Water and sewerage bills to rise to £419 from April for households in England and Wales

Water and sewerage bills will rise to £419 from April for the average household in England and Wales, Water UK has announced.

The rise will cost households around £7 extra, which is a rise of 1.7%.

The total annual bill amounts to a cost of around £1.15 extra per day, which is an increase of 2p daily on last year’s charges, Water UK said.

The average household bill is an average across all customers, but an individual customer’s bill may be more or less than the average because of their particular characteristics.

The cost can depend on whether consumers have a water meter, and how much water they use.

Seeking help with bill payments

Customers are being encouraged to to contact their water company if they need help with their bills, particularly with the cost of living rising.

A record 1.1 million customers are now receiving some form of support with paying their water bills.

This figure is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2025, according to Water UK.

Christine McGourty, CEO of Water UK, said: “Customers will continue to pay little more than £1 a day for their water and sewerage service, helping to directly fund significant investment in improving infrastructure and enhancing the environment.

“But we know this is a difficult time for many, and no-one should have to worry about their household essentials.

“There is a wide range of support available for those in need, and I would urge anyone who’s concerned to get in touch with their water company.”

Companies are already offering more support than ever to customers. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, more than 100,000 households have been given payment breaks.

Support can include reducing bills for households under a certain income, charitable funds to support struggling customers and capping customer bills at the average yearly charge.

Customers can also seek help through the Priority Services Register, which offers additional support to a wide range of people, including those with sight, hearing, or mobility difficulties, and parents with babies under 12 months old.

There is also the WaterSure scheme, which enables water companies to cap bills for low-income customers who use a lot of water for essential family or health reasons.

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