What is WaterSure?
WaterSure is a government scheme that caps water bills of households that are struggling to pay, who are on a water meter, and use a lot water. This may be because of a medical condition or having a large family.
To qualify for WaterSure you must:
- Be on a water meter
- You or someone living in your household receives one of these benefits:
- Universal credit
- Housing benefit
- Pension credit
- And you either;
- receive child benefit for three or more children under the age of 19 that are living in your household or
- use extra water because of a medical condition such as:
- Abdominal stoma
- Crohn’s disease
- Desquamation, (flaky skin loss)
- Incontinence
- Renal failure requiring dialysis at home (where there is no contribution by the local health authority for the cost of the water used)
- Ulcerative colitis; or
- Weeping skin disease, (eczema, psoriasis, varicose ulceration)
You can’t apply for WaterSure if your high water use is due to things like using garden sprinklers or swimming pools.
In Wales, the two water companies offer similar support through their own equivalent schemes on a voluntary basis.
If you qualify and want to apply for WaterSure (or equivalent scheme in Wales) contact your water company.
In February 2026, the UK Government announced it will increase both the number of households eligible and the level of support following our recommendations to Defra to improve the WaterSure Scheme in December 2024. Changes are expected to take place in 2027.