Help and resources
Useful Commercial links
Useful Region Links
Useful Commercial links
We understand that bill increases are worrying. We're here to help explain why we’re increasing charges, where your money will be spent and how we can support you.
To deliver the things you’ve told us matter most, such as minimising flooding, reducing storm overflows, fixing more leaks, and protecting the environment, we need to increase bills. Hear from our people, who are customers too, on what you can expect and where the money will be invested.
Over the last year, we've taken time to speak to many of our customers about the improvements they want to see, and the huge investment needed to deliver these. A lot of the funding will come from our shareholders, who have invested over £1.6 billion, almost £1,500 per customer, since 2021 (with no external dividends paid since 2017). However, to fully deliver on our commitments we also need to increase bills. Several other factors contribute to the rise.
We’re seeing growing pressure on water sources as more people and businesses rely on them. Our regulator limits how much water we can take from the environment to protect it, so we need to develop new sources of water — raising the cost of treating and supplying it, and requiring investment in recycling wastewater, transferring water, or even desalination.
A growing population means more built-up spaces and less water being soaked up by the land. This causes more flooding and storm overflow releases. We need to change the way we deal with this excess water to stop it entering sewers, investing in new ways to capture it, soak it up, and store it.
Climate change is bringing heavier rainfall, which can overwhelm our network and lead to more flooding and storm overflow releases. We’re already adapting our systems, but it will take time. Our Clean Rivers and Seas Plan is delivering major improvements and explains our future investments in your area.
The cost of services we rely on to keep things running — like chemicals and — gone up. We’ve kept our bills low, averaging just a 0.5% increase a year from 2014-24, while energy and council tax rose by 45%. Water bills have fallen behind inflation by around 20%, so we now need to increase them to invest and improve our service.
Bills were reduced by around 6% a year due to regulatory penalties, resulting in rebates — but this has now ended. Our shareholders, not customers, paid for this and have invested nearly £1.6 billion (almost £1,500 per customer) to improve our services and protect the local environment. We haven’t paid our shareholders anything since 2017.
The UK water industry faces major challenges. To overcome them, we need careful planning and significant investment. Our Business Plan sets out these challenges and how we’ll respond — taking immediate and long-term action to improve performance, protect the environment, and continue to deliver high-quality water and wastewater services.
Over the next five years, we’ll deliver our largest ever investment programme, which will help us to:
Select a £ sign on the map below to see how we’re investing in your local area.
We're investing over £276 million in West Sussex to strengthen water supplies, protect the coastline, and support local communities now and in the future.
We’re investing over £476.1 million in East Sussex to improve bathing water quality, protect the coastline, and build a stronger, more resilient water supply network for generations to come.
Our £858 million investment in Hampshire will protect and secure water supplies, including precious chalk streams, and improve water quality from source to sea.
We’re investing £1.2 billion in Kent to cut pollution, protect the local environment, and keep taps flowing — making sure the region is ready for future population growth.
We’re investing over £99 million on the Isle of Wight to improve bathing water quality, prevent flooding and develop new water sources, reducing reliance on the mainland.
We're investing over £276 million in West Sussex to strengthen water supplies, protect the coastline, and support local communities now and in the future.
We’re investing over £476.1 million in East Sussex to improve bathing water quality, protect the coastline, and build a stronger, more resilient water supply network for generations to come.
Our £858 million investment in Hampshire will protect and secure water supplies, including precious chalk streams, and improve water quality from source to sea.
We’re investing £1.2 billion in Kent to cut pollution, protect the local environment, and keep taps flowing — making sure the region is ready for future population growth.
We’re investing over £99 million on the Isle of Wight to improve bathing water quality, prevent flooding and develop new water sources, reducing reliance on the mainland.
Our regulator, Ofwat, sets a limit on what we should charge our customers. Our charges are reviewed and approved by them each year.
We've worked hard to keep our bills low for many years and will continue to do all we can to keep them as affordable as possible. Since 2014, the average water and wastewater bill has gone from £437 to £439 — an increase of just 0.5%.
