Complaint and debt assessments of water companies 2026-27

Progress on areas of focus

2025/26 area of focus: Priority Services opportunities

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?​

The company has agreed that it will focus on ensuring that PSR sign-up opportunities are explored with ​customers on a consistent basis. This will be done through refresher training for agents and understanding when and how to discuss any assistance or support that may be needed by people, both ​by phone and in writing.​

Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

CCW saw clear evidence of this being focused on and progress being made. PSR eligible customers were identified and the right conversations were held.​

2025/26 area of focus: Repeat customer contacts

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?​

The company will be looking at changes to its system and how to introduce a report or process that will ​identify customers, in real time, that have been in regular, recent, contact. This will be used to better focus on customers that are either experiencing repeated issues or not receiving a solution to an ongoing problem.​

​Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

CCW saw evidence of focus being given to the identification of customers having to contact Anglian Water multiple times. We saw improvements that have been made to identification and tracking tools and further work is being looked at to enhance this.​

2025/26 area of focus: Reducing the customer journey

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?​

The company is keen to look at ways to strengthen the advice provided to customers. If there is nothing it can do to help or resolve a complaint, the company will ensure it makes this clear at the earliest ​opportunity and accurately provide advice on the next steps open to the customer.​

​Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

CCW saw evidence of more consistent, clearer signposting and expectation setting. We were also assured that this is a continued focus for the company through ongoing training.​

2025/26 area of focus: ‘Close the loop’ with customers

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?​

An embedded ‘close the loop’ process (ideally a phone call) would help in ensuring that there is a clear ​end point to complaints, all points are covered and customers understand any next steps open to them. ​

The need for customers to take the lead in contacting the company with follow-up points, or questions, ​should be greatly reduced.​

​Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

We saw indications that case handlers are endeavouring to contact customers by phone following closure of their complaint. Further training and empowerment of case handlers is ongoing to make this process more consistent.​

Additional good practice and areas of focus

Good practice

1. Positive evidence of Anglian Water’s ongoing process of centring all of its service on customers. This should mean a more focused culture and cohesive service (fewer hand-offs, better case management).​
2. ​Examples of excellent tone and customer service provided to customers via written contact channels. Equally, generally excellent tone and customer service provided to customers by phone.​
3. ​Evidence of a risk-based approach to handling enquiries; meaning that they are handled by the complaints team where appropriate.​
4. ​Evidence of consistent expectation setting and next steps being provided to customers.​

Areas of focus

1. CCW is asking that all water companies develop a Dedicated Support Team to enhance or supplement their current assistance processes or specialist teams. This team will provide enhanced, tailored support for customers whose circumstances make it harder to engage with complaint processes or achieve a fair outcome.​
2. Anglian Water will carry out refresher training to ensure that the company’s customer-friendly tone of voice is present in all customer interactions, across all departments.
3. Anglian Water will carry out a review of standard texts and provide refresher training with the aim of reducing/removing jargon from customer-facing correspondence.​
4. ​Anglian Water will work with all staff, across all departments, to ensure that customer interactions are consistently recorded fully and usefully on the system.​

Progress on areas of focus

2025/26 area of focus: Case management and customer effort

What will South West Water be focusing on?​

The company has agreed that it will explore a more structured approach to case management and look at how clear ownership of a customer’s case can be introduced, not just during the complaint process, but from first contact to last. South West Water aspire to take the lead in resolving a query/complaint and remove the need for customer effort. The introduction of a new CRM system should greatly assist with this. ​

​Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

CCW saw evidence that this should still be an area of focus for South West Water, needing a continued drive to ensure customers receive full, structured case management from the start of their complaint through to resolution and/or closure.​

2025/26 area of focus: Process gaps

What will South West Water be focusing on?​

The company has agreed to explore ways to improve the relationship between the complaints/contact teams and other departments (metering, operations, etc.). It will consider where there are gaps in processes that can lead to a smoother journey for both customers and its own staff. One such solution, related to the customer leakage process, was identified during the assessment.​

Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

The assessment provided positive evidence of the work that has begun in closing the distance between teams at South West Water. However, this remains a work in progress, specifically regarding the customer leakage process and more generally with regard to the relationship between other departments within South West Water and customer-facing teams.​

2025/26 area of focus: Empathy and understanding

What will South West Water be focusing on?​

The company has agreed that further training will be carried out (centred around the ‘tone of voice’ handbook previously mentioned) and all areas of the business will focus on always putting the customer at the heart of their communications and actions. South West Water will also ensure that the needs of those customers in vulnerable circumstances are recognised and responded to.​

​Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

Based on this assessment, the centring of ‘customer’ as part of South West Water’s overall culture should remain an ongoing focus. The Customer Service team should take the lead in driving customer understanding and focus across all areas of the business.​

