Southwark Liberal Democrats Lead Calls for Promotion of Water Bill Discount Scheme

The Southwark Liberal Democrats have written to Southwark Council asking them to further publicise Thames Water’s WaterHelp scheme. The little known scheme, which could potentially save money for thousands of residents, would allow those on a lower income to receive a 50% discount on their water bill. Research by Southwark Council has shown that almost 9,000 households in the borough are in relative poverty, with nearly 5,000 of these reporting that they did not have enough money to eat and drink sufficiently, wash, and heat their homes. This news comes as water and fuel costs have risen in Southwark by more than the rate of inflation.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Graham Neale said: 

“The Southwark Liberal Democrats are proud to be leading the calls for this scheme to be better publicized by Southwark Council. At a time when the Cost of Living Crisis continues to bite, and whilst nearly 9,000 households in our borough live in poverty, the Council must use every possible lever at its disposal to help residents who are struggling to afford the basic necessity of water.

Water poverty is particularly prominent in my ward of St George’s in the north of the borough, where in 2024 close to 10% of residents reported not having enough money for food, heating or water. 

We are urging Southwark Council to do more to ensure that everyone who may be eligible for the WaterHelp scheme applies as a matter of urgency in the hope that this will help the most vulnerable families in our Borough to save hundreds of pounds.”