Consultation Opens on Proposed Reforms to WaterSure Scheme

DEFRA has launched a consultation on proposed reforms to the WaterSure scheme, which supports low-income households in England with high essential water use by capping their water and sewerage bills.

Originally expected to be part of a wider consultation on a National Social Tariff, WaterSure has now been split out and is subject to its own consultation process. The reforms aim to strengthen protections for vulnerable customers and ensure fairer, more consistent support across water company areas.

Key proposals include:

• Extending eligibility to include non-means-tested disability benefits (e.g. PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance) for those qualifying due to a medical condition
• Updating the cap to reflect the lower of the average metered or unmetered bill
• Introducing a specific cap for single occupiers based on average bills for their household type
• Removing the requirement for a medical practitioner’s note for non-listed health conditions
• Expanding the list of qualifying medical conditions to improve awareness and reduce barriers to access

Over 200,000 households currently benefit from WaterSure, but take-up varies and many eligible customers remain unsupported. The consultation also seeks views on how data sharing between government and water companies could help improve targeting and enrolment, particularly for people who are digitally excluded.

The consultation is open until 11:59pm on 1 September 2025.

Full details and the response portal can be found here