COVID-19 - MESSAGE FROM THAMES WATER
I know that many constituents are facing real and immediate financial difficulties and am writing
to let you know that Thames Water is today significantly increasing the help available for those hardest
hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are doubling to £1million our donation to the independent Thames Water Trust Fund, including
through personal contributions from the company’s Chairman, Chief Finance Officer and various
members of the executive leadership team.
The Trust Fund, which is funded by our shareholders, provides grants to third sector organisations - such
as Citizens Advice Bureaux - who offer Thames Water customers long-term support and free debt
advice. It also provides grants for essential household goods, including washing machines, fridges and
beds, to customers whose long-term circumstances mean they struggle to afford them.
We want to make sure any family who has been financially hit by coronavirus has access to free debt
advice and one-to-one counselling. By doubling our Trust Fund donation we are giving more to both the
debt advice providers we work with and customers who need extra support at the moment. The increase
means we will be the largest charitable funder of debt advice within the Thames Valley region.
The Trust Fund donation is just one of several measures available for customers struggling financially as a
result of the coronavirus outbreak. We have already introduced a three-month flexible payment plan for
those most in need, and are encouraging households facing difficulties paying their bills to get in touch
so we can help. We are committing £4m this year to our Customer Assistance Fund, which provides one-off
grants to help customers pay off arrears on their water bills.
More widely, we are extending our WaterHelp social tariff, which supports eligible low-income
households with a 50% discount on their water bill. The tariff, which currently supports 150,000 Thames
Water customers, will be doubled to 300,000 customers by 2025.
Further information about payment support options during the coronavirus outbreak, the
Thames Water Trust Fund, Customer Assistance Fund and WaterHelp can be found on the Thames Water
website: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/support
We hope these measures demonstrate our commitment to supporting our customers during these difficult
times.