The EOS Foundation, established in March 2004, was an independent charitable trust. The Foundation was governed by independent trustees and funded by donations from a number of water companies in the south of the country. The day to day management of the Foundation was undertaken by Charis Grants on behalf of the trustees. The Foundation offered financial assistance to reduce or clear arrears of domestic water charges.  In exceptional circumstances other grants could also be considered for help with other essential household bills and other costs. 

The charity considered applications from customers of donating companies, in condition of need, poverty, hardship or distress.  It aimed to improve the quality of people's lives by helping to reduce the burden of debt and by helping them to meet future bills. 

The Foundation ceased to operate on 1 April 2010 after six successful years of grant making. This followed the decision of some donating water companies to cease their financial support to the Foundation, after considering alternative methods of help for their vulnerable customers.

For details of alternative help for the vulnerable customers of donating companies, please click here.

South East Water's 'Helping Hand' scheme

On 1 April 2010, South East Water launched their 'Helping Hand' scheme offering grants to their vulnerable customers to clear water debt owed to the company. You can visit their website here.

If the scheme is able to help, an award is made on a provisional basis. I.e. during the six months following receipt of a provisional award, an applicant needs to demonstrate their commitment to improving their financial sustainability with the ability and intention to pay current and future water charges and avoid falling back into debt to South East Water. Six months after the provisional award has been made, if it can be seen that an applicant has taken these steps, their award will be confirmed and their debt to the water company existing at the time of the provisional award, will be cleared.

The scheme will not offer Further Assistance Payments previously available from the Eos Foundation.

Click here for an application form to the Helping Hand scheme.

Applicants will be required to provide additional information on request.