Thames Water Trust Fund

Thames Water Trust Fund is an independent grant-making charity established in 2009 in partnership with Thames Water, operating with its own board to relieve financial hardship among the utility's customers unable to pay water and sewerage charges or facing undue distress from its operations. Its mission centers on tackling water poverty, promoting dignity, fairness, and access to essentials, blending direct crisis relief with long-term financial resilience-building. Distinctive for its exclusive focus on Thames Water customers, it combines immediate grants for household basics like washing machines, cookers, fridges, and beds with support for debt advice infrastructure, emphasizing measurable outcomes like improved bill management confidence.

The fund prioritizes alleviating water-related poverty through one-off grants to vulnerable individuals—such as low-income families, those with disabilities, or in crisis—and project/core funding for charities delivering accredited money, debt, and welfare advice to Thames customers. Supported activities target root causes of financial exclusion, including crisis support and skills-building for stability, with a track record of partnering with Citizens Advice and specialist agencies.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities and community groups operating in the Thames Water supply area (Greater London and South-East England counties), preferably small to medium-sized with expertise in debt/crisis support for local customers; individuals require referrals. However, the fund is currently closed to all new applications, accepting no unsolicited proposals from organisations or individuals, with no deadlines or reopening date specified. Historically, organisational grants ranged £10,000–£50,000 annually; it excludes non-Thames customers, unrelated activities, and lacks religious restrictions, standing out for its utility-linked, targeted anti-poverty model.