Households that weren't eligible for financial assistance from Welsh Water, or many other services (energy, council tax etc) will now be able to access help through our “Cymuned” Support Fund.
Where an individual or family experiences a financial shock, a small amount of support early on can prevent them from experiencing serious financial difficulties later. This support provides households with breathing space to get their affairs in order.
The Fund will offer short term support to households who have moved into a negative budget.
Who is eligible?
It will be available to working households, who’s total household income does not exceed £50,000 and where household bills exceed their income as judged by a third-party Income and Expenditure assessment.
What support may they receive?
They may receive a 3 month ‘charge free’ period, during which not only will ongoing charges be cancelled, but they also don’t have to pay anything during that period. The amount is non repayable. This equates roughly to a discount of £100-£120 on the average bill.
How do households access the Cymuned Support Fund?
Customers will need to be referred to a trusted partner, such as a Debt Advice Agency, Local Authority or Housing Association who will complete an income and expenditure assessment.
Customers cannot apply directly to Welsh Water to be accepted onto the “Cymuned” Support Fund.
Customers who meet the eligibility criteria for a social tariff or other affordability scheme, or who are already benefitting from being on a social tariff or debt scheme, will not be eligible for this Fund. Customers will only be eligible once every 3 years.
How will the Cymuned Support Fund work?
Once the customer has been accepted onto the Fund, on-going charges for the next 3 months are cancelled and they are not expected to make any payments during this time. The charge free period will start from the date a customer is accepted onto the fund and will end after the 3 month period has expired.
As a condition of being accepted onto the Cymuned Fund, customers must enter an arrangement to pay their charges (payment plan) at the end of their payment free period. If a customer applying for the Fund already has a payment plan in place eg Direct Debit, the payment dates will be amended to take account of the payment-free period.
How to apply
If you have received our Cymuned training and have verified your client as being in crisis by completing an income and expenditure assessment, please make an application here. The Fund will be applied from date of application, if accepted. By completing an application, you confirm that you have completed an income and expenditure assessment and received permission to complete this on behalf of the customer.
Apply here
Our Services
To book onto Cymuned training please visit the ‘Our Services’ area of REACH.
Find out more