2025/26 area of focus: Quality Assurance Process and root-cause analysis​

What will South West Water be focusing on?​

The company has committed to improving the existing QA process to ensure that lapses in case handling and customer service are addressed and learned from in a structured way. Immediate actions will be taken where necessary for specific customers, and broader process issues will be recognised and resolved. A greater focus on root-cause analysis will be embedded, helping the company to better understand what is driving customer dissatisfaction.​

​Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

The assessment provided evidence of plans being in place to improve South West Water’s assurance and  root-cause work. However, some cases reviewed demonstrated that this remains an area in which the company needs to continue its focus and efforts.​

Additional good practice and areas of focus

Good practice

1. CCW saw evidence that there are a number of behind-the-scenes processes starting to take root, which should provide South West Water Customer Services with improved tools to identify customers who are having to contact them repeatedly and allow for better analysis of complaint causes.​
2. ​CCW was provided with evidence of the continued work being put into providing front-line advisors with a detailed and easy to use knowledge database which will help provide customers with quick, accurate answers, both by phone and in writing.​
3. ​There were good examples of operational callouts and responses being quick. This was both in reaction to service issues and as part of the complaint process.​
4. We saw evidence, over both days of written response structure and tone being improved. Responses avoided jargon, were straightforward and customer friendly.​

Areas of focus

1. CCW is asking that all water companies develop a Dedicated Support Team to enhance or supplement their current assistance processes or specialist teams. This team will provide enhanced, tailored support for customers whose circumstances make it harder to engage with complaint processes or achieve a fair outcome.​
2. ​South West Water will work on embedding a ‘close the loop’ process at the conclusion of a
   complaint, to ensure all points are covered and customers understand any next steps open to them. ​
3. ​South West Water will focus on ensuring that it has the right people in the right roles, with the right level of expertise in its customer services team. This will ensure that customers receive the best possible service and that enquiries and complaints are resolved as swiftly as possible. ​
4. ​South West Water will focus on timescale and expectation setting with customers to help improve case management and reduce customer effort. It will also establish clear internal targets and checkpoints to ensure customers are contacted in a timely and proactive fashion.​

Progress on areas of focus

2025/26 area of focus: Responding with one voice​

What will Dŵr Cymru be focusing on?​

The company is keen to be more consistent in taking a joined-up approach to customer contact. It will continue to work towards customers having one point of contact, ensuring that customer communication during a complaint is clear, even if different departments are involved.​

​Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

CCW saw evidence of a cohesive, consistent approach being developed and positive organisational changes solidifying Dŵr Cymru’s customer focus. ​

Still a work in progress for some teams, but strong evidence of this starting to change and improve.​

2025/26 area of focus: Keeping customers informed

What will Dŵr Cymru be focusing on?​

The company has agreed that it will focus on how to align customer contact with the actions it is taking to resolve a complaint. It will explore how clear contact points can be built into its processes so that appropriate updates are provided at the right times. This should result in customers always being up to date without the need for any effort on their part.​

Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

CCW saw improvements in this area but ‘muscle memory’ needs to continue to be developed.​

We saw a positive example of excellent case management, that showed clear recognition of this area of focus. Specifically – keeping the customer updated regularly and being clear about next actions and timescales.​

2025/26 area of focus: Priority Services and support opportunities

What will Dŵr Cymru be focusing on?​

The company has agreed that it will focus on ensuring that Priority Service Register (PSR) sign-up opportunities, and other available support schemes, are explored with customers on a consistent basis. Refresher training will be carried out with all customer-facing staff to remind them of when, and how, to have conversations with customers on any support that may be required. The company is keen to ensure that people are provided with all relevant information and the right levels of support.​

Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

This assessment did not raise any concerns related to PSR sign-up. We recommend that Dŵr Cymru continue to ensure that all customers are provided with any support, assistance and advice required.​

2025/26 area of focus: Understanding and case managing repeat contacts

What will Dŵr Cymru be focusing on?​

The company will explore how it can build a process to identify customers that have been in regular, recent contact. This will allow for case management to be carried out in a cohesive way (for example – a dedicated case handler who understands the history and context of a customer’s case) and should result in resolution being reached more quickly.​

Observations from 2026/27 assessment ​

Although a specific focus on repeat contacts is a work in progress, CCW saw the effectiveness of a newly introduced callback process. This meant that Dŵr Cymru is pro-actively contacting customers who express dissatisfaction following phone interactions.​

Additional good practice and areas of focus

Good practice

1. Positive evidence of the, aforementioned, call back process providing excellent service and outcomes for customers. If this can be extended to written, in addition to phone contact, its impact will only grow.​
2. ​Evidence of a positive, customer-friendly tone generally on calls. This was consistent and some of the better call handling experienced during recent assessments.​
3. Strong evidence of consistent and effective written structure which still allows for a customer-friendly tone.​
4. ​Evidence of a clear focus on customer-friendly contact and complaint handling, even in areas that do not fall under traditional customer service (i.e. ‘managed’ or technical processes). This is a working example of the organisational changes Dŵr Cymru is implementing to increase its focus on customers.​

Areas of focus

1. Dŵr Cymru will ensure all system notes are consistently accurate and outline all details, suggested actions and next steps. ​
2. ​Dŵr Cymru will continue to review any drivers of dissatisfaction from a process or policy perspective. This is not just about root cause; it is also an opportunity to review policies through a customer lens.​
3. Dŵr Cymru will continue to provide refresher training on industry knowledge and complaints handling guidance to all customer facing colleagues to ensure a consistently high level of call handling and complaint progression.​
4. ​Dŵr Cymru will ensure that complaints are, consistently, only closed on the system when there is full confidence that all customer concerns are addressed or resolved.​

Progress on areas of focus

2025/26 area of focus: Joined up service between teams

What Yorkshire Water will be focusing on?