The increase will vary and depends on things like your usage. From April 2025, the typical household bill for combined water and wastewater will rise by 46.7%, from £1.31 per day to £1.93 per day.
If you have a water meter, you’ll see the new charges on your first bill after 1 April 2025. If you don't have a water meter, you’ll see the new rates on your annual bill for 2025/26.
If you would like to review your account, check your payment history, and see your usage please log into your account or register.
If you’re on a water meter, your Direct Debit payments are based on the predicted cost of the water you’ll use, plus any outstanding balance. The total cost is divided by the number of months until your next bill to help spread the cost evenly.
To allow for the increase, we’ve recalculated some Direct Debit plans to help spread the cost, ahead of new charges coming into effect. This reduces the size of the monthly increase. For example, if you’re billed between July and October, your payments were adjusted from March to make the increase smaller.
Paying by Direct Debit is the best way to stay on top of your bill and avoid falling into debt. Set up a Direct Debit or log into your online account.
If you cancel your Direct Debit, then the full bill will be payable when it is issued. If you then choose to set up a Direct Debit again, it’s likely to be higher to cover the bill that’s already been issued. If payment isn’t made or a payment plan isn’t set up, then you will enter the debt recovery process. This could involve additional fees if your account is sent to a Debt Collection Agency, which may impact your credit rating.
We offer a variety of support schemes, including discounts of at least 45%, capped rates, and help with clearing debt. From 2025, an extra £235 million support package is available for customers who need it most. Check if you’re eligible and apply.
Information has been shared via our website, social media channels, customer emails and with the bill itself. We recognise that this didn’t go far enough and want to reassure you that we’re taking your feedback on board to improve how we share information and improve our communications going forwards.
Your bill is based on several different things:
Everyone’s circumstances are different as everyone uses water differently. You can find lots of information and tips on how to reduce your water use. If you think your bill is wrong, you can review your account, check your payment history, and see you use via your online account.
If you’re on a meter, using less water in your house and garden may help you to reduce your bill. Making small changes to your daily routine, such as turning the tap off when you brush your teeth, having a shorter shower, or only running the washing machine when you have a full load can make a big difference. Around 20% of the water used in the home is heated, so saving water could also help to reduce your energy bill. View our simple water-saving tips.
Getting a water meter fitted can help you understand how much water you’re using and potentially save you money on your bill. You can see if you’re eligible to have a meter fitted by applying for a water meter — it should only take a few minutes, and you can expect a reply within 48 hours.
If your drinking water is supplied by a different water company, you will need to contact them directly about getting a meter fitted. If you’re unsure who your supplier is visit www.water.org.uk and enter your postcode.
Wholesale water and wastewater charges have increased. This increase will help deliver the huge investment needed to tackle areas such as minimising flooding, reducing storm overflows, fixing more leaks, protecting the environment and improving our service. More investment is needed to keep our rivers healthy, improve the quality of our bathing waters and provide the service our customers deserve.
A lot of the funding will come from our shareholders, who have invested over £1.6 billion since 2021 (with no external dividends paid since 2017). However, to fully deliver our services, we need to increase the price of water and wastewater. For further information about how your bill is calculated, please contact your retailer.
We understand costs are rising for everyone. If you would like to discuss financial support, please speak to your water retailer.
Getting a water meter fitted can help you understand how much water you’re using and potentially save you money on your bill. With a water meter, you'll be able to take regular readings to understand how much water your business is using. If you notice an increase, you should check for leaks. If your business doesn’t already have a water meter, and you think it could benefit from one, please speak to your retailer.
Yes, we offer lot of advice on how to save water in your business. We also offer free Water-saving Audits to not-for-profit organisations and small to medium-sized businesses.
Water leaks in business premises can be costly. While some leaks show obvious signs like damp patches or water pooling, others may need you to go looking for them. Understanding how to check for water leaks is important to prevent property damage and unexpected expenses. We can help you learn how to spot leaks.
Please contact your retailer for assistance with the following:
Did you find the information you are looking for?
