STRUGGLING customers can get up to £287 worth of water bill help ahead of huge hikes to bills.
Social tariffs are available to hard-up households and cut costs by as much as 90%.
[iframe src=”https%3A%2F%2Fdatawrapper.dwcdn.net%2FdvjIX%2F4%2F” height=”850″ mobile_height=”650″ /]But how help you can receive depends on where you live.
The most recent figures from Consumer Council for Water (CCW) show a £262 difference between the highest and lowest amount handed out in 2023/24.
That’s because each water company has its own criteria for these tariffs, and there is no standard eligibility.
Residential households can’t choose their water supplier, so it’s potluck regarding the generosity of your supplier.
For example, residents on Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water) social tariffs got a bill reduction of £287, the highest of any area in 2023/24.
Residents on Yorkshire Water got a reduction of £228, and Unitled Utilities customers received bill help worth £225.
However,Portsmouth customers only got help worth £25.
Here’s the full list of average discounts offered last year:
- Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water) – £287
- Yorkshire – £228
- United Utilities – £225
- Anglian – £182
- Thames – £176
- Severn Trent £- 164
- Wessex – £144
- Northumbrian – £137
- South West – £115
- Southern – £110
- Bristol – £99
- Essex and Suffolk – £92
- SES Water – £86
- Affinity – £77
- South East – £77
- Hafren Dyfrdwy (northeast and mid Wales) – £76
- South Staffs – £71
- Cambridge – £58
- Portsmouth – £25
Andrew White, senior leader in social policy previously told The Sun: “It is really positive that around a quarter of a million more households are getting help through schemes to reduce their water bill.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6345932466112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]“However the figures also highlight that both eligibility for help and the amount of support provided varies considerably depending on where in England and Wales you live.”
It comes after Ofwat revealed water bills would rise by an average of £31 per year over the next five years in England and Wales.
The increase was significantly higher than the expected average rise of around £20 a year per household, outlined in the regulator’s draft proposals in July.
Ofwat said the increase would pay for a £104billion upgrade of the water sector to deliver “substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment”.
BILL HIKES FOR CUSTOMERS
Southern Water customers face the sharpest rise, with bills surging by a staggering £224 (47%), pushing the average yearly cost to £703.
Not far behind, Hafren Dyfrdwy bills will jump by 32%, from £447 a year to £590.
South West Water bills will also rise from £520 a year to £686.
That’s according to new analysis from industry body Water UK.
The increases are higher than those outlined by regulator Ofwat in its recent five-year price limits just before Christmas, as they now include inflation.
Water UK has justified the rise by citing an ambitious £104billion investment programme spanning the next seven years.
From April 2025 to March 2026 alone, water companies are set to spend a record £20billion.
COMPENSATION ALREADY DUE
It comes as water companies face criticism over record levels of sewage discharged into rivers and seas despite huge profits.
At the beginning of October, water companies were ordered to return £157.6million to customers after failing to meet pollution targets.
Each year, Ofwat evaluates the performance of England and Wales‘ 17 largest water and wastewater companies against key targets, including sewer flooding, supply interruptions, and water leaks.
For the second consecutive year, no company attained the highest rating, although four companies demonstrated improvement compared to the previous year.
As a result, millions of customers at 13 water companies will see their bills slashed next year as the watchdog issues fresh penalties.
The penalties for each water firm are as follows:
- Thames Water £56.8million
- Anglian Water: £38.1million
- Yorkshire Water: £36million
- Southern Water: £31.9million
- Welsh Water: £24.1million
- South West Water: £17.4million
- South East Water: £8million
- Wessex Water: £5.3million
- Affinity Water: £5.2million
- Bristol Water: £1.9million
- Portsmouth Water: £1.1million
- South Staffs Water: £700,000
- Hafren Dyfrdwy: £200,000
The regulator said that the amount returned to customers will be applied to bills from April 2025.
Water companies were set stretching targets for 2020-25 to deliver better outcomes, for both customers and the environment.
Where they fall short on these, the regulator imposes performance penalties resulting in customers being charged less than they would be the following billing year.
Performance penalties have totalled more than £430million since 2020.
Last year, Ofwat forced through bill reductions worth £177.6million.
On Thursday (December 19), Ofwat will confirm how much water companies are allowed to hike bills over the next five years.