Pennon Unveils £5 Million Better Futures Programme – Who Will Benefit?

Pennon has announced a £5 million investment to support customers and communities across the South West, including Cornwall, Devon, Bristol, Bournemouth, the Isles of Scilly, and Sutton and East Surrey. The ‘Better Futures’ programme aims to provide financial aid to those in need and fund community initiatives that promote health, wellbeing, and environmental benefits.

Support for Families and Local Groups

The programme is split into two key areas:

• Hardship Funding – Small grants will be available to help individuals and families facing sudden financial difficulties.
• Community Funding – Funding will be provided to community groups that encourage physical activities, education, health, and environmental improvements.

Alongside financial aid, Pennon aims to create opportunities for people who may not have had access to support before.

Commitment to Customer Support

This announcement follows Pennon’s £200 million customer support programme, which was introduced in December. The company has also extended its commitment to eliminating water poverty until 2030, making it one of the few companies to achieve this goal.

Ketan Hindocha, Director of Customer Care, said:

“The wellbeing of every one of our customers is incredibly important to us – this may be in the form of financial wellbeing and the support we give to those who may be finding it hard, but we want to go even further. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be announcing more details about our Better Futures programme and what we are doing to support our customers and communities more than ever before. What we do here is about much more than just water and we hope that this investment will go some way towards helping people to make positive changes for a Better Future.”

Major Investment Plan to 2030

Pennon has also confirmed that it has accepted Ofwat’s Final Determination, providing a clear path to 2030. The company has committed to delivering a £3.2 billion investment plan over the next five years, with a focus on:

1. Customer support and affordability
2. Net Zero and environmental gains
3. Increasing water resources and ensuring clean, safe drinking water
4. Reducing the use of storm overflows

With Pennon’s latest investment, communities across the South West could see significant benefits in the coming years. Further details on how to apply for funding are expected to be announced soon.