UK water bills to rise by 7.5% from April - how much extra households will pay in England, Wales and Scotland

Water bills are set to increase by 7.5% from next month in the biggest rise in nearly two decades amid rocketing inflation and the cost of living crisis.

From 1 April the typical combined water bill will rise by an average of £31 a year to £448 - up from an average of £417 last year.

Water firms have said that the increase is partly driven by higher energy bills, pointing out that water suppliers consume 2% of UK electricity.

Some households in England and Wales will end up paying more than 7.5% extra for their combined water bills due to regional variations and other factors, including whether or not they have a mater and the amount of water they consume.

Meanwhile, households in Scotland will see water and waste charges increase by an average of £19 a year (5%) from April.

Consumer groups have expressed concern about the increase, warning it will thrust struggling households into even greater financial difficulty - alongside a raft of price hikes from April including an increase in council tax, broadband, mobile and TV bills.

How much are water firms in England and Wales increasing bills by?

Listed is how much water firms are planning to increase the average water and sewage bill from 1 April, according to The Sun.

• Hafren Dyfrdwy - 12% (from £331 to £372 in April - extra £41 a year)
• Anglian Water - 10% (from £445 to £492 in April - extra £47 a year
• Southern Water - 10% (from £396 to £439 in April - extra £43 a year)
• Thames Water - 9% (from £417 to £456 in April - extra £39 a year)
• Wessex Water - 9% (from £462 to £504 in April - extra £42 a year)
• Northumbrian Water - 8% (from £362 to £391 in April - extra £29 a year)
• South West Water - 8% (from £472 to £476 in April - extra £48 a year)
• Severn Trent Water - 7% (from £391 to £419 in April - extra £28 a year)
• Yorkshire Water - 7% (from £416 to £446 in April - extra £40 a year)
• United Utilities - 6% (from £417 to £443 in April - extra £26 a year)
• Dwr Cymru Welsh Water - 2% ( from £485 to £499 in April - extra £59 a year)

Water-only firms, whose customers are billed separately by other companies for sewage, are also planning to increase their average bills.

Listed is how much firms will be increasing bills for 2023-24, according to Money Saving Expert.

• Affinity Water (Central) - £187 (up £12 or 6.86%)
• Affinity Water (East) - £227 (up £20 or 9.66%)
• Affinity Water (South-East) - £257 (up £22 or 9.36%)
• Bournemouth Water - £140 (up £3 or 2.14%)
• Bristol Water - £213 (up £12 or 5.97%)
• Cambridge Water - £161 (up £8 or 5.23%)
• Essex and Suffolk Water - £259 (up £14 or 5.71%)
• Portsmouth Water - £117 (up £8 or 7.34%)
• SES Water - £216 (up £26 or 13.7%)
• South East Water - £242 (up £24 or 11%)
• South Staffs Water - £173 (up £13 or 8.12%)

While consumers can switch between gas and electricity suppliers to get better deals, households do not have this option when it comes to water.

Each part of the UK has a water company assigned to it and customers cannot switch to an alternative supplier. However, water companies are required to abide by rules set by Ofwat, the industry regulator, when implementing bill increases.

Ofgem chief executive David Black said that suppliers “should be doubling down” on water bill hikes “to support those who need a helping hand”.

Under new Ofwat rules, Affinity Water, which supplies households across south-east England, will charge around 1,500 pre-selected households a cheaper rate for using a lower amount of water - and progressively higher prices for using larger volumes.

The firm said it expects at least two out of three homes in the trial to pay less for their water than they do currently - and begins later this year.

Consumer Council for Water chief executive Emma Clancy said this was “great to see” from Affinity Water as the firm is “leading the way in exploring how more innovative ways of charging customers can not only make bills more affordable, but potentially also unlock environmental benefits by incentivising households to reduce their water use.”