If your recipient needs help paying their water bill, the right product is the Water Card. It's a digital prepaid Mastercard that can be used to pay any UK water supplier online or by phone.
The Water Card is one of Huggg's prepaid energy cards. For full pre-send detail (KYB, fees, limits, common issues), see Prepaid energy cards: what you need to know before sending. This article focuses on what's specific to water bill payment.
Before you start: KYB
The Water Card is a regulated product. Sending it requires a Know Your Business (KYB) check on your organisation. A single KYB covers all of Huggg's prepaid energy cards (Energy Card, Water Card, Heating Oil Card).
If your organisation hasn't yet completed KYB, email us at disbursements@huggg.me to start the process. KYB takes 3 to 5 working days to process.
Fees
Water Card fees include issuance, cancellation, and other charges. For an up-to-date breakdown, email us at disbursements@huggg.me.
When water is the right use case
Send a Water Card when your recipient:
Pays their water bill by direct debit, standing order, or ad hoc payment
Is in arrears with their water supplier and needs to make a one-off payment
Has access to a phone or computer to make payments online or by phone
Prepaid energy cards cannot be used in person at a shop or till. If your recipient cannot use online or phone, the Water Card will not work for them. Huggg does not offer a meter top-up product for water. PayPoint and Post Office vouchers are for energy meter top-ups only.
Pre-send checklist
Before you send a Water Card, confirm:
Your organisation has completed KYB
Your recipient is able to use online or phone payment
Your recipient hasn't already received the maximum allowed: 3 active cards at a time and £500 in total in the past 12 months. Above the £500 threshold, an Enhanced ID Check on the recipient is required (with an additional processing fee). This limit is shared across all prepaid energy cards, so a recipient who has previously received an Energy Card or Heating Oil Card will already have used part of their allowance.
Your recipient understands the card expires at the end of the month shown
How your recipient pays their water supplier
Once they have generated their card, your recipient can:
Go to their water supplier's website and use the card details to make a payment online
Call their water supplier and ask to make a card payment, reading out the card number, expiry date, and CVV
Most UK water suppliers accept Mastercard payments online or by phone. If your recipient pays by direct debit, they can still make a one-off card payment to their account. They just need to ask their supplier how to do this.
Common issues and what to do
Issue | What to do |
Recipient's water supplier doesn't accept Mastercard online or by phone | Most UK water suppliers do. If yours doesn't, email us at support@huggg.me and we'll help. |
Recipient already has 3 active cards | A new card cannot be issued until one of the active cards expires or is fully spent. |
Recipient has had over £500 in prepaid energy cards in the past 12 months | An Enhanced ID Check on the recipient is required before a further card can be issued. This incurs an additional processing fee. Email disbursements@huggg.me to discuss. |
Recipient is in serious arrears and the bill is much higher than the card | Cards can be used to make a partial payment. The recipient should ask their supplier to take the card amount and confirm how the remaining balance will be settled. |
How your recipient uses the card
Recipients open their link, generate the card, and use the card details to pay their water supplier online or by phone. For full recipient instructions, see How do I get my prepaid card? and How do I use my prepaid card to pay my bill?
Still need help?
Email us at support@huggg.me and we'll do our best to assist.