Swap and save – can you beat the bill rise?
Posted: Friday 2nd March 2007
Consumers face an average water bill rise of £20 (or 7%) for 2007-08, as water and sewerage bills land on doormats across England and Wales in early March.
The coming year’s price rise was determined back in December 2004 when Ofwat set prices from 2005 to 2010. The next opportunity to influence future water prices will come in the run-up to the next price review in 2009.
The average bill increase in England and Wales, taking effect from 1 April, disguises wide variations - from a 5.7% increase at Severn Trent to a 10.1% rise for South West Water customers.
• National average bill for 2007-08: £312
• Average bill for Welsh Water customers, 2007-08: £363
• Lowest regional average bill for 2007-08: £275 (Thames)
• Highest regional average bill for 2007-08: £483 (South West)
Dame Yve Buckland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “Although water costs each household less than a pound a day on average, many consumers on low and fixed incomes will struggle to keep up with these bill rises.
“Consumers will also struggle to understand the relationship between higher bills, increases in company profits, last summer’s water restrictions and acknowledged recent failures in customer service. There is a limited number of tips consumers can follow to soften the blow.”
The water watchdog’s top practical tips for customers are:
• Swap and save? - consider changing to a meter, which can help to monitor cost and water use.
• Sooner rather than later – get in touch with your water supplier immediately if you know you will have difficulty making payments. There are a variety of options open to you, such as flexible payment plans, and the Water Direct scheme is available for those on benefits.
• Check out tariffs - contact your water company about the vulnerable customer tariff. This could save you money if you are on a meter, receive certain benefits and either have a large family or a medical condition requiring extra water usage.
• Direct action – ask your water company about Water Direct. It is a scheme where your water bill is paid straight from the benefits you receive.
Dame Yve added: “If you’re a small household or living alone, think about getting a water meter. If you are already on a meter you should consider using our five fast fixes on saving water in the garden, kitchen and bathroom, which will save you money as well as helping with conserving water resources.
“We have already started to think about the next price review, which will set water and sewerage price limits for 2010 to 2015. We are not convinced that consumers can see recognisable benefits in return for the bill rises that they have faced since 2005, and believe that consumers’ priorities should come first next time.”
Customers should contact their local water company for more information about payment plans, tariffs or changing to a meter.
