Committee publication · Correspondence · 6 March 2026
Correspondence from Anglian Water regarding debt collection practices, dated 19 December 2025
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Reforming the water sector
Summary
Anglian Water's Chief Executive responds to an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry on debt-collection practices and vulnerable customer support. The company states it does not use Suspended Committal Orders or Orders to Obtain Information, provides enforcement data from 2019–2025, and describes vulnerability safeguards, accredited enforcement partners, and affordability schemes including payment breaks and a new Medical Needs Discount.
Key findings
- Anglian Water does not use SCOs or Orders to Obtain Information in debt recovery; data provided covers 10,477 County Court Warrants and 22,570 High Court Writs issued 2019–2025.
- Company estimates fewer than one-third of affected customers are in receipt of means-tested benefits, but does not systematically capture this information at the point writs or warrants are issued.
- All enforcement agents are accredited through the Enforcement Conduct Board; contracts require adherence to vulnerability identification and response standards.
- Of 15 complaints escalated to Consumer Council for Water post-enforcement, none specifically cited failure to follow Ofwat's Paying Fair guidelines.
- Anglian Water supported 405,425 customers with affordability measures in 2024/25, exceeding Ofwat target by ~100,000, and became first utility awarded Mental Health Accessibility Certification from Martin Lewis' Money & Mental Health Policy Institute.
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Alistair Carmichael MP, Mark Thurston, Anglian Water Services Ltd, Enforcement Conduct Board, Consumer Council for Water, Ofwat, Martin Lewis' Money & Mental Health Policy Institute
Notable line
“We do not use Suspended Committal Orders (SCOs) or Orders to Obtain Information as part of our debt- recovery processes.”
Key Quotes
“We do not use Suspended Committal Orders (SCOs) or Orders to Obtain Information as part of our debt- recovery processes.”
“All enforcement agents used by our organisation are accredited and are held to account through the Enforcement Conduct Board.”
“Through this process we were able to identify unclaimed entitlements and signpost the customer to further support.”
“Last year, we exceeded our Ofwat affordability target of by almost 100,000, supporting 405,425 customers in 2024/25.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