Andrew White, Senior Leader - Social Policy, CCW

What can we expect from your contribution at Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026?

I will share the latest findings from CCW on water affordability and levels of water poverty and what we feel needs to be done to support customers further given the context of rising water bills and other cost of living challenges.

What are you most looking forward to hearing about at the conference?

I'm keen to hear about new opportunities for utilities to work together to help improve support to vulnerable customers.

What are the biggest challenges facing your industry at the moment, in your opinion?

Customer trust is a major issue - and it can have a negative impact on the likelihood of customers reaching out for support. They just don't expect water companies to be able or willing to provide help.

Why is Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026 important to the industry and to you?

It brings passionate and knowledgeable people together to share ideas and identify ways to solve problems, and make things better for customers, collectively.
 

Morven Lean, Head of Mental Health Accessible, Money & Mental Health

What can we expect from your contribution at Utility Week's Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026?

We want to support other delegates to recognise what parts of customer communications are challenging for people with mental health problems and how they can change them for better customer outcomes

Why is Utility Week's Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026 important to the industry and to you? 

Utility Week's Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference is a real opportunity to learn from and inform utility providers about the key challenges and solutions to protect and support people in vulnerable situations

Vanessa Northam, Partnerships Director, StepChange

What can we expect from your contribution at Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026

Bringing in a range of insights and data from people who are significantly struggling to afford multiple bills, and financial commitments, based on consumers accessing StepChange’s services

What are you most looking forward to hearing about at the conference?

What developments are happening to better support consumers

What are the biggest challenges facing your industry at the moment, in your opinion?

Demand is exceeding supply for debt advice and also solutions for people who do not have enough to afford life’s essentials

Why is Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026 important to the industry and to you

Over 50% of people coming to StepChange have energy areas – we want to be part of the conversation as to how debt advice can support suppliers in engaging with their customers.

Katrina Flavell, Technical Specialist – Clean Water Networks, Yorkshire Water

What can we expect from your contribution at Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026? 

I’m looking forward to presenting some of the latest innovations in the water sector, which although many of our customers will never see or realise are there, have the potential to both improve service and reduce costs. 

What are you most looking forward to hearing about at the conference?

I often think about customers a lot in the projects we undertake, but rarely have the opportunity to listen to cross-sector experts talking about the challenges customers experience, and the strategies being considered to address these. I hope this will inform my work in water innovation. 

What are the biggest challenges facing your industry at the moment, in your opinion?

Regulator barriers to innovation and change
 

Alex Wilkes, Customer Service Director, South Staffs Water

What can we expect from your contribution at Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026?

I'm looking forward to sharing ideas on how utilities can work more collaboratively to create a simpler, more joined-up experience for customers who need support. Too often, well-intentioned schemes can feel fragmented, so I’m passionate about exploring how we can reduce duplication, make support easier to access and ensure available funding reaches as many customers as possible. I believe we need to align our different organisational drivers (whether that’s customer satisfaction, social value, regulatory incentives, collections activities etc) around a common goal: delivering better outcomes for customers. Most importantly, I want to focus on sustainable, long-term solutions that help people improve affordability, build resilience and reduce the need for future debt support.

What are you most looking forward to hearing about at the conference?

I'm excited to hear practical examples of what's working well and how successful approaches can be scaled, replicated and adopted across the sector. The challenges associated with affordability and debt are now a reality for many households, so I’m particularly interested in how organisations are embedding support into everyday customer service rather than treating it as a specialist intervention. Conferences like this provide an opportunity to learn from one another, challenge our thinking and identify partnerships that can deliver greater impact. Ultimately, I’m keen to explore ideas that make it easier for customers to access the help they need, when they need it.

What are the biggest challenges facing your industry at the moment, in your opinion?

One of the greatest challenges facing utilities is rebuilding and strengthening customer trust. While companies are investing heavily in improving services and support, customers need to believe we genuinely understand their concerns and are working alongside them to address them. Trust can be a significant barrier to engagement, particularly for customers who may benefit most from affordability and vulnerability support. Demonstrating empathy, being transparent and consistently delivering on our promises will be critical to improving outcomes and confidence in the sector.

Why is Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability & Debt Conference 2026 important to the industry and to you?

This conference provides a valuable space for open, honest conversations about some of the most important challenges facing our customers and industry. It brings together organisations that share many of the same goals, creating opportunities to exchange ideas, learn from best practice and build stronger partnerships. While it is important to discuss the bigger structural and strategic changes we face, I am equally keen to identify practical actions we can take now to improve customers' experiences in the short-term. For me, the real value lies in turning the talking into action and tangible improvements that will make a difference to people's lives.