Households across the South East are £3 million better off thanks to a Southern Water partnership which has helped them secure millions of pounds in benefits and tax credits they did not know they were entitled to.
In 2010, the company began a five-year programme to install nearly 500,000 water meters across Sussex, Kent and Hampshire which resulted in 62 per cent of households experiencing a drop in their water bills. However, for those whose bills have increased, a number of options are available , including the benefits advice service offered by IncomeMAX.
IncomeMAX has helped more than 2,500 customers secure a total of £3 million in benefits and tax credits they did not know they were entitled to - an average of £1,200 for every Southern Water customer it has worked with.
Customers are typically referred to IncomeMAX via ‘Green Doctors’ from Groundwork, an environmental charity. They carry out free energy audits and fit water efficiency devices such as tap aerators in customers’ homes to help them save water, energy and money.
Brenda Edwards, Customer Engagement Manager for Southern Water, said:
“The partnership of Southern Water, IncomeMAX and Groundwork is hugely successful. The £3 million IncomeMAX has helped customers obtain is particularly significant as they were initially set a target of securing £1 million.”
Lee Healey, IncomeMAX Managing Director, said: “I'm immensely proud of the IncomeMAX team for the advice and support they have provided to vulnerable Southern Water customers. To find £3 million of extra income and water bill support is a tremendous achievement.”
The Green Doctors from Groundwork have also worked successfully to help customers in financial hardship. To date they have made over 48,000 visits, resulting in 156,000 water-saving products being distributed with a predicted typical average saving of 20 litres of water per household a day.
Customers who genuinely cannot afford to pay their metered water bill can also opt for a Support Tariff which can cap a bill at a lower rate.
As well as the Support Tariff, Southern Water also introduced the Changeover Tariff which is available to all customers whose bills increase, allowing a three-year period for customers to adjust to the changes.
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