If you can't pay your water bill

If you owe your water company money, they might take action to get you to pay. The water company isn’t legally allowed to disconnect or restrict your water supply - but they can:

• take you to court to get you to pay

• get money deducted from your benefits to pay your bills and debt

You should talk to them as soon as possible, and make an agreement to pay what you can afford.

If your water bill is for a business, the rules are different. You can get advice from Business Debtline advisers on their website.

If you have other debts

Before you deal with your water debts, check if any of your other debts are more serious - these are called 'priority debts'. Priority debts include:

• rent and mortgage

• gas and electricity

• council tax

• court fines

If you don't deal with your priority debts you might for example lose your home or have your energy supply cut off.

Check if you have any priority debts before dealing with your water debt.

Work out what you owe

Whenever you get a bill, check to make sure it's your bill and has been worked out correctly. 

If you rent from a landlord, you should check if they’re responsible for paying the bill. 

If your landlord is responsible for your bills and hasn’t paid them, check what to do if your landlord hasn’t paid the water bill.

If you’re on a water meter

Your water company will usually estimate your current use of water based on the previous year. 

If you know where your water meter is and you can get to it, check your meter reading against the estimate on your bill.

If you think you might have used less water, explain this to the water company and make sure your payments take this into account. For example, you might be using less water if there are fewer people in your household than before. 

Negotiate with your water company

Work out what you can afford to pay, and make an offer to your water company. 

The water company should consider your ability to pay and accept a realistic payment offer. They might still refuse if it isn't enough to clear the amount you owe. 

Even if they refuse, it’s worth paying what you can and keeping your proof of payment. This could help you argue later that you have been as reasonable as possible and acted in good faith to clear any debts.

Check your water bill or your water company’s website for their contact details - they might have a special debt line service you can use.

If they don’t have a special debt line service, use your water company’s general contact details. Tell them you would like to discuss payment problems.

If you need extra support

You should tell your water company if you’re in ‘vulnerable’ circumstances. 

You might be in vulnerable circumstances if you're disabled or have a long-term health condition, including mental health conditions. This could also include if you:

• have reached your State Pension age

• don't speak or read English well

• are recently bereaved

Your water company should give you extra support if you need it because of your situation.

Check your water company has followed the rules

If you don’t pay your bill, your water company should contact you twice before they take further action. If you’ve told them your preferred method of contact, they should use this. 

If you have more than one unpaid water bill, you should get separate reminders for each bill.

Your water company has to follow guidelines about how to help you. They should: 

• check if you’re eligible for any help paying your bill

• tell you about different payment options

• tell you where you can get debt advice

• give you their contact number and website address

• talk to your debt adviser, if you have one

If you aren’t happy with your water company

It’s worth complaining if you think your water company hasn’t followed the rules. 

If you complain, your water company should correct the problem. This could also stop or delay court action.

Check how to complain about your water company.

If your water company takes action 

If you don’t make an agreement to pay your water company, they’ll usually take you to court. 

Check what to do if you’re being taken to court for debt. 

If you get certain benefits, your water company might take money from your payments. They'll need to ask the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) before they do this.

If your water company takes money from your benefits

 They’ll usually take money to pay both your ongoing bills and your debt. This is often called ‘Water Direct’ or ‘third party deductions’.

The DWP will send you a letter to tell you how much they’re taking. They can't take more than a quarter of your benefit payment to pay your water bills - unless you agree they can take more.

If you don’t want third party deductions, or if you disagree with the amount they’re taking, you can contact the office that deals with your benefit. Find out more about third party deductions on GOV.UK.

Check if you can get help paying your bills

You might be able to get help if you either:

• have no income or a low income 

• get benefits

• live alone and don’t have a water meter

• have reached State Pension age

Check if you can get help paying your water bills.

If you’re finding things difficult

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. You should talk to your GP if your money problems are affecting your mental health. 

You can find other ways to get help with your mental health on the Mind website.

If you need to speak to someone 

You can speak to a trained volunteer at organisations like Samaritans or Shout.

Samaritans

Helpline: 116 123 (Monday to Sunday at any time)

Welsh Language Line: 0808 164 0123 (Monday to Sunday 7pm to 11pm)

Calls to Samaritans are free.

You can find other ways to get in touch with Samaritans on their website.

Shout

You can also text 'SHOUT' to 85258 to start a conversation with a trained Shout volunteer. Texts are free, anonymous and confidential from anywhere in the UK.

If you think it's an emergency

If you think your life or someone else’s is at risk, you should call 999 or go to A&E if you can.

You can also find a list of urgent mental health services on the Mind website.