The Department works with Ofcom and providers to improve social tariff awareness. Telecoms providers signed the Telecoms Consumer Charter, committing them to make social tariffs for those on means-tested benefits easy to find and signposted. Government also encourages more providers to offer low-cost broadband and mobile deals to eligible low-income households, with clear, fair information at sign-up. There are around 30 superfast broadband social tariffs available, with at least one available across 99% of the UK.

The government is very aware of the cost-of-living pressures faced by households. The government has removed VAT from electricity bills to give households immediate breathing space. This is in addition to having removed £150 of costs off energy bills since April, plus the extension of the Warm Home Discount which reached 5.7million households last winter. The government recognises some households face additional specific challenges, such as medical needs.

The Government is also investing £15 billion through the Warm Homes Plan, the largest home-upgrade programme in British history, to improve homes, reduce energy costs and help lift one million families out of fuel poverty by 2030. As part of this, the Government is exploring how to enable referrals from the health sector to prescribe a warmer home for those who need it.

One of the biggest practical barriers to providing more targeted help to households is the availability of the right data. DESNZ is working closely with other Government Departments on the National Data Library household income ‘kickstarter’ project to test how public sector data can be better joined up to improve access to government programmes. This will pave the way for better targeted help, ensuring those who are struggling to pay their bills get the support they need.

Companies decide, in consultation with their customers and organisations representing customers, which household customers will fund social tariffs and how much they will pay. Companies have set out the proposed average cross-subsidy customers will be charged from 2025 to 2030 in the data tables of their business plans.

Social water tariffs are affordability schemes that provide discounted water bills for eligible customers and do not automatically exempt customers from hosepipe bans. Decisions on temporary use bans, including any exemptions, are made by water companies under the relevant statutory framework. No guidance is issued specifically relating to social tariffs and temporary usage bans.

Companies are expected to have arrangements in place to identify and support those with additional needs, including during temporary use bans. This includes maintaining a Priority Services Register where customers can receive further assistance and additional protection.

There are currently around 36 social tariffs with at least one of these being available across 99% of the UK. Government's approach has been to work with industry and Ofcom to improve awareness, simplify access, and support switching to cheaper deals and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology continues to work with Ofcom to monitor take-up of social tariffs.

The Government has taken steps to increase uptake among eligible households. In February 2026, Government secured commitments from major telecoms providers through the Telecoms Consumer Charter, which requires providers to proactively signpost social tariffs to eligible customers and make them easier to find.

There are around 30 social tariff offers currently available to eligible consumers, however, Ofcom data shows that the take up remains relatively low: increasing from 380,000 households in September 2023 to 532,000 by June 2025. Due to an expansion in the number of eligible households, these figures represent 8.3% and 8.6% take up respectively as a proportion of eligible households.

In February 2026, the Government secured commitments from telecoms providers through the Telecoms Consumer Charter. These include ensuring social tariffs are easy to find and clearly signposted to eligible customers, alongside the Government's continued encouragement for more providers to offer social tariffs where they are able. Providers also commit to supporting all customers who are facing financial difficulty by offering practical support such as the ability to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty or manageable payment plans.

Recent analysis at global level, including by the International Energy Agency, has highlighted the extensive potential for AI applications in energy to cut costs and lower consumer bills.

Government will publish an AI Strategy for Energy in Autumn this year, which will set out the actions it is taking to apply AI to the Clean Energy Superpower mission. The AI for Clean Energy Champion is also preparing a review of AI deployment in electricity networks, for publication in the summer.

The Government is working with industry to keep support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers are supported. We will look at ways to drive more consistency across the schemes and increase awareness of the support consumers can access.

Water Companies offer a range of support schemes for customers struggling to afford their bills, including: social tariffs, WaterSure, debt support schemes, financial hardship funds, flexible payment plans and payment breaks. The Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported.

