Welsh Water urges people to open up about personal finances in support of Talk Money Week

• Talk Money Week (8-12 November) encourages people to have more open conversations about their money
• Talking about money is more important than ever to support recovery from the financial impact of Covid-19
• To get more people talking money Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is calling on customers under financial pressure to reach out for support.

Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is calling on customers facing financial challenges to reach out for support as part of Talk Money Week, an annual awareness campaign coordinated by the Money and Pensions Service.

Held from 8 to 12 November, Talk Money Week aims to reduce the stigma around money by encouraging conversations among families, friends, neighbours, customers, colleagues, and communities. Talking openly about money can have a huge impact towards tackling money worries and contributes to our overall health. The impact of Covid-19 has made it more important than ever to look after our financial wellbeing and start conversations about money.

As part of the week Welsh Water, which is the only not-for-profit water company in the UK, is urging customers to get in touch to find out more about the help available for those facing financial challenges. Having already ramped up its support for customers in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the company provides financial assistance to more than 147,000 customers who need help to pay their bills – more than any other company in England and Wales.

The water and sewerage provider provides a range of options for customers in need of support, including:

• Debt schemes designed to support customers to clear debts and get in control of their payments
• Tariffs to cap water bills for low-income households or people receiving a means-tested benefit
• Water efficiency advice to help customers on a water meter make savings with simple changes to habits at home

Paula Burnell, Head of Vulnerable Customer Support and Digital Services at Welsh Water said: “The last thing we want people to do is stay silent about any financial challenges they might be facing. Individual circumstances change all the time, and we know the last 18 months have been especially challenging for lots of our customers.

“Here at Welsh Water we have teams of expert, friendly advisors whose job it is to help find solutions for customers facing financial hardship. It’s important our customers know that we’re here to offer our support – if you have any worries about your water bill, we want to talk to you and we want to help.

“No matter your circumstances, we can work with you to find a solution. And every solution begins with a conversation. That’s why we’re encouraging anyone who is worried about being able to afford their water bill to reach out and talk to us.”

Talk Money Week is an annual opportunity to celebrate the work organisations like Welsh Water are doing to support the long-term UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing, launched by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) in 2020 with support from stakeholders across the UK, which has ambitious ten-year goals to help everyone make the most of their money and pensions.

Caroline Siarkiewicz, Chief Executive at the Money and Pensions Service said: “As we continue to respond to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, financial wellbeing remains key to the UK’s recovery: a financially healthy nation is good for individuals, communities, business, and the economy. Talk Money Week provides a key opportunity for the nation to break the taboo of discussing money and finances. We are pleased to see so many organisations encouraging conversations about money – from pocket money to pensions – to help people across the country make better informed and more positive decisions about their finances.”

For more information on Welsh Water’s financial support visit dwrcymru.com/helpwithbills

For more information on Talk Money Week visit www.maps.org.uk/talk-money-week/