Water bills to rise again: Use our tool to find out by how much
Average water bills in England and Wales are set to rise by about £33 a year from 1 April 2026. This 5.4% increase will bring the typical annual bill to £639, or roughly £2.70 more per month.
The hike is two percentage points above the current inflation rate and comes as the water industry begins a massive £104 billion investment programme to fix ageing infrastructure and stop sewage spills.
📍 Regional Bill Increases (Average Annual Bill)
The size of the increase depends heavily on where you live. Some households will see much steeper rises than others:
*Water-only companies (excludes sewerage charges).
🌊 Why are bills rising?
Industry body Water UK says the extra money is "urgently needed" to fund a £20 billion investment planned for 2026-27 alone. This work aims to:
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Reduce Sewage Spills: Target a 30% reduction in storm overflow spills by 2027.
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Fix Leaks: Replace almost 3,000km of old piping to prevent supply failures.
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Secure Supplies: Install over 8 million water meters to help manage water use and build new reservoirs.
💰 Help for Struggling Households
With complaints about affordability nearly tripling last year, a "stronger safety net" is being put in place. Around 2.5 million households are expected to receive help this year—the highest number ever. This includes:
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Social Tariffs: Discounts of around 40% for those on low incomes.
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WaterSure: Capped bills for people who need to use a lot of water for medical reasons or large families on benefits.
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Money-Back Guarantee: If companies fail to deliver on their promised improvements, the regulator Ofwat can force them to refund customers through lower future bills.
Would you like me to look into the specific criteria for the "social tariff" discount to see if you might be eligible for a bill reduction?
