Carers First has teamed up with Southern Water to raise awareness of the support offered to unpaid carers across Medway.
Southern Water’s Priority Services Register provides support to a range of customers, including people with sight or hearing impairments, people with limited mobility and people living with serious or long-term illnesses.
Customers can sign up to be added to the register so that the water company is aware of their circumstances and can provide free practical support, suited to their individual needs. For example, if a customer would like to nominate someone to manage their account or if they need extra help and support for bills.
Carers First works directly with and for, unpaid carers to provide personalised information and advice. In order to ensure carers have everything they need to fulfil their caring role, our team provides advice on potential support available such as carers allowance and carers assessment.
One carer who has benefited from signing up to the Priority Service Register is Jackie from Rochester, who until recently cared for her mum.
“Carers First told me how I might be entitled to help from Southern Water. They put me in touch with a representative who arranged a reduced tariff for my mum and me. They also added us to the Priority Service Register which gives us access to extra support.
“Southern Water were helpful and easy to talk to. I now pay a fixed amount for my water which helps me budget better and means I can afford more heating come winter.
“Being on the Priority Service Register gives you peace of mind. I was made nominee of my mum’s account as she was deaf and I managed her bills. Being on the Register also means you are prioritised in an event of water going off.”
Joe Palmer, Southern Water’s Vulnerability Liaison Officer said, “We are delighted to launch this new partnership with Carers First. This is something we are incredibly passionate about and want to be able to support any of our customers should they be in need.
“Making sure all of our customers have access to water is essential and it is vital that we know who may need extra help should there be any interruptions to water supplies.
“We want to urge all customers who might need help themselves or care for someone who might need our help to sign up to our Priority Services Register, to ensure we are able to support them in the best way.”
Andy Watts, Director of Income and Communications at Carers First said: “We know that obtaining relevant information and support can itself be a challenge, but with it, carers can thrive. By working with partners like Southern Water, we can make sure carers are getting the support they need to make their lives a little bit easier.”
If you care for someone in Medway, Southern Water can offer you practical support.
Online Help and Advice
Visit our online support section where we have provided advice and guidance on a range of relevant topics to help you in your caring role.