From April water bills in England and Wales will increase by the biggest amount in almost 20 years.
According to industry association Water UK, the average customer will now pay £31 more annually than they did last year, bringing the average bill to £448.
It claimed that because water companies consume 2% of the nation’s electricity, bills have decreased in real terms compared to a decade ago and that the below-inflation increase is a result of growing energy costs.
Consumer advocacy groups have cautioned that some of the one in five people who are currently having financial difficulties could be driven over the edge.
People with large families or who are on a meter may experience a hike substantially higher than the typical £31 increase.
According to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), social tariff programmes have a postcode lottery, which causes some people who require assistance with their bills to “slip through the net.”
According to CCW CEO Emma Clancy, “These increases will heighten uncertainty for struggling households at a time when they can’t be sure they will receive the care they need.”
“Households with low incomes want urgent assistance as well as long-term security that their water payment will be affordable.
We urgently need a new water affordability programme that offers consistent support based on people’s needs because it’s unfair that struggling households face a postcode lottery when it comes to receiving help with their bill.
British Gas responds to allegations that a debt collection agency broke into homes to install prepay meters.
fuel poverty assistance Social tariffs should be “fairer, more consistent, and accessible to everyone who needs it, regardless of where they reside,” according to National Energy Action.
The businesses are releasing an additional £200 million, according to Water UK policy director Stuart Colville, to assist these people.
It’s important to keep in mind that water companies will never cut somebody off or force them to use a prepayment metre. “Anyone with concerns should call their water provider or go to supportontap.org for guidance,” he said.
A additional £70 billion will be spent on “building new reservoirs and ending overflows into rivers” in the upcoming years, according to Mr. Colville, who also claimed that the increase will support record investments.
