Households in England and Wales are set to pay more for water from April, with bills rising by an average of 5.4% as the industry seeks to fund long-delayed repairs to pipes and sewage treatment works.
According to figures published by Water UK, the average household bill will increase by £33 a year, taking the typical annual charge to £639 from 1 April. The rise is above inflation and follows a much steeper increase last year at the start of the current five-year pricing period.
Customers of Southern Water are expected to face the highest average bills, at up to £759 a year in parts of southern England.
Water firms have faced sustained public anger over sewage discharges into rivers and coastal waters. The industry regulator, Ofwat, has approved companies charging customers a record £104bn between 2025 and 2030 to pay for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance.
Last year, annual water bills jumped by £123 on average. This year’s 5.4% increase is around two percentage points above the inflation rate recorded in December.
The sharpest rise in cash terms will be seen by customers of United Utilities, who will pay £57 more on average. By contrast, customers of Thames Water will see an average increase of just £3, after most of the company’s five-year rise was applied last year. Actual bills vary depending on household size and water use.
Campaign groups have criticised the increases. River Action is taking the government to court, arguing that the bill rises were not properly approved. Its chief executive, James Wallace, said claims of record investment meant “that bill payers, not water companies, are being forced to pick up the tab for decades of failure”.
Water UK’s chief executive, David Henderson, said: “We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
“While we urgently need investment in our water and sewerage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.”
Water UK said about 2.5 million households will receive support through social tariffs, giving discounts of up to 40%. However, the Consumer Council for Water warned that help varies widely depending on where people live.
Its chief executive, Mike Keil, said: “We’ve seen complaints brought to CCW about the affordability of water bills almost triple in the past year and further bill rises will compound people’s worries.
“People support investment in improving services, but they are impatient for change and need to see compelling evidence their money is being well spent.
“A stronger safety net is also needed for those who simply can’t afford these bill rises. The postcode lottery of financial assistance created by existing water company social tariffs is unfair and unsustainable in the face of rising water bills.”
Water services are delivered differently elsewhere in the UK, with government-owned providers operating in Scotland and Northern Ireland.