Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and Affinity Water have joined forces to help provide vulnerable West London customers with access to free, additional services across both utilities.
Using data and mapping tools the organisations have identified certain areas where it’s understood there is a higher proportion of elderly residents and cases of social isolation, and are working together so customers across both utilities can access the help available to them through the Priority Services Register (PSR).
Around 3,600 households in the London Borough of Hillingdon have recently received an explanatory letter, highlighting the financial support available to help with water bills and promoting Affinity Water’s Priority Services Register through SSEN.
The letter, which is jointly designed and distributed by SSEN and Affinity Water sets out easy routes for customers to reach each organisation and encourages them to sign up for the free services available.
Rosemary Butcher, SSEN’s PSR Team Manager said:
“We’re aware that a small number of households in the Hillingdon area could benefit from the free services that are being offered by SSEN and Affinity Water.
“We would encourage anyone who believes that they, or a family member or friend, could benefit from these services to contact our friendly teams to see how we can help and support them.
“SSEN is keen to ensure customers are prepared for any emergencies and would also ask any customers who would like to discuss personal resilience planning to get in touch with our trained PSR teams.”
James Tipler, Head of Financial Support and Service Delivery for Affinity Water said:
“We know that households are facing a tough time now and under pressure to make ends meet so we wanted to join together with our partners to let our customers know that we can help and to encourage them to contact us.”
Affinity Water’s Inclusive Services Engagement Manager, Liz Freitas added:
“We wanted to draw our customers attention to the discount that Affinity Water can offer some of its customers as well as registering with SSEN for the PSR and we felt that a personalised letter would be a better way of reaching these customers.”
SSEN’s Priority Services Register
Customers are eligible for the Priority Services Register if they:
- Have a disability
- Have a chronic illness
- Use medical equipment/aids reliant on electricity
- Use oxygen in the home
- Are over 60
- Live with children under five
- Have poor mental health
- Are blind or partially sighted
For more information on our Priority Services Register or to find out more about developing your personal resilience, click here or call 0800 294 3259.
Affinity Water's discounted water tariff
- Depending on circumstances, Affinity Water may be able to help reduce how much customer's pay for water through their low-income tariff (LIFT), which is a fixed discounted charge
- This tariff is available to customers who are earning less than £16,480 a year, or who are currently claiming benefits, such as Universal Credit or Job Seeker’s Allowance
- If eligible for this tariff, customers will receive a fixed-priced bill each year for clean water
- To help keep payments simple and affordable, customers can also make smaller, monthly payments throughout the year
- Customers may also be eligible for discounts on waste water with their provider to help make those charges more affordable for those on a low income - Affinity Water can provide advice on how to apply for this
Find out more by clicking here or call Affinity Water on 0345 357 2406.
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