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Thames Water Automatically Enrolls Low-Income Households in Discounts
30 Sep
Summary
- Thames Water's new scheme automatically enrolls 33,000 struggling households in discounts
- Customers' water bills will be cut by up to 50% without needing to apply
- Initiative aims to ensure vulnerable customers receive assistance they're entitled to
In a groundbreaking move, Thames Water, the UK's largest water supplier, has launched an innovative scheme to automatically enroll low-income households in its social tariff programs. As of September 30th, 2025, the company has identified around 33,000 struggling customers in 17 London boroughs who will now see their water bills cut by up to 50% without needing to apply.
Through data-sharing agreements with local authorities and the Policy in Practice social data platform, Thames Water has been able to pinpoint customers whose water bills exceed 5% of their net income. These individuals are then automatically enrolled in the company's WaterHelp scheme, which provides the significant discount. The initiative also identifies customers eligible for other assistance programs, such as the WaterSure social tariff and the Extra Support Scheme.
Thames Water's director of income, Nina White, emphasized the firm's determination to "deliver life's essential service" to customers facing financial difficulties. The automatic enrollment approach aims to ensure vulnerable individuals receive the help they're entitled to, even if they were previously unaware of their eligibility. This marks a significant shift from the traditional model, where customers had to actively apply for such discounts.
