CCW statement on water bill rises

The case for a new single social tariff to end water poverty has never been more compelling after Ofwat announced the average water bill is set to rise by 36% over the next five years.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has repeated its call for the existing postcode lottery of water company social tariff schemes to be replaced with a fair and consistent universal scheme for England and Wales, targeted at those who will struggle most with the rises.

Ofwat has confirmed the average water and wastewater bill will rise by £157 over the next five years, on top of inflation.  A large portion of that rise will be seen from April with an average rise of £86 in 2025-26, before inflation is also added to bills.

This will fund a £104 billion package of investment in the water sector, bringing a raft of improvements for customers and the environment.

Responding to the announcement, Mike Keil, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), 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. People want to see more investment, but this must be coupled with a strong safety net for customers who will struggle to pay. The case for a single social tariff to end the current postcode lottery of support has never been more compelling.

If you’re worried about being able to afford your water bill, visit our Help with Bills pages