Sessions on how to cut water bills and clear debt in South Gloucestershire

Money expert Yvonne Parks has advice on how to cut water bills and write off arrears

• Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is running drop-in sessions for people who are struggling to pay their water bills
• Reduced tariffs are available from Bristol Water
• Sessions will run on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at the Juice Community Project, Cadbury Heath, from 1pm to 3pm. Sessions at Staple Hill Community Hub will run on the second and fourth Wednesdays at the same time

Water bill debt may seem hard to overcome. But Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire wants to get the message across that help is out there.

Regular drop-in advice sessions are now being held to inform people about water tariffs available. These can drastically cut monthly bills and wipe off arrears.

The sessions cover tariffs available from Bristol Water designed to help those struggling. They will run at the Juice Community Project in Cadbury Heath and the Community Hub in Staple Hill.

Among the schemes covered are the Assist tariff which reduces your bill and Restart – which can write off arrears.

Yvonne Parks, Money Advice Supervisor at Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, is running the sessions, with funding from Bristol Water.

Anyone attending will be able to speak with Yvonne – who can make an application for social tariffs on your behalf.

Our water bills advice

She said: “It isn’t just the financial saving that helps. It is the fact that they have gone from being unable to pay a bill to finding that there is help available.

“There is a bill that becomes affordable, and this gives a sense of control at a time when everything is falling apart. It is a step towards managing and this gives a feeling of hope.

“Typically, Bristol Water respond to applications within a couple of days, and this is a quick resolution for people so they feel other things are possible too and they feel able to look at budgeting and debt and ways in which their income can increase.

“The financial benefit of Bristol Water’s schemes and social tariffs are so often the starting point for someone taking that first step into regaining financial control over their lives, and this has long term changes for people.”

Chantal Watts, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, said: “We are very pleased to be working in collaboration with Bristol Water to help people lower their water bills.”

The charity has been able to help a number of people by offering advice about the water companies’ tariffs. These include mother-of-two “S”.

Success story – how S was able to cut her water bills

S lives with her two young children in rented accommodation. She works part time. She came to Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire as she was struggling to pay her bills. S was particularly worried that her water company was threatening to take court action as she was £800 in arrears.

Her estimated water bill was £45 per month, increased to £63 per month to cover arrears repayments. She had stopped paying some time ago as she could not meet these payments.

We discussed the schemes that Bristol Water have to help customers who are struggling with their bills. As she was on a low income she qualified for the Assist tariff, which lowered her bill to £10 per month.

She was also put on their Restart scheme. This meant that as long as she kept to the £10 per month repayments, Bristol Water would write off her arrears after two years.

The charity was also able to assess that she was eligible for some Universal Credit and help with her energy bills.

• Sessions will run on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at the Juice Community Project, Cadbury Heath, from 1pm to 3pm. Sessions at Staple Hill Community Hub will run on the second and fourth Wednesdays at the same time
• Anyone in South Gloucestershire seeking free, independent, impartial and confidential advice from Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire can call 0808 278 7947 or visit: www.southgloscab.org.uk
• Anyone wishing to donate to Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire to help it continue its vital work should visit: https://bit.ly/3kG7HyB