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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to question no hosepipe ban exemption for people on benefits?

454 replies

Crosorbled · 14/07/2026 14:14

No hosepipe ban for people on benefits .

OP posts:
venus7 · 15/07/2026 19:01

ThePieceHall · 15/07/2026 18:15

Why the heck are plants more important than the other things? Your shrubs and pots are no more important than a kid’s paddling pool. This is just middle-class entitlement; my needs are more socially acceptable than yours.

Erm.......without plants we won't have an atmosphere.
Also, you do realise we eat plants?

5128gap · 15/07/2026 19:08

ThePieceHall · 15/07/2026 18:15

Why the heck are plants more important than the other things? Your shrubs and pots are no more important than a kid’s paddling pool. This is just middle-class entitlement; my needs are more socially acceptable than yours.

Tbf, plants are more important. They serve quite a few positive environmental purposes, from keeping places cool, to housing insects which feed other creatures, to soaking up some pollution. And some of them people will eat.

Worndownbyit · 15/07/2026 19:09

Weneverspokeofitagain · 14/07/2026 14:25

YABU - you have no idea of my situation. My kids like to go in our above ground pool after school. They splash a lot and stand on the edge so it needs topping up most days. But why shouldn't we get to have fun just because of a few grumpy neighbours.

So your kids wanting, not on any way needing, to go into your pool is more important than farmers having enough water to irrigate the fields for food, or the fire brigade being able to put fires out? Wow, I've heard some entitled people but I think you actually take the biscuit. If the water company says there's a shortage of water why can't you just accept that and stop being selfish - regardless of your circumstances?!

ThreadGuardDog · 15/07/2026 19:12

AnonyMumAuDHD · 14/07/2026 17:23

On this basis I shall continue to water my lawn and my pollinators - my resident daughter is both a PIP recipient and a blue badge holder so we are exempt. I wasn’t going to make use of her exemption but, given my DH pays a six figure tax sum every year to subsidise all those benefits, spent a fortune in money and all his leisure time for years building and maintaining our garden, I am now of the fuck’em mindset.

So your daughter is disabled enough to be a PIP recipient but you haven’t yet fathomed out that the hosepipe ban is to protect people like her, who may have a genuine reason to need to use more water, and need to have a reliable supply ?
And the last time I looked PIP was a benefit. What makes your DD so special that you exempt her from the rest of the ‘scroungers’ ?

Emeraldforest · 15/07/2026 19:15

No idea if I am allowed or not,am 77. I never use the hose anyway just lug a heavy watering can about and don't both with the grass. Kids are very welcome to my share of water personally!

Tableforjoan · 15/07/2026 19:17

Problem with the priory register is mainly it’s not for hosepipe bans.

It’s for emergency issues of having NO water.

At that point if you are on the list your water provider is supposed to bring you bottled water. Because you are in a vulnerable category, disabled, baby, poor.

Its just been dragged into a easy step for the hose pipe bans

Emeraldforest · 15/07/2026 19:19

To be fair the plants are very important. Apart from the benefit of growing your own veg and fruit it's great to encourage the bees and other insects.

JumpingRabbit · 15/07/2026 19:20

HeyThereDelila · 14/07/2026 14:28

Where’s your evidence for this? Our hosepipe ban is for everyone.

I suspect you are wrong about this. We don’t currently have a ban but when we did I got a letter off the water company telling me I was exempt because I’m registered with their disability scheme as needing access to water. (I don’t receive any benefits though).
They probably only tell the people exempt from the ban, not publicise it.

Urgentbiscuitrequired · 15/07/2026 19:21

Vaxtable · 14/07/2026 14:24

Don’t we do ridiculous. There are some exceptions depending on water companies for some on priority lists or watersure. But it’s not a blanket if you are on benefits you are exempt

I suggest you do a bit off googling before you make such a silly comment

This. I've not heard of a rule that all people on benefits get to use their hosepipe. Maybe some exemptions. Not a truthful thread.

Proper rage baiting/COVID style hysteria at its finest. Bit pathetic really.

Itsalittlebitwarm · 15/07/2026 19:21

Eh? What is this?

ThePieceHall · 15/07/2026 19:21

ThreadGuardDog · 15/07/2026 19:12

So your daughter is disabled enough to be a PIP recipient but you haven’t yet fathomed out that the hosepipe ban is to protect people like her, who may have a genuine reason to need to use more water, and need to have a reliable supply ?
And the last time I looked PIP was a benefit. What makes your DD so special that you exempt her from the rest of the ‘scroungers’ ?

So your DH pays a tax contribution towards your own daughter’s PIP receipt?

Deepf60 · 15/07/2026 19:23

HeyThereDelila · 14/07/2026 14:28

Where’s your evidence for this? Our hosepipe ban is for everyone.

There are exemptions but it's not the way the op describes it. It for vulnerable customers on priority accounts. People should check facts first.

ThePieceHall · 15/07/2026 19:24

Emeraldforest · 15/07/2026 19:19

To be fair the plants are very important. Apart from the benefit of growing your own veg and fruit it's great to encourage the bees and other insects.

I don’t dislike plants, I love them and grow them. But I wanted to make the point that it is a very middle-class interest and that those who don’t grow them are equally as entitled to use their water allocations on paddling pools.,

Cyclingmummy1 · 15/07/2026 19:25

Mespher · 14/07/2026 14:41

It’s not just disabled children it’s families with 3 school age children on benefits.

Why are they exempt? Or is every family with more than 3 children exempt?

