I need help paying my water bill
We have a range of plans that can reduce your bills or help you to manage your payments.
Get help with paying your bill
- Spread the cost of your bills
- Pay us directly from your benefits
- Repay debt and get back on track
- Lower your water bills
- Save money and water with a meter
You can get help with paying your bill by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Who can get help?
We can help if the following applies to you:
- Low income or in receipt of benefits
- Receiving Pension Credit or State Pension
- In debt with your bills
- A change in financial situation (e.g. loss of employment)
- Short-term hardship
Our support schemes
Payment breaks
If you are dealing with a change of circumstances or need a little more time to pay, a payment break could help.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Flexible payment plans
If you are having short term problems paying, we can offer you a flexible payment plan. This will allow you to pay less than needed towards your bill for an agreed period of time and catch up on payments at a later date, when you are back on track.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Reduce your bill with Assist
Assist is a scheme for low-income householders who are struggling to pay and need a large discount on their bill. You do not need to receive benefits to apply.
To apply for Assist you will need to complete an income and expenditure form through our partners IE Hub.
Once we have your application, we'll let you know if you have been accepted within five working days.
Debt support scheme - Restart
A two-year payment plan designed to cover your current usage and some of your debt. If all year one payments are met, at the end of the year we will reduce your debt by the equivalent amount. In year two, if you continue to pay your current year charges, we will clear your remaining debt, and you will be back on track.
This scheme is for you if you:
- have significant water debt you can't repay
- can afford your ongoing water bills.
To apply for Restart you will need to complete an income and expenditure form through our partners IE Hub.
Once we have your application, we'll let you know if you have been accepted within five working days.
What is this initiative?
How it can help you
You can have your water bill payments come directly from your benefits. The amount you pay each week is worked out to cover the bill for the year and a small amount towards any debt.
Are you eligible?
Customers in debt with their water bill and in receipt of one of these benefits: income support, income-based job seekers allowance, employment and support allowance, pension credit or universal credit.
How to apply
Visit our Water Direct page and fill out the form, using the button below. Alternatively, you can apply by calling: 0345 600 3600 or email: customer.services@bwbsl.co.uk
This is a suitable solution if:
- you are in debt with your water bill and receive benefits.
Key features:
- You don’t have to remember to make payments.
- We will take no action to recover your debt while you are on Water Direct.
- You can pay any arrears directly from one of the following benefits:
- income support
- income-based jobseeker's allowance
- pension credit
- universal credit.
To qualify:
- you will need to be more than £50 in arrears
- you need to have two failed payment arrangements or a debt recovery reminder
- you or someone in your household must receive at least one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Employment & Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
To complete this application you will need:
- your personal details
- the details of the person receiving benefits (if not you)
- date of birth and National Insurance number of the person receiving benefits
- the type of benefit(s) being received.
Please note that fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory.
Low-income pensioner discount
If you receive Pension Credit or if your state pension is your only income, we can offer a bill discount of around 20%.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Bill cap scheme
If you are in a low-income household, our WaterSure Plus scheme could help reduce your payments.
Payment breaks
If you are dealing with a change of circumstances or need a little more time to pay, a payment break could help.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Flexible payment plans
If you are having short term problems paying, we can offer you a flexible payment plan. This will allow you to pay less than needed towards your bill for an agreed period of time and catch up on payments at a later date, when you are back on track.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Reduce your bill with Assist
Assist is a scheme for low-income householders who are struggling to pay and need a large discount on their bill. You do not need to receive benefits to apply.
To apply for Assist you will need to complete an income and expenditure form through our partners IE Hub.
Once we have your application, we'll let you know if you have been accepted within five working days.
Debt support scheme - Restart
A two-year payment plan designed to cover your current usage and some of your debt. If all year one payments are met, at the end of the year we will reduce your debt by the equivalent amount. In year two, if you continue to pay your current year charges, we will clear your remaining debt, and you will be back on track.
This scheme is for you if you:
- have significant water debt you can't repay
- can afford your ongoing water bills.
To apply for Restart you will need to complete an income and expenditure form through our partners IE Hub.
Once we have your application, we'll let you know if you have been accepted within five working days.
What is this initiative?
How it can help you
You can have your water bill payments come directly from your benefits. The amount you pay each week is worked out to cover the bill for the year and a small amount towards any debt.
Are you eligible?
