Northumberland charity calls for social tariffs on water

Water poverty in the region could “worsen significantly” under current forecasts, with an estimated 17,800 pensioner households already spending more than 3 per cent of their income on water, according to Independent Age. 

That figure is expected to rise to 8 per cent by 2029/30 if no action is taken.

Joanna Elson CBE, chief executive of Independent Age, said: “Water bills are continuing to soar, and behind the statistics, there are real people making drastic cutbacks to reduce their costs.

“We have heard from older people washing in sinks, letting dishes pile up over days, and avoiding flushing the toilet.

“This should not be happening.”

In response, Independent Age has launched a petition calling on the UK Government to introduce a national social tariff for water to support low-income households.

Ms Elson said: “Please add your voice to our campaign calling on the UK Government to implement a national social tariff for water in England and Wales.

“This will protect low-income households from rising water bills and put an end to the unfair postcode lottery that blights the lives of those living in areas with less generous schemes.

“It’s clear that the current system of each water company providing their own social tariff is no longer fit for purpose.

“Where you live shouldn’t determine how much financial support you receive.”

She emphasised the urgency of the situation as part of the wider cost-of-living crisis.

Ms Elson said: “The UK Government says that tackling the cost of living is its top priority.

“If that’s true, it must take meaningful action to address the growing crisis of water affordability.

“Water is not a luxury – it is a necessity.

“No one should be forced to ration it.”

A national social tariff, the charity argues, would offer standardised financial relief for people of all ages on low incomes across England and Wales.

The scheme could lift between 292,000 and 578,000 older people out of water poverty.

The call comes after the UK Government’s January 2026 white paper did not adopt the Independent Water Commission’s recommendation for a national social tariff.

Instead, individual water companies continue to manage their own support schemes, which Independent Age argues creates an inconsistent and unfair ‘postcode lottery.’

Recent YouGov polling commissioned by the charity found that around one in five people in England and Wales are reducing water usage because of costs.

Of those, a third said it was harming their health, and nearly the same proportion reported it negatively affecting their personal hygiene.

One Northumberland pensioner, 80-year-old Margaret, described the daily impact.

She said: “To keep our water bills down, we only take quick showers – never baths – and we try not to let the water run for more than three minutes.

“Things never used to be so difficult, but our savings and private pensions have run out.

“Now we rely solely on our State Pension, and we’re living on the breadline.”

The full petition and further information are available on the Independent Age website.