Customer bills and support
Increasing bills is never welcome, but we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure.
To fund improvements, in December 2024, the independent economic regulator Ofwat confirmed it would allow water companies in England and Wales to invest a record-breaking £104 billion over the next five years. This will help to secure future water supplies, enable economic growth, and end sewage in rivers and seas.
Ofwat,reviewed companies’ investment proposals and following a consultation and further scrutiny, the regulator decided final bill levels in December 2024. Ofwat has only allowed improvements to be paid for if they are genuinely new, needed, and provide the bill payer good value for money.
As part of this investment Ofwat has allowed companies to increase water bills in England and Wales by an average of £31 per year, each year between 2025 and 2030, with specific figures varying by company depending on their local circumstances.
Bills have been held at a low level over the last decade and prior to these rises, they would be around 25% higher if they had merely followed inflation since 2010.
Alongside this step up in investment, which requires an increase in water bills after nearly 15 years of real-term declines, companies have also announced that more than 3 million households will be supported by a new £4.1 billion affordability package.
We understand the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. Water companies have committed to increasing the number of customers who will receive financial support with bills to 3.2 million by 2030.
From payment breaks, when people need breathing space, through to reduced tariffs and even arrangements to reduce debt. Specific support is also available for struggling customers with large families or medical conditions.
More information on support available.
