Fair By Design has joined forces with Independent Age and 13 other organisations in an open letter urging the UK government to introduce a single social tariff for water.
The open letter to the minister for water and flooding, Emma Hardy, emphasises that a standardised social tariff would provide consistent support for vulnerable households, ensuring fairer access to essential water services without forcing people into financial hardship. Research indicates that nearly 40% of older people in England with incomes below £15,000 are struggling to keep up with rising water bills.
The coalition is urging the government to seize this opportunity to create a fairer system that protects the most vulnerable from the growing costs of essential utilities.
You can read the full letter here: https://www.independentage.org/single-water-social-tariff-open-letter
You can read The Guardian’s cover of the letter: https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/aug/21/ministers-england-wales-urged-to-end-water-postcode-lottery-with-single-social-tariff
