Water prices

The majority of households in England, Scotland and Wales will see water and sewerage charges rise from April. However, prices vary depending on where you live, and not everyone will see an increase.

Some water bills in England and Wales could rise by less than planned from April 2024, as 12 water companies have been hit with a collective £114 million penalty for missing targets on pollution, leaks and customer service.

The average annual water bill in England and Wales is set to rise by around £31 a year (7.5%) from April, industry body Water UK has announced today. But prices will vary depending on where you live and some will see much larger increases. Meanwhile, those in Scotland will see bills rise by £19 a year (5%).

Hundreds of thousands of households in England and Wales could be eligible for up to 90% off their water bill by switching to a discounted tariff provided by their supplier. If you're struggling, we've rounded up below what each supplier has to offer and how to check if you're eligible and apply. 

Water is the big, forgotten utility bill that many ignore. But with a combination of water saving freebies and switching how you're billed, many can save large, MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has explained in the seventh episode of this season's The Martin Lewis Money Show. So 'water' you waiting for? See Martin's top tips below. 

The average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is set to rise by £8 to £415 a year from 1 April.

Three water companies have been told by the Consumer Council for Water to improve customer service following a high number of complaints.  The industry watchdog has highlighted Bristol Water, Southern Water and Surrey-based SES Water as the worst performers in its latest annual report into household complaints to water firms. These companies – covering a combined 3.5 million households – will be required to report back to the watchdog to outline what steps they have taken to improve service. In total, households in England and Wales made more than 2.1 million calls to water firms to resolve problems between April 2017 and March 2018 – down 17% on the previous year. Yet nine out of 21 water companies saw an increase in the number of calls. The watchdog also highlighted a sharp rise in calls on household water suppliers, following the 'Beast from the East' as more than 200,000 people were left without running water earlier this year. Though you can't switch your water to cut costs, there are other ways to save – see Cut Your Water Bills for more.