Almost half (46 per cent)\u00a0of older adults (65+) in England<\/a> and Wales<\/a> living on a low income\u00a0are currently cutting\u00a0back their spending on their water usage either a \u201cgreat deal\u201d or a \u201cfair amount\u201d, polling carried out by the charity through YouGov found.<\/p>\n The survey suggested that 46 per cent of older people on a low income<\/a> had reduced the number of times they flushed the toilet to reduce their bills <\/a>in the first half of this year, while 41 per cent had cut their washing machine usage and 31 per cent had restricted the amount they showered.<\/p>\n Some 43 per cent of respondents said they were worried about meeting the cost of their water bill over the next six months.<\/p>\n Cost of living crisis <\/p>\n Judith Howard, 78, from London<\/a>, told The i Paper she moved onto a water meter to reduce her bills from \u00a340 a month to around \u00a312 by the start of this year, however, she was then told that the bill was going to rise to \u00a329 from April.<\/p>\n \u201cI was expecting it to go up by about 40 per cent\u201d because of a notice on one of her bills, \u201cand I was going to haggle about that,\u201d but then it \u201cwent up to a 140 per cent\u201d increase, Ms Howard, a former organ builder, said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s all very well, but if council tax<\/a> and everything else goes up, even by 5 per cent, I will soon find that my annuity, which pays for bills, will not cover them, which is really worrying.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms Howard\u2019s annuity gives her an income of around \u00a34,000 a year on top of her state pension, which has gradually pushed her further and further over the income tax threshold because of the triple lock<\/a> increases. She said that this means the amount she receives from her annuity has reduced from \u00a3350 a month to \u00a3280, which \u201cbarely covers\u201d her bills.<\/p>\n She added: \u201cI\u2019ve stopped having baths and just use my basin to wash myself as I can\u2019t afford to have a shower.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re now on our fourth heatwave<\/a>, and as a keen gardener<\/a>, I do have to put some water on the garden, but the consequence of that is that I\u2019m not doing laundry at home and I\u2019m going to the launderette by bus.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms Howard has two water butts, but the dry weather this year hasn\u2019t given much opportunity to accumulate a supply. She said she once even rescued two jugs of water that were going to be poured down the sink in her church<\/a> and took them home to water her plants.<\/p>\n Ms Howard said: \u201cI have even resorted to restricting the number of times I flush the loo. I don\u2019t like living this way, but I have no choice.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s pretty horrible in the hot weather; it\u2019s not a pleasant lifestyle.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is worrying is that if I went back to a normal sort of usage, I would then soon be back to the \u00a340 a month I was paying before I had the meter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty-nine pounds doesn\u2019t sound like an awful lot compared to what a lot of people are having to pay,\u201d but \u201cI\u2019ve got to think about the future,\u201d and preventing further increases, she said.<\/p>\n Social tariff on water<\/p>\n Independent Age is calling for a national social tariff for water ensuring that people of all ages on a low income would qualify for consistent financial support to lower their water bills. <\/p>\n In 2024 the charity\u2019s research suggested that without intervention, the number of older people living in water poverty could rise from 750,000 to almost a million by 2029\/30.<\/p>\n It comes as figures showed households are paying \u00a310 more on average for their monthly water bills this year<\/a>. <\/p>\n The rise will see average annual bills hit \u00a3603 although there are regional differences with South Water customers seeing a 47 per cent increase and customers of Yorkshire Water, receiving a 29 per cent hike.<\/p>\n Independent Age\u2019s director of policy and influencing, Morgan Vine, said: \u201cOlder people on a low income in England and Wales are in desperate need of a national social tariff for water, without it, there will be a tsunami of water poverty<\/a> among people of all ages including our older generation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe people in later life we support tell us the drastic lengths they are taking to reduce their water bills,\u201d she said, telling The i Paper that the charity has seen a \u201cdefinite\u201d rise in the number of people telling staff they are concerned.<\/p>\n \u201cThis shouldn\u2019t be happening in a modern wealthy society.<\/p>\n \u201cWe urge the UK Government <\/a>to listen to the voices of people on low income and the Independent Water Commission<\/a>,\u201d which recommended the introduction of a national social tariff in July. She said that this would \u201cend the postcode lottery of support as soon as possible\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile all water companies<\/a> must offer a social tariff, they vary considerably in generosity and eligibility criteria. Where you live shouldn\u2019t dictate how much help you receive,\u201d she said, adding that: \u201cOften, the people that we speak to have no idea that there are existing discounts available.\u201d<\/p>\n She said that companies\u2019 social tariffs could range from someone on a low income getting 50 per cent off their bill to someone getting \u00a340 off.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes it\u2019s really positive for the older person on low income, and sometimes it doesn\u2019t touch the sides,\u201d Vine said. <\/p>\n She said that any national social tariff should not be based on income alone but on the proportion of income used on water bills, adding that if people are using 3-5 per cent of their income on water it is defined as water poverty.<\/p>\n \u201cNow is the time for action, there can be no delay.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms Vine also called on companies to \u201cproactively\u201d inform their customers about their own social tariffs, and to contact people if their water usage begins changing drastically so they can perhaps avoid a significant increase in their bills.<\/p>\n Ms Howard said that a national social tariff would be \u201cbrilliant\u201d and \u201cchange my life\u201d. She suggested that if the Government is setting an income threshold of \u00a335,000 on winter fuel payment<\/a> eligibility for pensioners, they might match this in any social water tariff they introduce.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: \u201cThe\u00a0Government has put down the building blocks to clean up England\u2019s rivers, lakes and seas for good, and protect families from massive bill hikes.<\/p>\n \u201cUnder this government, the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through social\u00a0tariffs\u00a0has grown\u00a0\u2013 from 4 per cent to 9 per cent.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"File](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SEI_233647380.jpg\")
Water bills are set to rise over the next five years (Photo: Dominic Lipinski\/PA Wire)<\/p>\n