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Our charges

Each year our charges are subject to change. On average our charges will go up by 12.3% on 1 April 2024. This includes inflation, which is affected by energy prices, and adjustments for our past performance.

We follow guidance from our regulator Ofwat and consult CCW, the voice for water consumers, on our charges. In common with other water companies, we use CPIH: the Consumer Prices Index including housing costs, when calculating inflation.

How our charges are changing for 2024/25


Water and wastewater customers  Water only service Wastewater only service 
 12.3% average price rise  9.3% average price rise  16.2% average price rise

Bill increase

The overall bill increase for 2024/25 is partly due to inflation, which is affected by energy prices.

Part of the bill increase also depends on our past performance. In 2022/23, we did not meet some of our water supply targets. This includes those relating to supply interruptions and leakage. However, our wastewater performance was better than the previous year.

Our regulator Ofwat has applied penalties due to our 2022/23 performance. This has meant the bill increase is lower than it would have otherwise been. The level of penalties has increased for water but decreased for wastewater. This has caused water price increases to be lower than wastewater price increases.

Minimising the price increase

We’ve worked hard to limit the increase in prices where we can, including generating our own power as part of the sewage treatment process. We create more than 20% of the power we need at our own sites, which helps to reduce bills because we have to buy less electricity from the grid.

Showing the increase on your bill

We aim to make our bills as simple to understand as possible for all our customers. We’ve therefore not included every breakdown cost on your bill so you can focus on the important information.

Breakdown of every £1 we spend

48p – infrastructure

This includes 3p for the Thames Tideway Tunnel, which will divert millions of tonnes of sewage from the River Thames when it goes into operation.

20p – essential services

As the UK's largest water company, we supply and treat billions of litres of water each day.

15p – our team

From engineers in the field to scientists in the lab, over 7,000 people help keep your water flowing.
 

3p – our lenders

To invest in our network, we borrow money at efficient rates while keeping your bills as low as we can.
 

8p – powering our sites

We currently generate more than 20% of our own energy to help protect the environment.
 

6p – the government

We paid over £118 million in business rates and for employer’s National Insurance in 2022/23.

 

charges graph

How we're making a difference

Every time you pay your bill, the money helps us to:

As the UK’s biggest water company, it’s our duty to protect our major water source, the River Thames, along with the environment and our customers.

Our large-scale projects, such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel and the Guildford Sewage Treatment Works relocation, are transforming our water and sewer networks to protect the environment and better serve our customers.

Help pay your bill

If you’re struggling to pay your bill, we could help.

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