Welsh Water has launched a new strategy to significantly increase the amount of support it gives its most vulnerable customers over the next decade.
The Supporting Our Customers strategy promises to almost quadruple the number of customers on its Priority Services Register by 2025 and work with other organisations to help find customers who may need extra help.
In addition, it is also targeting a 50 per cent increase in customers who receive financial help from the company to pay for their water bills – to 150,000, from just over 100,000 now.
The new strategy was launched at an event hosted together with sustainability charity Cynnal Cymru at the Swalec stadium in Cardiff, which saw nearly 100 delegates from across a number of sectors hear details of the strategy.
Delegates heard from Welsh Water’s managing director of household customer services, Samantha James, about the details of the strategy, and fed into the detail in sessions about data and how the company could best increase take-up of the Priority Services Register, as well as working together to engage with disadvantaged and vulnerable customers.
“We know that some customers have additional or complex health and learning needs which mean we need to do more to ensure everyone has access to the services and support they need, especially during incidents such as extreme weather,” said James.
“We also know that some of the areas we serve have some of the lowest levels of household income in the UK – and that water bills can add to the challenges some households face in making ends meet.
“This strategy maps out how we intend to build on the current support we offer those customers that need help to access our services – which ranges from setting ambitious targets for assistance through our Priority Services and financial assistance schemes, to working with customers and partners to maximise the contribution we make to our most vulnerable communities where we are undertaking improvements to their water and wastewater services.”