Customers in debt with their water bill and in receipt of one of these benefits: income support, income-based job seekers allowance, employment and support allowance, pension credit or universal credit.
How to apply
Visit our Water Direct page and fill out the form, using the button below. Alternatively, you can apply by calling: 0345 600 3600 or email: customer.services@bwbsl.co.uk
This is a suitable solution if:
- you are in debt with your water bill and receive benefits.
Key features:
- You don’t have to remember to make payments.
- We will take no action to recover your debt while you are on Water Direct.
- You can pay any arrears directly from one of the following benefits:
- income support
- income-based jobseeker's allowance
- pension credit
- universal credit.
To qualify:
- you will need to be more than £50 in arrears
- you need to have two failed payment arrangements or a debt recovery reminder
- you or someone in your household must receive at least one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Employment & Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
To complete this application you will need:
- your personal details
- the details of the person receiving benefits (if not you)
- date of birth and National Insurance number of the person receiving benefits
- the type of benefit(s) being received.
Please note that fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory.
Low-income pensioner discount
If you receive Pension Credit or if your state pension is your only income, we can offer a bill discount of around 20%.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Bill cap scheme
If you are in a low-income household, our WaterSure Plus scheme could help reduce your payments.
Payment breaks
If you are dealing with a change of circumstances or need a little more time to pay, a payment break could help.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Flexible payment plans
If you are having short term problems paying, we can offer you a flexible payment plan. This will allow you to pay less than needed towards your bill for an agreed period of time and catch up on payments at a later date, when you are back on track.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Reduce your bill with Assist
Assist is a scheme for low-income householders who are struggling to pay and need a large discount on their bill. You do not need to receive benefits to apply.
To apply for Assist you will need to complete an income and expenditure form through our partners IE Hub.
Once we have your application, we'll let you know if you have been accepted within five working days.
Debt support scheme - Restart
A two-year payment plan designed to cover your current usage and some of your debt. If all year one payments are met, at the end of the year we will reduce your debt by the equivalent amount. In year two, if you continue to pay your current year charges, we will clear your remaining debt, and you will be back on track.
This scheme is for you if you:
- have significant water debt you can't repay
- can afford your ongoing water bills.
To apply for Restart you will need to complete an income and expenditure form through our partners IE Hub.
Once we have your application, we'll let you know if you have been accepted within five working days.
What is this initiative?
How it can help you
You can have your water bill payments come directly from your benefits. The amount you pay each week is worked out to cover the bill for the year and a small amount towards any debt.
Are you eligible?
Customers in debt with their water bill and in receipt of one of these benefits: income support, income-based job seekers allowance, employment and support allowance, pension credit or universal credit.
How to apply
Visit our Water Direct page and fill out the form, using the button below. Alternatively, you can apply by calling: 0345 600 3600 or email: customer.services@bwbsl.co.uk
This is a suitable solution if:
- you are in debt with your water bill and receive benefits.
Key features:
- You don’t have to remember to make payments.
- We will take no action to recover your debt while you are on Water Direct.
- You can pay any arrears directly from one of the following benefits:
- income support
- income-based jobseeker's allowance
- pension credit
- universal credit.
To qualify:
- you will need to be more than £50 in arrears
- you need to have two failed payment arrangements or a debt recovery reminder
- you or someone in your household must receive at least one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Employment & Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
To complete this application you will need:
- your personal details
- the details of the person receiving benefits (if not you)
- date of birth and National Insurance number of the person receiving benefits
- the type of benefit(s) being received.
Please note that fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory.
Low-income pensioner discount
If you receive Pension Credit or if your state pension is your only income, we can offer a bill discount of around 20%.
How to apply
You can apply by calling 0345 600 3600 or completing our enquiry form.
Bill cap scheme
If you are in a low-income household, our WaterSure Plus scheme could help reduce your payments.
How to use our eligibility calculator
We've got a super easy eligibility calculator which will help you find out how we can support you based on your personal circumstances. To use the calculator, simply press on the blue chat icon in the right corner and answer some quick questions.
Independent help and advice
If you need debt advice before applying for one of our schemes, or free, independent, and confidential support, these non-profit organisations can help.
Kidney Care UK, Bristol Water and Wessex Water partnership
Bristol Water, Wessex Water, and Kidney Care UK are working together to support people with kidney disease in the South West of England. Through the partnership thousands of people with kidney disease are able to receive financial help. Watch the video below to find out how we help those with kidney disease.