Maria Eagle MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responding to Consumer Council for Water’s latest report into water poverty, said:

“This latest report by the water watchdog exposes a shocking lack of support for people struggling to cope under David Cameron’s cost-of-living crisis. Rather than making water companies support customers with unaffordable bills, David Cameron has allowed them to pay huge profits back to their shareholders.

“This Tory-led Government’s failure to act means that only six companies currently offer social tariffs for people who struggle to pay their water bills. Labour will introduce a package of measures to require far greater social responsibility from the water companies, including requiring all water companies to sign up to a new national affordability scheme ending the current postcode lottery.”

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