Work out your equivalised income — the household-size-adjusted income figure used by DWP and ONS in official statistics, and by some water and broadband providers when assessing social tariff applications.
Total household income after tax (net), from all household members.
Include yourself. Minimum 1.
Dependent children under 18. Enter 0 if none.
Water companies and DWP's most commonly cited figure use after housing costs.
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Equivalised income is a household's income adjusted for the number of people who share it, so a household of one person and a household of four can be compared fairly even though they need very different amounts to reach the same standard of living. It's the standard method used in UK and EU income statistics for comparing living standards between households of different sizes — not a special calculation invented by any one company.
This calculator uses the OECD-modified equivalence scale — the same scale used by the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Work and Pensions in their official income statistics. The first adult in a household counts as 1.0, each additional adult adds 0.5, and each child adds 0.3. Household income is then divided by this total. For example, a household of two adults and two children has a scale of 1 + 0.5 + 0.3 + 0.3 = 2.1 — a net household income of £40,000 a year divided by 2.1 gives an equivalised income of about £19,048 a year, or roughly £366 a week.
Some water companies, and a small number of broadband providers, use equivalised income as part of the eligibility test for social tariffs — discounted rates for customers on lower incomes. Using an equivalised figure rather than raw household income means a single person and a family of five aren't judged against the same flat threshold. The term itself is rarely explained to the customers being assessed against it: in a Public Accounts Committee evidence session on 29 June 2026, consumer champion Martin Lewis told MPs he did not know what "equivalised income" meant when used in this context, despite it determining whether people qualify for financial support. This tool exists to close that gap — it explains and calculates the figure, but see below for where to actually check your eligibility.
The comparison figure above uses the Department for Work and Pensions' Households Below Average Income statistics for the year to April 2025, the most recently published at the time of writing. Median equivalised household income was £623 a week after housing costs, or £719 a week before housing costs. A "relative low income" household — a commonly used poverty threshold — has an equivalised income below 60% of the after-housing-costs median, around £374 a week.
Generally: wages and salaries, self-employment income, most state and disability benefits, pension income (state and private), and other regular income such as rental income. DWP's official measure uses net income — after income tax, National Insurance and pension contributions — not gross pay. This isn't an exhaustive list and isn't tax advice; if you're completing a formal application, follow your provider's or DWP's exact definition rather than this summary.
This calculator explains and works out equivalised income — it doesn't check eligibility for any specific provider's social tariff, since criteria and income thresholds vary by supplier and change every year. For an independent, up-to-date source, contact your water company directly, or use the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) or Ofwat, both of which maintain guidance on social tariffs and how to apply.