Water bills set to rise by up to 12.9% a YEAR adding extra pressure to households

Water bills are set to rise by as much as 12.9 per cent for some Britons this year, new figures show, putting added pressure on poor households during a cost-of-living crisis.

The increase in the bill will come as a shock to many, who are used to water costs rising much more slowly. Last year, the average water bill rose by just 1.7 percent, according to trade organization Water UK.

Most water companies are announcing their annual bill increases starting February 2, but a few have released their new prices early – and the numbers suggest big increases are on the way.

Anglian Water will increase rates by 11.7 and 12.9 percent from April 1 for the 2.6 million homes in the catchment area.

That means a two-person household that currently pays £416.66 a year for water will pay an extra £49.38 this year, bringing the total to £466.04.

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: ‘The change in how much customers will pay on their bills this year is driven by factors such as rising inflation rates and as we invest more in the things that matter to our customers and our region. while we make plans for the future.’

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Meanwhile, the average household supplied by South East Water will pay an extra 11.95 per cent for water, or £32.80 extra per year.

A South East Water spokesperson said the company would finalize the bill increases by midnight on February 1.

In other areas, however, the increases are lower. Bristol Water customers, for example, will see bill increases averaging 5.5 per cent per annum.

What an individual household pays for water can also vary depending on whether or not they have a meter and how much water they use.

Households in some regions will also experience lower water bills as water companies fail to meet water quality targets.

Last November, the regulator Ofwat ordered several companies to return money to customers for poor “compliance with water treatment plants, pollution incidents and internal sewer overflows.”

Thames Water was ordered to pay back £51m in the form of reduced bills, for example, and Southern Water £28.3m.

What happens if I can’t pay my water bill?

A number of schemes are available to help people who struggle to pay for water.

Some are managed by the water companies themselves, while the WaterSure program is overseen by Ofwat.

One of the largest aid programs is run by Anglian Water, which has earmarked £135 million to help people pay their bills.

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: ‘We know it remains a challenging time for many of our customers. That’s why we’re going above and beyond all our peers to help those customers struggling with the cost of living, having launched our largest-ever £135m support package in November.”

Help is available: Customers who are struggling to pay their water bills can ask their water company for support. They may be able to get a discount or set up a payment plan

This week Affinity Water announced it would pay £50 for up to 30,000 vulnerable customers in its catchment area, which includes parts of London, the South East and East of England.

Northumbrian Water said customers who are struggling to pay water bills can set up a payment plan, apply for a discount if they are on a low income or ask for a payment break.

Many water companies also have social tariffs, which limit the water bill for vulnerable people or people with lower incomes.

South East Water, for example, has a social rate available to households with an income of up to £17,005 per annum, which can be increased to £18,005 this year.

Meanwhile, families receiving benefits such as Universal Credit can get lower water bills through the WaterSure scheme.

WaterSure means that eligible customers pay no more than the average water bill for the area, even if they use above-average amounts of water.

To qualify, households must have a water meter and school-aged children or else must use more water for medical purposes.

Millions of families who claim benefits such as Universal Credit can reduce their household costs through a water bill reduction scheme.

With WaterSure, customers can be protected against rising rates, even if they use more than the average amount of water.

To apply, a household must have a water meter or wait for one to be installed. They must also have certain benefits, such as pension credit and universal credit, or have what Ofwat calls a “high essential water consumption.”

Customers can request WaterSure through their water company.