Consultation start: 26 October 2011
Consultation end: 17 January 2012

Summary

Section 44 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 enables water and sewerage companies in England and Wales to include social tariffs in their charges schemes, reducing charges for households who would otherwise have difficulty in paying their bill in full. The Act requires the Secretary of State to issue guidance to water and sewerage companies and Ofwat, and requires companies and Ofwat to have regard to the guidance. We have now produced draft guidance and are consulting on this guidance. This consultation is aimed at water and sewerage companies and organisations representing customers but we welcome responses from all interested parties.

Our previous consultation on water affordability closed on 17 June 2011. It stated that Government sees company social tariffs as a key tool in tackling affordability challenges. The content of the draft guidance on company social tariffs has been shaped by the response to the consultation.

Link to summary of responses is available at www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/04/05/water-affordability-1104/

The final guidance will provide the framework within which water companies can bring forward company social tariffs to assist households who would otherwise struggle to pay their bills. Welsh ministers have identical powers to issue guidance to undertakers in Wales, so this guidance is for companies in England only.

The consultation invites views on the draft guidance. After consultation we will publish a summary of responses and then issue the final guidance after the publication of the Water White Paper.

Responses

Please e-mail responses no later than 17 January 2012 to socialtariffs@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Or if you wish you can send in your response by letter to:

Social Tariffs Consultation
Area 2C, Ergon House
Horseferry Road
London SW1P 2AL

Downloads

26 October 2011

• Consultation letter (pdf, 65 KB)
• List of consultees (pdf, 152 KB)
• Consultation document (pdf, 215 KB)