Yorkshire Water Community Trust

Yorkshire Water Community Trust is an independent registered charity (no. 1047923) dedicated to alleviating financial hardship for vulnerable Yorkshire Water customers by providing grants to reduce water bill arrears. Governed by an autonomous board of trustees under Charity Commission oversight, it operates with a mission rooted in compassion, integrity, and practical support, focusing exclusively on stabilising household finances for those in acute distress—such as low-income families, people with disabilities, or those facing medical challenges—preventing debt escalation and promoting financial inclusion within the Yorkshire Water service region (Yorkshire and Humber, England).

The Trust funds direct, one-off grants solely for paying down individual water arrears between £50 and £2,000, but only for applicants with at least one additional priority debt over £50 (e.g., rent, council tax, mortgage, gas, electricity, or HMRC tax). Beneficiaries are Yorkshire Water customers in genuine crisis; grants average around £470 and serve as targeted interventions rather than ongoing support, with 1,907 awards issued in 2021/22 to address immediate needs without broader programmatic agendas.

Eligibility is restricted to individuals (or applications on their behalf) residing in the Yorkshire Water region, requiring proof of arrears, income/expenditure details, and recent debt evidence; organisations, charities, and non-customers are ineligible, as are repeat applications more frequently than once every two years (max two in five years). Applications are unsolicited, submitted via email (ywcommtrust@loop.co.uk) or post using a downloadable form from the Yorkshire Water website, on a rolling basis with no deadlines—trustee approvals and same-day payments follow prompt review.

Distinctively needs-led and non-strategic, the Trust excludes projects, core costs, capacity building, capital works, environmental initiatives, or general community activities, differentiating it as a hyper-focused crisis responder for water debt only, not a thematic funder.