Water bills to drop by average £2/yr from April - but prices will vary depending on where you live
Average household water and sewerage bills in England and Wales are set to fall by around £2 a year (0.6%) from April, it's been announced today. But prices vary depending on where you live, with some seeing average increases of up to £14 a year (5%). Here's what you need to know.
The average annual water and sewerage bill is forecast to come down from £410 at present to £408 during the 2021/22 tax year, which runs from April to April. It comes after water regulator Ofwat announced in 2019 that firms needed to reduce water bills by an average of £50 by 2025. They must also help customers who struggle to pay their bills and cut leaks and pollution incidents.
But despite the reduction from April for some, others will see prices rise depending on where they live and how much water they use - see the table below for a full breakdown.
Households are locked into using the water and sewerage company that supplies their area - you can't switch as you would do so with energy and broadband. Despite this, there are still ways to save - for example, some could save hundreds by switching to a water meter rather than paying a fixed bill. See our Cut your water bills guide for more info.
Prices from April will vary depending on where you live
The table shows how average water and sewerage bills are set to change:
WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANIES | 2020/21 COST | 2021/22 COST | CHANGE TO COST |
|---|---|---|---|
Anglian Water | £434 | £422 | -£12 (-3%) |
Dwr Cymru | £458 | £447 | -£11 (-2%) |
Hafren Dyfrdwy | £310 | £324 | +£14 (+5%) |
Northumbrian | £330 | £328 | -£2 (-1%) |
Severn Trent | £361 | £369 | +£8 (+2%) |
South West Water (i) | £556 | £533 | -£23 (-4%) |
Southern Water | £411 | £407 | -£4 (-1%) |
Thames Water | £405 | £419 | +£14 (+3%) |
United Utilities | £435 | £425 | -£10 (-2%) |
Wessex Water | £464 | £426 | -£38 (-6%) |
Yorkshire Water | £425 | £417 | -£8 (-2%) |
WATER ONLY (you'll be billed for sewerage by one of the companies above) |
|
|
|
Affinity Water Central | £167 | £170 | +£3 (+2%) |
Affinity Water East | £188 | £190 | +£2 (+1%) |
Affinity Water Southeast | £214 | £214 | £0 (0%) |
Bournemouth Water | £145 | £141 | -£4 (-3%) |
Bristol Water | £184 | £185 | +£1 (1%) |
Cambridge Water | £145 | £145 | £0 (0%) |
Essex & Suffolk Water | £229 | £225 | -£4 (-2%) |
Portsmouth Water | £104 | £104 | £0 (0%) |
SES Water | £193 | £185 | -£8 (-4%) |
South East Water | £229 | £215 | -£14 (-6%) |
South Staffordshire Water | £153 | £154 | +£1 (+1%) |
Source: DiscoverWater.co.uk. (i) Since April 2013, households served by South West Water have benefitted from a Government contribution, which reduces the bill for all households by £50yr. Without the Government contribution, South West Water’s combined average bill would be around £533. The national average bill figure for England and Wales of £408 is weighted to reflect the number of customers served by individual companies. It does not factor in the Government contribution to South West Water’s household bills.
Water bills will rise by 0.9% in Scotland
The changes detailed above only apply to households in England and Wales.
In Scotland, water and sewerage prices depend on your council tax band and are covered by a 'combined service charge'. Households in Scotland will see water and waste water charges increase by an average of 0.9% from April.
Scottish Water says this means over 400,000 people will pay less from April 2021 compared to in 2020/21.
In Northern Ireland, there are no domestic water charges.
21 January 2025
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