HelpU tariff
The HelpU tariff helps low income households by putting a cap on the amount you have to pay for your water.
How does it work?
The HelpU tariff helps the lowest income households in our region. If you qualify, we will cap your water bill so you won’t pay over a certain amount for the year.
The annual HelpU charge is £290.03 (£116.52 for water, £173.51 for sewerage). The tariff is open from 1st August 2020.
Are you eligible?
To qualify for the tariff:
- the water supply to the household must be for domestic use only
- someone in the household must receive at least one means-tested benefit
- the combined annual household income must be on or under the threshold for the household size as shown in the table below.
| Household Size | Income Threshold |
|---|---|
| 1 | £11,600 |
| 2 | £17,400 |
| 3+ | £18,800 |
It’s important to let us know the total number of occupants (including children) in your household and to include all the income your household receives from occupiers who live at your property who are aged 16 years and over.
Here’s a list of types of the means-tested benefits which someone in the household must be receiving at least one of:
- Universal Credit
- Income related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (except families in receipt of the family element only)
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Reduction (based on income, not just a Single Persons Discount)
Special Note: We exclude some types of income from the combined annual household income calculation:
- Housing Benefit or Housing Element of Universal Credit
- Council Tax Reduction / Support
- Support Group, Work Related Activity Group & Disability/Carer Premiums on ESA
- Disability Premiums on Child / Working Tax Credits
- Disability / Carer Premiums on Pension Credit, JSA & Income Support
- Disabled Child & Limited Capability For Working Elements of Universal Credit
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independent Payment
- Carers Allowance or Carers Element of Universal Credit
You would also need to reapply for the tariff before the end of every 12-month period (you may reapply up to a month before expiry).
If you are a metered customer on our HelpU tariff and your usage is lower than the tariff rate, we will look to remove you from the tariff to ensure you are getting charged for your usage.
For more information please refer to our Terms and Conditions.
Apply online
for our HelpU Tariff
If you are a low income household and in receipt of means-tested benefits, you may be eligible for support through our HelpU tariff to reduce your future payments.