Millions of households across England and Wales are to face a price hike on their water bills from April 1. Yearly water bill are set to increase by £123, or 26 per cent, though payments can vary depending on the UK region you live in. The rising prices are expected to pile pressure on household finances. In the capital, 16 million customers served by Thames Water will see a 31 per cent hike within weeks as average annual bills soar to £639.
It comes as an even greater blow was given to Londoners, who were advised by Ofwat that the largest water supplier in the UK would be allowed to increase its bills by 35 per cent by 2030. Now, Londoners have been told by Water UK that the hike for April has been confirmed, with many receiving emails from Thursday telling them bills could rise by £19 a month.
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Families who need help are subject to a postcode lottery of social tariff schemes, the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) said in 2023, which means some do not get the help they need. It recommended the introduction of a water-affordability scheme to help poorer households.
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In December last year, Chief Executive of the CCW Mike Keil, said: “These bill rises may be less than what water companies wanted but they are still more than what many people can afford. Customers will be hit particularly hard from April with a large chunk of these increases frontloaded into next year – on top of inflation. We know at least 2 in 5 households will find these increases difficult to afford but the support being offered by some water companies lacks ambition.
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