Great British Energy (GBE) as the government’s publicly owned energy development company is designed to deliver strategic, long-term investment in the UK’s energy infrastructure. GBE is a key part of the Government’s mission to deliver clean power by 2030 to protect billpayers from volatile international fossil fuel markets by increasing domestic energy production and bring down energy bills for good.

Whilst GBE has been set up to participate in the production, distribution, storage and supply of clean energy there are currently no plans for it to have a retail arm.

Government is working with industry to keep support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers are supported. In total the sector has committed to contribute £449 million to social tariffs, debt matching, and other support schemes over 2025-30. Water Companies set the amount that they have committed to social tariffs in their company business plans up to 2030 in Price Review 2024 and this remains the most up-to-date estimate of social tariff costs.

It is Ofwat's responsibility to independently scrutinise water company business plans and ensure that the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 (PR24) on 19 December 2024, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030. This will deliver substantial and enduring improvements for customers and the environment through a £104 billion upgrade for the water sector.

Ofwat expects trials to follow its good practice principles, including strong customer engagement and safeguards.

Companies must also consult with the Consumer Council for Water in developing their trials to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so that vulnerable consumers are protected or excluded from the trials.

In their PR24 business plans, water companies are required to explain how affordability support (including social tariffs) is funded. Companies must consult with their customers and organisations representing customers, to understand what an acceptable cross-subsidy is, and the eligibility for social tariff schemes. Some companies 'top-up' their social tariff schemes through shareholder contributions.

Ofcom’s most recent Pricing Trends Report showed that in June 2024 9.6% of eligible households were using social tariffs. This included an estimated 506,000 households out of around 5.3 million in receipt of Universal Credit.

Through the Telecoms Consumer Charter, providers have also committed to strengthening the visibility and accessibility of social tariffs by ensuring they are clearly signposted in eligible customer communications. This commitment is designed to make it simpler for eligible households to locate the support available and to understand the options open to them.

We will continue to track progress of this through Ofcom’s regular reporting.

The Telecoms Consumer Charter strengthens protections for customers who may be eligible for social tariffs by securing commitments from major providers to ensure these tariffs are clearly signposted and easy to find in customer communications. This ensures that those who may benefit from a social tariff can more easily identify and access one. This includes, for example, signposting offers in End-of-Contract notifications, provider websites, app menus, and customer service scripts.

Eligibility for social tariffs is assessed on an individual basis and requires customers to provide information, such as confirmation that they receive a means-tested benefit, before providers can determine whether they qualify. For this reason, providers cannot proactively identify eligible households, as they do not have access to the necessary personal data unless and until a customer applies. The Charter focuses on making clear, visible information available at the points where customers are most likely to look for support.

The Charter also includes a specific commitment to support customers who are facing financial difficulty by offering practical support such as allowing them to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty, or manageable payment plans. This ensures people under financial pressure can switch to more affordable options without incurring additional costs.

The Telecoms Consumer Charter strengthens protections for customers who may be eligible for social tariffs by securing commitments from major providers to ensure these tariffs are clearly signposted and easy to find in customer communications. This ensures that those who may benefit from a social tariff can more easily identify and access one. This includes, for example, signposting offers in End-of-Contract notifications, provider websites, app menus, and customer service scripts.

Eligibility for social tariffs is assessed on an individual basis and requires customers to provide information, such as confirmation that they receive a means-tested benefit, before providers can determine whether they qualify. For this reason, providers cannot proactively identify eligible households, as they do not have access to the necessary personal data unless and until a customer applies. The Charter focuses on making clear, visible information available at the points where customers are most likely to look for support.

The Charter also includes a specific commitment to support customers who are facing financial difficulty by offering practical support such as allowing them to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty, or manageable payment plans. This ensures people under financial pressure can switch to more affordable options without incurring additional costs.

The Government is working with industry to keep support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers are supported. We are working with water companies to ensure vulnerable customers across the country receive support. This includes improving the guidance for companies to design the best social tariffs for their customers.

Over the next five years, water companies will have more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through social tariffs from 4% in 2025 to 9% in 2030. We expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end Water Poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.