CCW Calls For Stronger Support To Help Customers Pay Bills

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has issued a call for stronger and fairer support to be provided to protect customers across England Wales who are struggling to pay their bills, which are set to rise by 26 per cent from April this year, with the average annual water and wastewater bill to climb from £480 to £603.

These bill increases are being pushed through to drive investment of £20 billion between 2025 and 2026 to support economic growth, secure water supplies, stop sewage from entering rivers and seas, and to build more homes.

Trade representative Water UK says this investment will be used to help set up nine new water transfer schemes and build nine new reservoirs, as well as upgrading wastewater treatment works to reduce pollution and improve thousands of kilometres of rivers around the country.

However, warnings have now been issued by the CCW that some of the most financially vulnerable households will not be able to manage with the increases, with some facing even steeper hikes of up to 47 per cent. Bill changes can also vary considerably based on whether a property is metered, or how much water is used.

Potential impacts

Research from the organisation shows that 44 per cent of bill-payers have already had to reduce spending on essentials such as heating and food in order to pay their bills, including water. Some 25 per cent of households with a water meter also say they’ve had to reduce essential water use to ensure that bills remain affordable.

The study also showed that many low-income households admit to feeling overwhelmed by stress and anxiety, even to the point of despair, when trying to manage their bills. Growing feelings of isolation were also cited, with financial hardship making socialising almost impossible.

Mike Keil, chief executive of the CCW, commented on the findings, saying: “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.”

Available support

To help people manage these bill hikes, Water UK has announced that support will be increased to the highest level ever, including reduced bills and financial support up to £4.1 billion over the next five years.

Either social tariffs or WaterSure charges will be made available for the majority of supported households, as well as payment breaks and debt forgiveness. Furthermore, customers are being advised to get in touch with their water suppliers to see what other help is available if they’re worried about how to pay their bills.

The CCW is keen to see a single social tariff scheme set up to ensure that support is provided in a fair and consistent way across England and Wales.

Currently, all water companies have their own social tariff schemes that can help people on low incomes reduce their bills. Eligibility and the level of support will vary depending on which supplier serves your catchment area.

The WaterSure scheme, meanwhile, caps water and sewerage bills of anyone receiving income-related benefits with a meter installed onsite, as well as either large families or any households with someone who has a medical condition and who uses lots of water.

What about businesses?

Keeping bills to a minimum will always be a top concern for all businesses and the good news is that there’s a lot you can do to save both water and money at the same time.

Switching business water supplier is a great way to do just that, allowing you to reduce your bills, take advantage of new value-added services and enjoy better customer service with a new retailer.

A water audit will also be carried out across your business site so you can see how and where you’re using water. Once armed with this information, you can decide which water-saving solutions are the most appropriate to make your business more water efficient and help save you money.

If you’d like to find out more about the process of switching, get in touch with the Switch Water Supplier team today.