서번트렌트(Severn Trent)는 미들랜드 거주 약 25만 명에게 재정 지원을 했다고 밝혔다. 서번트렌트는 가능한 한 많은 고객에게 다양한 지원을 제공할 수 있도록 청구서의 70% 할인부터 무상 지원 또는 계획, 부채 지원에 이르기까지 다양한 금융 지원을 제공하고 있다.

서번트렌트는 수도 요금에 대해 고객이 걱정하지 않도록 노력하고 있으며, 추가 지원이 필요할 수 있는 사람은 누구나 도움을 받을 수 있도록 권장하고 있다.

2022년 5월에는 3천만 파운드의 기금을 추가로 조성해 더 많은 고객을 도왔으며, 2025년에는 약 31만5천 명을 지원할 것으로 예상된다. 2030년에는 업계에서 가장 큰 고객 지원 패키지 중 하나가 될 것으로 예상되는 것에 대해 약 70만 명의 사람들을 도울 것으로 예상된다.

앤디 화이트(Andy White) 물 소비자 위원회(CCW)의 사회 정책 수석 리더는 미들랜즈 워터 컴퍼니(Midlands Water Company)의 지원 증가에 대해 언급하면서 "우리는 서번트렌트(Severn Trent)로부터 도움을 받는 고객의 증가를 보게 되어 기쁘고, 위기에 처한 가구가 불가능한 선택에 직면한 일부 경우에 이러한 지원은 삶을 바꿀 수 있다. 경험은 많은 고객들이 여전히 도움이 존재하는지 모르거나 요청하기를 두려워하기 때문에 미개척 지원을 놓치고 있다. 우리는 물 위에서 살아남기 위해 고군분투하는 미들랜즈의 모든 사람들에게 서번트렌트와 연락해 약간의 부담을 덜어주도록 촉구하고 싶다"고 말했다.

서번트렌트의 고객 지원의 중심에는 마크 그라이스(Mark Grice) 서번트렌트 외부 관계 관리자가 있다. 마크 그라이스는 서번트렌트에서 20년 이상 근무하며, 10년 동안 수도 요금 지원팀을 이끌었다. 마크 그라이스는 "서번트렌트는 지원 유형을 지속적으로 늘리고 있으며, 이는 서번트렌트를 필요로 하는 더 많은 고객을 도울 수 있도록 투자한 이유이다"면서 "고객뿐만 아니라 시민 조언, 의회, 자금 지원 단체 등 모든 지역 조직에서 서번트렌트가 도움을 줄 수 있다는 것을 확실히 하는 것이 서번트렌트 업무의 큰 부분이다. 그래서 사람들이 예상치 못하게 서번트렌트의 지원을 필요로 할 수 있고 상황이 바뀌어도 대비할 수 있기 때문에 점점 더 많은 사람들이 이용 가능한 지원에 대해 확실히 알 수 있다"고 말했다.

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A record 250,000 people are getting help with their water bill, as Severn Trent’s commitment to financial support continues to grow

Around 250,000 people living in the Midlands are now receiving some form of financial support from Severn Trent, as the company is committed to helping its most financially vulnerable customers.

The company offers a wide selection of financial support – ranging from 70% off bills, to payment breaks or plans, to debt support, to help provide varied support for as many of its customers as possible.

Severn Trent’s committed to having no customer worry about their water bill, so encourages anyone who may need an extra bit of support, to make sure they know of the help available.

In May 2022, it created an additional £30m fund so it can help more customers, where by 2025 it's expected to be supporting around 315,000 people. 

By 2030, it’s predicted to be helping around 700,00 people on what’s expected to be one of the biggest packages of customer support in the industry.

Speaking of the growth of support available from the Midlands Water Company,  Andy White, Senior Leader for Social Policy at the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said:  “We’re delighted to see the growth in customers receiving help from Severn Trent and this support can be life-changing in some cases where crisis-hit households are facing impossible choices. Experience tells us that many customers are still missing out on untapped support because they either don’t know help exists or are too afraid to ask. We’d urge anyone in the Midlands who is struggling to stay afloat to get in touch with Severn Trent and allow them to ease some of the burden.”

And at the heart of the help available, is External Relationships Manager, Mark Grice. With a career over 20 years at Severn Trent, and a decade of a leading a team that helps customers with paying their water bill, he understands first-hand the impact that can be made.

“The drive and motivation that keeps me going, is the real difference we’re able to make to someone’s life,” says Mark. “Everyone’s situation is different, and no two people or families are the same and it’s why we’re constantly increasing the types of support, and why we’ve invested so we can help more of our customers who need us.

“A big part of our job is making sure not only our customers know we’re here to help, but all the local organisations like citizen advice, councils, money support groups and others – so we can really make sure that more and more people know of the support available, as people may unexpectedly need our support and be prepared should things change,” adds Mark.

“I met a family where the one parent was diagnosed with a terminal illness – suddenly where he was once comfortable providing for his family, now was a struggle as he has no income. With energy bills and cost of living challenges, he really was in a situation of ‘heat or eat’. Thankfully, we were able to help him and his family, we’ve reduced his water bill and now that’s one thing he doesn’t need to worry about.

“Another example of the types of people we’ve helped, was a lady who was a victim of domestic abuse. With everything she was dealing with, she fell behind on paying her bills – but we were able to make a big difference and help, and again, make the water bill one less worry for her.

“It’s for reasons like those, where I’d really urge anyone to have a look at what we have available. Life’s unexpected, but we’re here to help – and a chat with me or my team could really help make a difference when it’s needed most.”

Mark continues: “When I started here, the financial support was the only real support we had for people. But what’s great now is as a business, our support goes much wider than just money, which feels really rewarding. While we can help with paying bills, and understanding how we can make their water bill manageable - we want to make sure we’re doing what we can to help prevent people needing the help in the first place.”

Severn Trent, alongside it’s financial support schemes, launched an ambitious 10-year programme that’s committed to helping change the lives of 100,000 people living in the Midlands by tackling the underlying causes of poverty and helping them reach their potential.

Since launching, the company has been running jobs fairs, employability workshops and delivering skills training including cv writing skills, confidence building and interview practice to help more people feel job ready. The support goes side by side with the financial help it gives.

“While we will always support people to pay their bill, we’re also helping get to the roots of issues people are facing and understanding how people are in financial difficulty or stuck in cycle that’s hard to break out of. So my team not only can give people information on how to save money and make changes to their bill, but we can direct them to even more support, which is just brilliant.”

[출처 = 서번트렌트(Severn Trent)(A record 250,000 people are getting help with their water bill, as Severn Trent’s commitment to financial support continues to grow | News Releases | News | Severn Trent Water (stwater.co.uk)) / 1월 29일]

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