Ministers urged to end water ‘postcode lottery’ with single social tariff

Fourteen charities say the government has a ‘huge opportunity’ to support people living in poverty with their water costs. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA

Ministers are under pressure to end the “postcode lottery” on water by introducing a single social tariff for households on low incomes, amid fresh signs consumers are struggling to keep up with bill payments.

Water companies in England and Wales offer their own social tariffs, providing discounts to consumers on low incomes. However, some of the schemes are more generous than others, creating vast disparities in how much consumers pay in different regions.