Keeping your bills low, whilst your taps flow

Hi Shropshire,

I’m Sonia. I’m part of the community team at Severn Trent.

We spend most days out in your local community, at events, and working with local partners such as Citizens Advice. My role is all about supporting customers who may need a little extra help, and it’s incredibly rewarding – that’s why I’ve been working here for nearly 10 years!

Bill support and money saving this winter it’s tough right now for many people, especially as we go into the winter months. That’s why we’re working hard to keep your bills low and offer support.

The good news is, that as a Severn Trent customer you already have the second cheapest average bill in England, out of nine water companies.

And on average, our customers pay around £1.15 per day for all their water and waste services – roughly the cost of a first-class stamp.

However, we don’t want anyone to feel worried by their water bill. I speak to people every day who have had a sudden change in their circumstances, who just need a helping hand getting back on track.

So, I wanted to reassure you we have help available if you ever need it, alongside ways you can save on your bills this winter:

• We have a range of support schemes - whether you have a low household income, or you’re feeling the pressure right now – we can help. There are different ways to pay your bill too, such as spreading your costs via direct debit at no extra charge, take a look here stwater.co.uk/help

• Have you thought about switching over to a water meter? You might be surprised at the difference it can make to your bills. See how much you could save by visiting stwater.co.uk/apply-for-meter

• By saving water you could save money too, for example by cutting your shower time by a few minutes you could save on your water* and energy bills. For more tips visit stwater.co.uk/save-water-sm Investing in our water, and our communities

As well as delivering you wonderful water and keeping your bills low, quite rightly you want to know that we’re investing for the future and putting your bill money to good use, and we certainly are!

But we’re not just funding investments from customer bills – it comes from a mix of shareholder investment and sensible borrowing too. This means we can care for your water, whilst still giving you great value for money.

Alongside projects to future-proof your water and cut down on leaks we’re also investing in your local community in other ways, such as our Community Fund which supports local causes. Close to you, we recently supported the Rural Art Hub in Ellesmere, who received a grant of £8,467. The Hub helps people of all ages and abilities enjoy creative experiences, and they used the grant to renovate their studio, so they could stay open over the winter period.

Finally, all that’s left for me to say is...

If you need any help with your bills, or with your water and waste service, please get in touch (all our contact details are on our website stwater.co.uk). And if you ever see us out and about in the community don’t hesitate to come and say hello!

Sonia