As Southern Water responds to customer demand to go further and faster with service improvements and investment in new infrastructure, and in the face of ongoing economic pressures, household bills for water and waste are set to increase for the financial year 2024–25.
This means customers who pay for water and wastewater services can expect a 9% rise, from £1.20 per day (£439 per year) to £1.31 per day (£479 per year). Meanwhile, water only bills will go up by 7.7% and waste only by 10%.
The two key drivers are the ongoing pressures of inflation and its impact on increased costs for energy, fuel and raw materials, and the feedback we have had from our communities and stakeholders about the need to invest more heavily in our network, so we provide the service our customers and environment deserve.
Katy Taylor, Southern Water’s Chief Customer Officer, said:
“We completely understand the concerns that will be raised among our communities about this upcoming bill rise. We know household budgets remain under considerable pressure, and that times continue to be hard for many families, so any move to increase charges is never taken lightly.
“We spoke extensively with customers, businesses and stakeholders – including our regulator Ofwat - before reaching this decision, ensuring we balanced the investment needed in our network amid a testing economic climate, with what communities are willing to pay.
“Crucially, we are offering a wider range of support to customers who may struggle with their bills than ever before, thanks to a £96m package which includes payment holidays, discounts on bills of at least 45%, debt write-offs, access to a special hardship fund, and grants for household items. Please contact us if you need our help.”
To find out about how your new bill is calculated or for details of support schemes and payment schemes visit our website.