Wessex Water donates £250,000 to debt advice
22 July 2010
Debt advice agencies which provide invaluable advice to people struggling to pay their bills have received a financial boost from Wessex Water.
The water company has donated £250,000 to debt advice agencies across its region which spans Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, most of Wiltshire and parts of Gloucestershire.
Bristol Water, which supplies water to Bristol, also pledged support to debt advice agencies in the city donating an additional £60,000.
Sue Lindsay, head of consumer affairs at Wessex Water, said the company provided funds to debt advice agencies so they could continue providing important free advice to customers.
She said: “We want to help customers struggling to pay their water and sewerage bills get the support and advice they need. The work of debt advice agencies is a fundamental part of this and could help people turn their lives around.”
Wessex Water said it had provided funding to debt advice agencies in its region for a number of years and money recently donated had enabled some organisations to continue employing staff who offered essential help.
Others put the grant towards resources or used it to fund the work of advisors responsible for training volunteers and helping them develop their skills.
Mrs Lindsay said that the company recognised that debt advice was essential for some customers.
She said: “Many customers are not aware of the full range of benefits and tax credits that are available. As well as offering debt advice, agencies can also ensure customers are claiming all the benefits to which they are entitled.”
The funding will help agencies inform more people about Wessex Water’s Restart and Restart Plus schemes along with its Assist tariff – all in place to help customers who are in financial difficulty get back on track and in control of their finances.