Government accused of 'ignoring' pleas over £50 South West water bill rebate axe

The Government has been accused of "ignoring" pleas not to axe a £50 rebate on water bills in the South West - with MPs warning families will be "hit in the pocket".

South West Water customers will see their bills go up after the government removed the £50 contribution it has made since 2013. It was originally introduced because customers faced significantly higher water bills than in other regions due to the level of investment the company was required to make to meet environmental and water quality standards.

The Government says that over the last decade, the difference between water bills in the South West and others has decreased.

In a joint letter urging DEFRA (Department for Food, Education and Rural Affairs) to reconsider, South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith, Torridge and Tavistock MP Sir Geoffrey Cox and Exmouth and Exeter East MP David Reed argued average salaries in the South West have continued to trail behind the national average.

They said the scheme helped to keep bills as low as possible, "particularly where South West Water sees demand for its services more than double, to cope with the needs of ten million tourists throughout the peak holiday season".

And they added: "Our constituents already contribute heavily towards South West Water's infrastructure costs, supporting over 860 miles of coastline and maintaining the high standard of Blue Flag bathing beaches, with a third of those beaches located in the South West alone."

The MPs said the Government was "regurgitating tired political rhetoric" after receiving a written response indicating it would press ahead with the plan. Ministers said last month that they were "committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills" but cited a "£22 billion black hole" in public finances.

In a joint statement Ms Smith, Sir Geoffrey and Mr Reed said: “We are disappointed by the Government's decision to ignore our appeals and press ahead with its plans to cut the £50 rebate for South West Water customers. The rebate was introduced to factor in our region's above-average water bills which maintain a third of the nation's bathing beaches on below-average salaries.

“The Labour Government’s decisions are already making families pay more for their utility bills, with its 10% energy price cap hike and axing of the Winter Fuel Payment.

“Our joint letter makes clear, this political decision to once again ignore the needs of our region will hit the pockets of every family in our constituencies. We’re not asking for any special favours, just that the cost to keep Britain’s prized beaches clean is fairly distributed.”

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