Local charities and community groups in Sittingbourne are invited to a networking event on Tuesday 21 April 2026 to discuss support for residents facing rising water bills. The meeting will take place at Swallows Leisure Centre between 9:30am and 11:00am, with organisers asking those interested to RSVP in advance.
The event is being hosted by Swale Community and Voluntary Services, a charity that provides support to the local voluntary sector. A key feature of the morning will be a presentation from a representative of Southern Water, who will explain the options available through the company’s Hardship Fund.
This fund provides assistance for customers struggling with their utility costs, including debt write-offs of up to £3,000 and one-off bill reductions of as much as 50 percent. Other support available through the scheme includes grants of up to £1,000 for home appliances and furniture, along with food vouchers worth up to £200. Southern Water currently reports that it provides a minimum 45 percent discount to nearly 200,000 customers across its service area.
The discussion comes as local households navigate significant increases in water charges. Following a 46.7 percent average bill rise in April 2025, customers saw an additional 8 percent increase on combined water and wastewater bills this month. The utility company has stated that these rises are part of an £8.5 billion, five-year investment plan aimed at upgrading infrastructure and reducing storm overflows, promising that all revenue from the increases will be reinvested into services.
This networking opportunity builds on the work of the One Swale Roadshows, a joint initiative between Swale Borough Council, the Faversham Community Networking Group, and Swale Community and Voluntary Services. Supported by the UK Government’s Household Support Fund, these roadshows have already helped more than 3,500 people access debt advice, health check-ups, and vouchers for food and fuel.
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