Households already struggling with rising water bills have been warned that they could face further cost increases, after a regulator ruled that five water companies can raise additional revenue from customers.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) says allowing five water companies to increase their customers’ bills even further highlights a broader imbalance in how water bills are set by regulators.
The CCW says this decision will “heap more pressures” on households already struggling to absorb recent price hikes.
Chief Executive, Mike Keil, said:
“This long-winded appeal process needs reforming so customers are given the same right as water companies to challenge prices increases. This would help address the power imbalance that currently exists between water companies and their customers.”
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ruled that Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water, and Wessex Water will be permitted to raise an additional 463 million pounds, well below the £2.7 billion increase they had requested.
Customers of the five firms covering England and Wales will see bills rise by an average of 2.2 per cent above previously set levels, nearly half of which reflects market movements.
Market watchdog defends decision as an attempt to ‘balance concerns’
Kirstin Baker, who chaired the independent CMA panel, said the body had “rejected most of the bill increases water companies asked for but allowed limited extra funding where that’s genuinely needed.”
Baker added that the review sought to “balance concerns about affordability with the need to secure our water supplies and cut pollution.”
Thames Water, which supplies most of London’s water, has its own separate billing dispute with regulator Ofwat that remains unresolved. A decision is not expected until later this year.
Source: AP
Ruling comes as water companies faced increased public scrutiny
The ruling comes days after Channel 4’s new series ‘Dirty Business’ aired, a dramatisation examining corruption within Britain’s water industry.
The series has drawn widespread attention to the financial pressures facing water companies as well as the burden being placed on customers.
Source: AP
For more on the controversy surrounding Britain’s water companies, head to City London News on Instagram and TikTok.
DEFRA have noted that “vulnerable households are particularly affected by cost-of-living pressures, including water bills.”
If you’re worried about affording your water bill, help is available. Contact your water company directly or visit the CCW website at https://www.ccw.org.uk/news/cma-appeals-ccw-says-further-bill-rises-will-hurt-struggling-households/
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HeadlineWater customers to face higher bills as regulator allows further price hikes
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StandfirstRegulators have allowed water companies to raise bills further, but campaigners say that customers are already at breaking point.
Households already struggling with rising water bills have been warned that they could face further cost increases, after a regulator ruled that five water companies can raise additional revenue from customers.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) says allowing five water companies to increase their customers’ bills even further highlights a broader imbalance in how water bills are set by regulators.
The CCW says this decision will “heap more pressures” on households already struggling to absorb recent price hikes.
Chief Executive, Mike Keil, said:
“This long-winded appeal process needs reforming so customers are given the same right as water companies to challenge prices increases. This would help address the power imbalance that currently exists between water companies and their customers.”
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ruled that Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water, and Wessex Water will be permitted to raise an additional 463 million pounds, well below the £2.7 billion increase they had requested.
Customers of the five firms covering England and Wales will see bills rise by an average of 2.2 per cent above previously set levels, nearly half of which reflects market movements.
Market watchdog defends decision as an attempt to ‘balance concerns’
Kirstin Baker, who chaired the independent CMA panel, said the body had “rejected most of the bill increases water companies asked for but allowed limited extra funding where that’s genuinely needed.”
Baker added that the review sought to “balance concerns about affordability with the need to secure our water supplies and cut pollution.”
Thames Water, which supplies most of London’s water, has its own separate billing dispute with regulator Ofwat that remains unresolved. A decision is not expected until later this year.
Source: AP
Ruling comes as water companies faced increased public scrutiny
The ruling comes days after Channel 4’s new series ‘Dirty Business’ aired, a dramatisation examining corruption within Britain’s water industry.
The series has drawn widespread attention to the financial pressures facing water companies as well as the burden being placed on customers.
Source: AP
For more on the controversy surrounding Britain’s water companies, head to City London News on Instagram and TikTok.
DEFRA have noted that “vulnerable households are particularly affected by cost-of-living pressures, including water bills.”
If you’re worried about affording your water bill, help is available. Contact your water company directly or visit the CCW website at https://www.ccw.org.uk/news/cma-appeals-ccw-says-further-bill-rises-will-hurt-struggling-households/
The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed cases of the water-borne disease in parts of North-West and South-West London but are yet to identify a source.
