We're here to help you if you're having difficulties paying your water supply bill
There are several ways that we can help if you're having trouble paying your bill. Details of our schemes are on this page, or if you’d like to talk it through with us, please get in touch.
Check you’re receiving the help you are entitled to
The Better Off Calculator from The Consumer Council for Water is a free and easy tool that shows what benefits or support you may be entitled to. Just answer a few simple questions about your income, household, and living situation to find out what you should receive.
Budget planning
To help find a repayment amount that you can realistically afford, you can try the budget planner by Money Helper, a free service provided by the Money and Pensions Service.
If you have £300 or more outstanding to pay on your account and have been unable to make regular payments, it may be possible for you to apply for help under our Arrears Assist Scheme.
To apply please complete the application form online. Alternatively, you can print the form and return to this to us via email to [email protected], or return to us at: Portsmouth Water Ltd, PO Box 99, West Street, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 1LG
If you require any help in completing the application, then please get in touch via phone or email.
Helping hand is a lower cost tariff for customers who have a household income of £22,020 or under, and receive certain benefits. If your application is successful, your water bill will be capped at our minimum charge for the year. To qualify for the Social Tariff you must have a household income of less than the Government’s low income threshold. If any of the following benefits take your household income over the threshold, you will still be eligible:
- Universal Credit - Child and housing cost elements
- Housing / Council Tax Benefit
- Disability Living Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Mortgage Interest Relief
For those that meet the criteria, The WaterSure Tariff can help by putting a cap on your water bill at the average metered bill amount. This is currently £158.61 for the billing year running until April 2026. From 1 April 2026, this is £162.82.
You may be able to reduce your water bills by having a water meter installed. This would mean you pay for the amount of water you use, plus standing charges. For more information about metering, and whether you would save money please click the button below.
We are committed to helping our customers who may need extra support either in the long or short term. Our Community Engagement Team works with local organisations such as Citizen Advice Bureaus and Housing Associations to raise awareness of our services and tariffs to our vulnerable customers..
If you are struggling to pay your bill, we are here to help. You can apply to have a payment holiday of up to 6 months where no payments need to be made within that period. Payment holidays are available once in a 12 month period.
If you would like to apply for a payment break please click the button below and complete the form.
Require Debt Advice?
Should you need help in managing your money and require debt advice, there are a number of organisations who can help you for free. Links to some organisations are given below:
StepChange (CCCS) | Free debt advice | Debt management help
National Debtline England & Wales, for FREE CONFIDENTIAL and INDEPENDENT ADVICE call 0808 808 4000
Citizens Advice - the charity for your community
Code of Practice for Customers in Debt
Our code of practice explains how we can help and what will happen if you fail to pay
Our Code of Practice for Customer in Debt is available here