WaterSure
WaterSure
What is WaterSure?
WaterSure helps some people who have to use lots of water at home with their water bills.
WaterSure help people in England. If you are in Wales you may be able to get help from WaterSure Wales.
Can I get help from WaterSure?
To get help from WaterSure, there are rules about:
- water meters
- benefits
- why you need to use a lot of water.
What are the rules about water meters?
To get help from WaterSure, your household must:
- have a water meter or
- be waiting for a water meter, or
- be paying an assessed charge.
An assessed charge means you pay a fixed amount of money for your water.
An assessed charge is different to the fixed amount you pay for water if you do not have a water meter.
If the water company cannot fit a water meter, they can tell you what the assessed charge for your water would be.
If you think the assessed charge would mean you pay more for your water bills, you do not have to change to the assessed charge.
If you do not have a water meter and do not change to the assessed charge, you can not get help from WaterSure.
What are the rules about benefits?
You can get help from WaterSure if you or someone in your household gets 1 of these benefits:
- Universal Credit
-
Pension
A pension is money you get when you are older to pay for the things you need. You can pay money into your pension when you are working so there is more money for when you are older.
Credit - Housing Benefit
- Income Income is all the money you get from things like paid jobs and government benefits. -based Jobseeker's Allowance Jobseeker's Allowance is sometimes called JSA and it is a benefit for people who are looking for a job.
- Income Support
- Income-related
Employment
Employment means having a job.
and Support Allowance - Working
Tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like income tax, VAT and council tax.
Credit - Child Tax Credit awarded at a rate higher than the family element.
You might also be able to get help from WaterSure if you or someone you live with gets
Disability Living Allowance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is the name of a benefit that some people with a disability get. The money is to pay for extra help you might need to look after yourself and to get around. Disability Living Allowance is being replaced by a benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
(DLA) or
Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is the name of a benefit that some people with a disability or health condition get. The money is to pay for extra help you might need to look after yourself and to get around. Some people who used to get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) now get PIP instead.
(PIP).
If you or someone you live with gets DLA or PIP, contact your water company to find out if you can get help from WaterSure.
What are the rules about needing to use a lot of water?
You can get help from WaterSure if you live with 3 or more children.
The children must be 19 or under and in full-time education Education is when you learn things. When you fill in a form to get a job, education means you write where you went to school, college or university. .
You can also get help from WaterSure if you or someone you live with has a medical condition which means you need to use a lot of water.
If you or someone you live with has any of these medical conditions, you can get help from WaterSure:
- desquamation
- a weeping skin disease (eczema, psoriasis or varicose ulceration)
- incontinence (you can not make it to the toilet when you need to go)
- abdominal stomas
- renal failure where you have to have dialysis at home. You can not get help from WaterSure for this if you already get help with your water bills from the NHS The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals. .
- Crohn's disease
- ulcerative colitis
You can contact your water company to find out if a different condition might let you can get help from WaterSure.
What help will I get from WaterSure?
If you get help from WaterSure, your water bill will be capped.
Capped means that your water company will set a number that your bill cannot go higher than.
You will not pay more for your water than most people in your area.
If you have a water meter and use less water than most people in your area, you will only pay for the water you have used.
How do I apply for help from WaterSure?
Contact your water company to find out how to apply for help from WaterSure.
You can also ask them if they can give you any other help with water bills.
How to get help
You can get help and advice on our
website
A website is a page you can go to on the internet like Google or YouTube.
at www.mencap.org.uk/COL
If you are worried about money, contact our Learning Disability A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things. Helpline:
Call us Monday to Friday on 0808 808 1111
Email us at [email protected]
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This Easy Read Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing. was first published 27/11/2023.
Last updated: 22/01/2025.