The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) says that the discount scheme for high essential water use needs to be updated.

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WaterSure caps water bills for low income, metered customers with high essential needs due to medical conditions or family size. The customer champion has made six main recommendations to the UK and Welsh governments, ahead of water bill increases from 1 April:

1. Extend the list of qualifying benefits to include non-means tested disability benefits, subject to an upper income threshold.
2. Cap bills at average metered bill or average bill level, whichever is lower.
3. Add an additional bill cap level for single occupiers which reflects the average metered bill for one person.
4. Remove the potential requirement for a medical practitioner’s note in the case of conditions not specifically named in the regulations.
5. List more conditions and highlight the inclusive nature of qualifying medical conditions.
6. The Welsh Government should make the scheme statutory in Wales; it currently operates on a voluntary basis.