Hosepipe bans are spreading. Here's who's exempt and why

Hosepipe bans are now in force or starting this week across six water company areas in England, covering millions of homes, after three heatwaves and the warmest June on record. Anyone caught breaking one can be fined up to £1,000.

But not everyone has to follow the ban. Every water company exempts some customers. If you're on a low income, have a health condition, or are on the WaterSure tariff, here's what the rules say, and why the exemptions exist.

Why some people are exempt

Hosepipe bans are about cutting back on water we can do without for a while, like washing the car or watering the lawn.

But some people can't switch to a watering can. Someone with arthritis, a serious health condition or limited mobility may not be able to lift or carry one safely. Others need extra water for medical reasons, such as a skin condition needing daily washing, incontinence, or treatment like home dialysis. For these households, water isn't a luxury they can trim. That's who the exemptions are for.

The rules are different depending on your water company

Two companies, Southern Water and Affinity Water, have exempted everyone on the WaterSure tariff. To qualify, someone in your home must be on certain benefits, and you must also either have three or more children under 19 in full-time education, or someone in the household with a medical condition that means high water use.

Most people on WaterSure with these companies are also on the priority services register for extra support, so rather than making unwell and disabled customers prove their need one by one, Southern and Affinity exempted the whole group. It keeps things simple and means nobody vulnerable gets caught out.

The other companies with bans, South East Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water and South West Water, do things differently. Their exemptions mainly work through the priority services register, and usually only if your health or disability means you can't safely use a watering can or bucket instead. Being on WaterSure alone isn't enough with these companies.

So it’s important to check your water company's website. The rules aren't the same everywhere, and they're changing week to week.

Not on the priority services register?

Every water company runs a free priority services register for people who might need extra help, because of age, illness, disability, mobility problems, having a baby under one, or even short-term support after something like an operation. It's how companies know who to look after if supplies are interrupted, and during a hosepipe ban it's the route most companies use for exemptions.

The water regulator Ofwat estimates that as many as half of households in England and Wales are likely to be eligible for priority services, yet only around one in ten are registered. That's millions of people missing out on free help they're entitled to. If it sounds like you or someone in your home, register with your water company now. It costs nothing.

And check if you qualify for WaterSure

Whatever it means for the hosepipe ban in your area, WaterSure is worth knowing about for your bills. It caps what you pay at the average for your area, however much water you need to use, and the government says it saves households an average of £325 a year. It got easier to claim this year too. You no longer need a doctor's note, and more than 300,000 people are now eligible.

If you're on a water meter, claiming benefits, and have a big family or a medical condition that means you use a lot of water. Speak to your water company to see if you qualify.