XenoBitch · 15/07/2026 19:25

ThePieceHall · 15/07/2026 19:24

I don’t dislike plants, I love them and grow them. But I wanted to make the point that it is a very middle-class interest and that those who don’t grow them are equally as entitled to use their water allocations on paddling pools.,

I am working class and on benefits. I have plants. I am rubbish at actually keeping them alive though 😆

AnonyMumAuDHD · 15/07/2026 19:26

ThreadGuardDog · 15/07/2026 19:12

So your daughter is disabled enough to be a PIP recipient but you haven’t yet fathomed out that the hosepipe ban is to protect people like her, who may have a genuine reason to need to use more water, and need to have a reliable supply ?
And the last time I looked PIP was a benefit. What makes your DD so special that you exempt her from the rest of the ‘scroungers’ ?

Well, we have an exemption because she is disabled and has a blue badge. She receives PIP because of that status.

It is not the receiving of PIP that seems to been a consideration in the TWO companies choosing to implement this exemption so the policy is NOT actually targeted at disabled persons is it? Hence my pique, given my DH pays a considerable amount in taxes to support other people like my DD, and yes we resent those who are blatantly cheating the system, but the issue here is that there is no logical or fair reason for ALL benefit recipients to be exempt from a water ban, when disabled people (those who justifiably ought to be exempt) are already covered by blue badges and/or by recording themselves as priority/vulnerable users.

Moreover: I did not use the word ‘Scroungers’ or even make a judgement comment about benefit claimants anywhere in my post - so an apology would be appreciated as that was a disgusting inference to make, telling us more about you than me.

Lastly, we are not actually under a ban where I am, so it’s not an issue and purely academic. But yes, as our household would not be required to be bound by the ban if it were introduced, and were my water company to announce it was adopting this policy, I would feel much less guilty about our use of water now. And definitely disinclined to voluntarily observe it.

Urgentbiscuitrequired · 15/07/2026 19:29

Given that baths tend to hold more water than a small toddler paddling pool (that a lot of people would reuse, or use to water plants after) are people going to start demanding cameras in people's bathrooms to check if they are having a bath or not?

Why is everyone on here losing their mind over this and benefits (not seen this level of weirdness anywhere else). If someone is incontinent, needs water for therpapeutic purposes or cannot use a watering can due to disability, why would you be an arsehole and deny them that? Because they are unlucky enough to be disabled and get a little bit more help about the challenges you have when disabled.

For goodness sake, grow the fuck up.

XenoBitch · 15/07/2026 19:31

Urgentbiscuitrequired · 15/07/2026 19:29

Given that baths tend to hold more water than a small toddler paddling pool (that a lot of people would reuse, or use to water plants after) are people going to start demanding cameras in people's bathrooms to check if they are having a bath or not?

Why is everyone on here losing their mind over this and benefits (not seen this level of weirdness anywhere else). If someone is incontinent, needs water for therpapeutic purposes or cannot use a watering can due to disability, why would you be an arsehole and deny them that? Because they are unlucky enough to be disabled and get a little bit more help about the challenges you have when disabled.

For goodness sake, grow the fuck up.

This 💯

It just people annoyed that others have something they don't, but they ignore the reason why.
I am sure people on the priority registers etc would rather they did not need to be on them to begin with.

Tableforjoan · 15/07/2026 19:31

Cyclingmummy1 · 15/07/2026 19:25

Why are they exempt? Or is every family with more than 3 children exempt?

If you get benefits and have three or more children you can be put on a water sure tariff some water companies that puts your priority as well.

ThePieceHall · 15/07/2026 19:41

XenoBitch · 15/07/2026 19:25

I am working class and on benefits. I have plants. I am rubbish at actually keeping them alive though 😆

Ditto. (Just don’t admit to using a hose to try to keep them alive).

Sinkorswim21 · 15/07/2026 20:28

Weneverspokeofitagain · 14/07/2026 14:25

YABU - you have no idea of my situation. My kids like to go in our above ground pool after school. They splash a lot and stand on the edge so it needs topping up most days. But why shouldn't we get to have fun just because of a few grumpy neighbours.

Is this satirical?!

5128gap · 15/07/2026 22:35

ThePieceHall · 15/07/2026 19:24

I don’t dislike plants, I love them and grow them. But I wanted to make the point that it is a very middle-class interest and that those who don’t grow them are equally as entitled to use their water allocations on paddling pools.,

What? They've gentrified gardening now!? Good job my dad didn't live to see the day when his runner beans, tomato plants and roses were too bougie for the likes of him. Though his greenhouse may have seen a sharp rise in value.

Winnie9 · 15/07/2026 22:50

I will be continuing to use my hose - I will be watering my plants and filling up my dogs paddling pool and may even change my hot tub water. Why? Because I had a water meter installed 3 months ago and since then water has been pumping in to my front garden at a steady rate ever since. The water company were called - water inspector admitted liability but since then 20 phone calls each one to a call centre, each visit by a contractor who says we don’t deal with leaks on the property - even though the water meter chamber is flooded with water. Went to the complaints team and now with the ombudsman. We have a 4k water bill - we have obviously not used that q amount of water in 3 months! When I saw all the adverts about saving water - which I usually scrupulously follow, I laughed. not this year.

Laurmolonlabe · 15/07/2026 22:56

angelos02 · 14/07/2026 14:23

Nothing this government does surprises me anymore. Everything they do seems to be against people that work! Unless you need more water for medical equipment - that is the only reason I can fathom. Why does someone have more right to fill a paddling pool or water their garden than anyone else? I literally can't think of a reason.

It's a couple of water companies , not the government.

JJWT · 15/07/2026 23:08

angelos02 · 14/07/2026 14:25

OK - if it isn't the government imposing this nonsense, apologies, I didn't realise. Can someone answer the question - what condition requires a watered garden or a filled paddling pool over someone else?

Being unable to carry a heavy watering can, obviously. This is a weird thread and has illicited some very very stupid and ignorant responses.