Times are tough at the moment, and many people may find themselves struggling financially or feeling vulnerable in some way

That’s why South East Water has a range of customer support services and tariffs in place to provide extra support – both financially and practically.

Getting the message out about this support to as many communities as possible is vital, which is why we’re always on the lookout for partnerships and collaborations with organisations who can help us spread the word. We not only provide an efficient, safe and quality water service, we also deliver a number of initiatives that are designed to help those in need in the areas we serve.

This includes our FREE Priority Services Register. It’s in place for anyone who may need support with their bill or water supply. This may be due to age, ill health, disability, mental health problems, financial worries or language barriers. It’s completely free to register and once signed up customers will receive:

• Prior warning of planned work which may interrupt their water supply and priority treatment should their water supply be interrupted (such as bottled water delivery)
• The option to receive important information in a more convenient format such as large print or spoken word, and access to an interpretation service if English is not their first language
• Information about specialist organisations which are able to provide advice on possible adaptations to water fittings and appliances around the home

You can see full details at: southeastwater.co.uk/hereforyou

We also offer a range of tariffs for those who need help paying their bill. These include:

• Social Tariff – to qualify customers must have a household income of less than the HMRC’s low income threshold, which is currently £16,385
• WaterSure – this caps charges to our average bill. Customers must be metered, in receipt of certain qualifying benefits and have either three or more children under the age of 19, or have someone in their home with a medical condition which means they use a lot of water
• Helping Hand scheme – this is funded by donations from us and offers financial assistance to clear water and sewerage debt owed. We make grants through the scheme to our customers who demonstrate they are taking steps to achieve financial stability but need help clearing water and sewerage debt which has built up over the years

Find out more about our financial support here: southeastwater.co.uk/helptopay

We want to make sure that all customers can reduce their water usage and offer free water efficiency devices to everyone at https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/my-water-supply/save-water-save-money

If you think these services could make a difference in the communities you serve and to the people you support we’d like to hear from you. To get in touch email Vulnerability Strategy Manager Jane.Crisp@southeastwater.co.uk