Water bills will rise from April (Image: Getty)
Families will be unable to cope with the £123 increase to average water and sewage bills from 1 April, campaigners have warned.
The rise will be confirmed on Wednesday by Water UK and will take the average water and wastewater bill from £480 to £603.
Mike Keil, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said: “These rises are the largest we’ve seen since privatisation and will heap considerable pressure on millions of customers who are already having to make difficult choices. Customers want to see investment in improving services and cleaning up our rivers but that can’t come at an unbearable cost to struggling households.”
“Around 2.5 million households are already in debt to their water company and there is a danger that number will grow unless some companies show more ambition around financial support. The existing safety net for customers who cannot afford their water bill is not strong enough. That’s why we urgently need a single social tariff scheme to provide fair and consistent support across England and Wales.”
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Some households face even steeper rises with the increases for the main water and sewerage companies ranging from 19% for Anglian Water customers to 47% for Southern Water customers.
South West Water’s bills are rising by 32%, United Utilities by 32%, Thames Water by 31%, Yorkshire Water by 29%.
United Utilities and South West Water’s parent company Pennon said they will raise dividend payouts to shareholders this year so that they increase in line with inflation.
Meanwhile water firms said they will support more than three million households with their bills as part of a support package worth more than £4.1 billion over the next five years.
Customers who are struggling to pay their bills can also receive a range of support measures including payment breaks and debt forgiveness.
Customers should contact their water company directly to see what help is available if they are concerned.
David Henderson, Water UK Chief Executive, said: “We understand increasing bills is never welcome and, while we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.
“This is why water companies are more than doubling the level of financial support for customers with £4.1 billion to be made available over the next five years.
“Water companies will invest a record £20 billion in 2025-26 to support economic growth, build more homes, secure our water supplies and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.”
There is huge public anger about the pollution of the nation’s waterways.
Sewage spills into England’s lakes, rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled in 2023.
According to the Environment Agency, there were 3.6 million hours of spills, compared to 1.75 million hours in 2022.