On average, Thames Water customers pay the lowest combined water and sewerage bills nationally. But as a result of the work needed to maintain service levels and meet the challenges of the future, the cost of water to customers will rise. There will be a small proportion of our customers who are less able to pay their water bills.

We cannot constrain essential investment in water and wastewater services to limit the effect on these customers' bills. However, it will be important to recognise the impacts of future increases, and make appropriate provisions to help them keep up to date with payments. We want to work to reduce hardship for those who genuinely cannot afford to pay.

For example, we will expand our Customer Assistance Fund, and investigate the benefits of providing such a safety net through an independent charity.

In planning our metering strategy, we will leave properties where potentially vulnerable customers live until later in the programme, and will then direct water conservation audits and activities toward these households.

In the longer term, we will work with the Government to ensure that water cots are properly reflected in the benefits system.