Water and Sewerage Charges Exemption Scheme
If you run a charity registered in Scotland or a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC), you may be eligible for reduced water and sewerage charges through the Water and Sewerage Charges Exemption Scheme.
You must apply for the scheme every year. It runs from 1 April to 31 March.
Who's eligible
To be eligible for the scheme you must:
- be a Scottish charity registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator or a CASC registered with HM Revenue and Customs
- have an annual gross income below £300,000
Umbrella organisations
Umbrella organisations may be eligible for support. An umbrella organisation is a group of individual charities that have a single charity reference with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Each individual charity in the group must:
-
have an income below £300,000
-
be able to supply audited income
Who's not eligible
Your charity or CASC will not be eligible for support if:
- your charity has a permanent alcohol licence to sell alcohol at the premises
- your premises is either a charity shop or is used for selling new or second hand merchandise
- your premises is a café which is open to the public on a regular basis to generate income – this excludes canteens for volunteers
- you're a local council or an Arms-Length External Organisation (ALEO) used by councils to deliver services
What you'll get
If you’re eligible for the scheme, the reduction you’ll get depends on your income.
If your income is up to £199,999 you do not have to pay water or sewerage charges (you’re ‘exempt’).
If your income is £200,000 to £299,999, you’ll get 50% off the wholesale charge.
Scottish Water charges licensed providers for water and sewerage services. This is called the wholesale charge.
Licensed providers include this in the price they charge customers.
How to apply
If you think your organisation qualifies, ask your licensed provider or retailer for an application form.
You can find a licensed provider on the Scotland on Tap website.
The deadline for 2023 to 2024 applications is 31 March 2024.
What happens next
If your application is successful, your exemption or reduction will start from 1 April 2023.
Your provider will refund any money you’ve paid for 2023 to 2024 above your reduction or exemption.
More information
Visit Scottish Water's website for more information on the scheme.