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A new survey from National Energy Action (NEA) has highlighted the “extreme coping strategies” some low-income households are willing to adopt to keep up with their water bills.
The poll of 4,000 households conducted by YouGov found 41% of the more than 800 respondents with an annual income of less than £20,000 have, or would, wash less to lower their water bill.
Of the low-income respondents, one in ten said they have previously washed at public facilities to save money – a measure which has been hindered recently by the closure of sports and leisure facilities during the coronavirus lockdowns.
More than one in five (22%) said they have or would cut back on food costs to cover waters, and a quarter said they would buy fewer personal hygiene products.
Jess Cook, water poverty lead at the NEA, said: “This research is the first to give an insight into the coping strategies water poor households implement to try and manage their bills, and the results are truly shocking. People should never have to make difficult choices between paying their water bill or buying food and personal hygiene products.”
Awareness of available support remains low, with only 9% of respondents stating they were aware of the support available from water companies.
“Increasing the efficient use of water in the home is an effective way of managing water bills for metered households,” Cook said. “But for such an essential service this must be done in a manner that does not cause detriment or risk to physical and mental health and wellbeing.”
The NEA said support needs to be better publicised to ensure it reaches those most in need of financial assistance. Advice echoes that of the water watchdog CCW, which urged water companies to identify billpayers who are struggling or are just about managing before their finances become an issue.
The water sector has pledged to end water poverty by 2030 and has worked with CCW in its independent review to find the best way to achieve that. In its affordability review CCW advocated for a single social tariff approach to support households that cannot afford their bills.
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