Making amends to existing customers
If you are an existing customer and continue to pay wastewater charges after 1 April 2020, you will automatically receive a reduction to your wastewater bills between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2025.
How much you will get
Household bill payers that continue to pay wastewater charges after 1 April 2020 will receive a reduction to their bills, linked to their usage levels. On average, this rebate will be approximately £14 in the first year.
After this, the bill reduction will depend upon your wastewater charges and how many former customers apply for and receive payments under the new scheme. It will also be subject to inflation. We anticipate the reduction will be, on average, approximately £9 a year until 2025.
We've provided three examples below to show how the rebate amounts vary based on your wastewater charges.
| Household customer - wastewater charges1 | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | £100 | £200 | £300 |
| 2020–21 (if there was no rebate) 2 | £89 | £178 | £267 |
| 2020–21 (actual charge) 2 | £84 | £166 | £248 |
| 2020–21 rebate | £5 | £12 | £19 |
| Equivalent free days of wastewater services3 | 22 | 25 | 26 |
IMPORTANT: This table makes standard assumptions to estimate your bill reduction.
1 - The example charges are for wastewater only and do not include water. If you are a water and wastewater customer, the total shown on your bill will include both charges. Please refer to the wastewater section of your bill for your separate wastewater charges. Typically, this can be found on page two of your bill.
2 - We've lowered our wastewater charges for 2020-21. The rebate will be provided in addition to this reduction. To show the difference, we've shown examples with and without the rebate applied.
3 - Based on an annual wastewater bill, the rebate is equivalent to approximately this many days’ free wastewater services.
Non-household customers
For non-household customers, the average rebate will be approximately £260. How much you receive will vary based on:
- your wastewater charges during 2020 to 2025.
- how many payments are made to former customers.
- inflation.
Frequently asked questions
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Am I eligible for a reduction in my bill?
Yes, if you pay wastewater charges between April 2020 and March 2025.
How do I claim?
You don’t need to do anything. Customers who pay wastewater charges between April 2020 and March 2025 will automatically receive a reduction in their bills.
How much will the reduction be?
Household bill payers that continue to pay wastewater charges after April 2020 will receive a reduction to their bills linked to their usage levels. On average, this reduction was approximately £14 in 2020. After this, the bill reduction could be, on average, approximately £11 a year until 2025 (the actual amounts will depend upon your wastewater charges). The reduction will also be subject to inflation.
I'm a current customer – why can't I get the full reduction straightaway?
How and when we can reduce customers bills is contained in the formal undertaking that we have given to Ofwat. The payment of the penalties that have been avoided would normally be made over an extended period of 50 or more years. Instead, we’ll reduce wastewater charges to customers spread over a shorter period of five years, 2020 to 2025.
Does the cost of all this mean my bill will go up?
No. Customers will bear none of the costs of the payments, rebates or the fine.
I'm a Southern Water customer but billed by South East Water. Will I get a reduction in my bill?
Yes. We'll be working closely with South East Water to ensure each eligible household receives a reduction in their wastewater charges each year from April 2020 until March 2025.
Will I get the total amount of the reduction if I move out of Southern Water’s area before March 2025?
No, because each household bill payer will receive a reduction in their wastewater charge each year from April 2020 until March 2025. So if you pay wastewater charges to us during some of this period you will receive a partial rebate.
I’ve changed address in the last few years, but I’m still a Southern Water wastewater customer – will I continue to get the reduction in my bills?
Yes, because household bill payers that pay wastewater charges after April 2020 will receive a reduction to their wastewater charges between April 2020 and March 2025.
Will I get the total amount of the reduction if I move out of Southern Water’s area before 2025?
No, because reductions will only be made to wastewater charges for each year between April 2020 and March 2025. If you pay wastewater charges for some of this time, you’ll receive a reduction in the charges you pay.
If I become a new Southern Water customer some time between 2020 and 2025, will I get a reduction in my bills?
Yes, because each bill payer will receive a reduction in their wastewater charges each year from April 2020 until March 2025.
I’m renting – am I eligible for a reduction in my bill?
If you are the bill payer, you will be eligible for a reduction in your wastewater charges each year from April 2020 until March 2025.
I’m eligible, but have debt on my account. Will I receive a reduction in my charges?
Yes. However, the reduction to wastewater charges may be offset against the value of any outstanding debt.
I find filling out forms difficult. How do I get my bill reduced?
If you continue to pay wastewater charges after April 2020, you will not need to fill out any forms to get the reduction in your bill – the reduction will be applied automatically to your bills.
I pay water charges but not wastewater charges – am I eligible for a reduction in my bill?
No. The reduction is tied to our wastewater pricing. Only those that pay wastewater charges are eligible.