Thames Water has boosted its fund to help customers in financial hard times.

The company recently approved £500,000 of funding for its Trust Fund, an independent grant-making trust that aids customers in a difficult financial circumstances.

It also offers grants to local organisations that provide support to Thames Water customers who are in hardship by providing debt and money advice services.

As part of this funding, Trustees have awarded a total of £400,000 in grants to support organisations.

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Thames Water employees can also refer customers to the Trust Fund which provides grants for essential household goods, to those whose long-term circumstances suggest they will not be able to afford these items themselves.

In a recent case, Thames Water customer representative, Rob Hanks, conducted a home visit to a customer needing extra help in Swindon. After he noticed they were in need of a new fridge freezer he made a referral to the Thames Water Trust Fund, where a new fridge was delivered to a customer within weeks.

Mr Hanks, Customer Representative for Thames Water, said: “My role is to support and advocate for customers as much as I can. I’m so pleased a new round of funding has been awarded to the Trust Fund which gives us the opportunity to make a difference to those customers in their everyday life.”

Basingstoke Gazette: A Thames Water employee with a customer

Managed by Auriga Services, in the 2022/23 year, the Thames Water Trust Fund helped over 4,000 deserving customers and Thames Water are hoping to improve on this number with the new round of £500,000 funding.

Linda Perham, Chair of the Thames Water Trust Fund, said: “The Thames Water Trust Fund Trustees are delighted and extremely grateful that Thames Water is reaffirming its long-standing commitment to supporting our vital work in helping its most vulnerable customers especially in these difficult and challenging times.”

Nina White, Director of financial customer care at Thames Water, said: “The Thames Water Trust Fund is an initiative we are very proud of as part of our commitment to support customers who may be struggling. With the cost of living rising, we are also providing support for 53,000 additional households over the next financial year, increasing the total number of households receiving help to 384,000.”