no choice on supplier, which means if prices go up, you cough up accordingly.

However, Britain's biggest supplier is currently running a campaign that could give thousands of households a huge reduction on their water bill.

Thames Water, which supplies areas such as London, Surrey and Kent, said it's trying to get more people onto its Social Tariff – which is designed for those who are struggling to keep up with costs.

The price plan gives vulnerable people a discount - and is effectively evened out by its wealthier customers.

A spokeswoman told Mirror Money that the Thames Water supplies some of the richest people in the UK as well as some of the most vulnerable, from Chelsea to Tower Hamlets.

In customer feedback, it found many of them would rather pay marginally more on their bills to help subsidise those who struggle.

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In the first three months of this year, more than 14,000 households have applied to be on the provider's new WaterSure Plus tariff as a result.

Kelly Macfarlane, Thames Water customer experience director, said: "We’ve now spoken to over one million customers in putting together our business plan and the message back was clear that we need to be offering extra support to those customers in our region in vulnerable circumstances."

The water company also recently started directly billing council tenants who had previously paid their local authority.

There are several ways to sign up for Thames Water’s WaterSure Plus tariff but the easiest is online.

Each person is assessed on a case by case basis, so there's no hard and fast rule for what’s best.

All you have to do is register, and then Thames Water will get in touch to discuss your situation and the best way forward - whether that’s forgiving owed bills, a bill reduction or water saving tools.

Your bill is going up this month (PA)

Do you have to accept a water meter - when it will and won't save you money

It's also worth signing up to its Priority Service - which it says 410,000 people are eligible for.

This means if your supply shuts off, you'll be among the first to get bottled water delivered to you. This is targeted at people like single parents and the elderly who would struggle to get to a distribution point.

"Being on our priority services register really provides peace of mind for many customers in vulnerable circumstances, as well as their friends and family," Macfarlane added.

"The organisations we've partnered with work with people in vulnerable circumstances every day so are in the best position to share the benefits of being on our register, which I’m delighted to confirm is growing in number by the day."

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