The Consumer Council for Water(CCWater) is urging low-income households to take action now to beat an April rise in water bills by tapping into the financial support available from their water company.

The consumer watchdog was responding to yesterday’s announcement by Water UK that the average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales will rise by £6 to £395 in 2017/18, an increase of two per cent.

The figures show average bills but what customers actually end up paying will vary depending on individual circumstances. Some customers will see increases that might be more or less than the average for their water company.

Tony Smith, Chief Executive of CCWater, said:

“Most customers will see their bills rise from April. That will come as a blow to those households already struggling to keep their head above water.”

“The good news is water companies have a growing number of schemes to help customers who are feeling the pinch. Some of these can provide lower bills and therefore shield households from the effects of price rises. But a lot of that support is still not reaching those that need it most.”

Over the past three years CCWater has helped almost every water company in England and Wales launch a social tariff, which can significantly reduce the bills of low-income households – some by more than 80 per cent.

However, according to CCWater only around half of the 400,000 households who stand to benefit from the schemes have so far signed up for help, meaning about 200,000 eligible customers are missing out on lower bills.’

CCWater’s website features a guide which can help customers discover if they might be eligible for a social tariff. Customers struggling to pay household bills may be able to boost their income by using the Benefits Calculator and Grants Search tool on CCWater’s website. The tools are available at www.ccwater.org.uk