The company has agreed to look at ways of making the customer journey smoother and consider ways to reduce the contact points/customer effort in instances where multiple departments within Yorkshire Water are involved.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

CCW saw evidence that this remains a work in progress. This should remain an area of focus for Yorkshire Water’s Billing and Operations teams and particularly for any complaints involving its operational contract partners.

2025/26 area of focus: Clear and accurate file notes

What will Yorkshire Water be focusing on?

The company will continue to use the quality assessment tools available to them to ensure that customer contacts are fully and accurately recorded. This should improve the service provided to customers, allowing for confidence that advisors have a full and detailed understanding of any previous contact or actions taken.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

CCW saw examples of substantial improvement in the detail and clarity of system notes. However, a lack of consistency is still causing some issues for case handlers and risks increasing customer effort.

2025/26 area of focus: Closing the loop

What will Yorkshire Water be focusing on?

An embedded ‘close the loop’ process (ideally a phone call) would help in ensuring that there is a clear end point to complaints, all points are covered and customers understand any next steps open to them. Implementing such a process should help to remove extra effort for those customers who have further concerns or queries.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

The assessment showed that this remains an area that requires Yorkshire Water’s focus. Greater consistency in following up with customers at the end of their complaint will ensure customer effort is reduced as part of the company’s drive to improve end to end case management.

2025/26 area of focus: Specific policies / processes driving complaints

What will Yorkshire Water be focusing on?

The company will review any specific policies or processes that are contributing to complaints or customer dissatisfaction and consider whether changes to these could enhance the service provided to customers. Yorkshire Water will work with the identified areas of the business to effect change.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

CCW saw positive evidence of an improved internal feedback loop being in place.

This is something we encourage continued focus on. It will be key in driving improvements and reducing the causes of customer complaints.

Additional good practice and areas of focus

Good practice

1. Excellent examples of real-time complaint escalation for all customers through to a specialised Customer Care team to aid quick, first-time resolution and ownership of customer outcomes.
2. Examples of text messages increasingly being used well as a contact method during both operational jobs and complaint handling.
3. Good evidence of a ‘phone first’ approach being taken in responding to customer contact, providing customers with the opportunity to discuss their issue and have it addressed fully and swiftly. Alongside this, the ability to request a call back from the company via its website (usually within 10 minutes) demonstrates Yorkshire Water’s commitment to speaking to its customers.
4. Consistent evidence of clear, concise and focused written responses being provided to customers when required. Responses are generally well-written and structured in a way that makes sure all points raised are addressed.

Areas of focus

1. CCW is asking that all water companies develop a Dedicated Support Team to enhance or supplement their current assistance processes or specialist teams. This team will provide enhanced, tailored support for customers whose circumstances make it harder to engage with complaint processes or achieve a fair outcome.
2. Yorkshire Water will work on defining clear internal checkpoints to ensure any actions still outstanding are understood and ensure case handlers have the time to fully review and understand complaints.
3. Yorkshire Water will continue to develop a more focused, case managed approach to all complaints, with dedicated points of contact who have responsibility for cohesive case handling across different departments.
4. Yorkshire Water will further develop its process for signposting customers to the next steps at the end of the complaints process. This could include further support the company can offer, external bodies that can help further (and how they can help) or formal escalation steps.

Progress on areas of focus

2025/26 area of focus: Customers being assisted quickly and by the right people

What will Thames Water be focusing on?

The company has agreed to focus on how customers’ needs and the nature of their contact/complaint can be identified as quickly as possible, and processes improved to get people to the correct team swiftly and without unnecessary customer effort. Equally, there will be a focus on ensuring the correct escalation process is followed as standard.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

CCW saw positive evidence of this having been focused on. There are some remaining concerns over the process at times of high volume, but identification and escalation felt much improved on the previous year. We also saw that improvements in frontline service are helping greatly.

2025/26 area of focus: Case management and handovers

What will Thames Water be focusing on?

The company will improve its resilience process to ensure customer handovers – due to escalation, role changes, or absence – are carried out in a structured and consistent way. Key case details will be clearly recorded on the system, with high-priority cases being flagged. Managers will oversee the process to ensure that this is being done consistently.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

CCW saw no examples of specific issues related to case handovers, which indicates an improved service. However, consistent end-to-end case management and the support provided for case handlers providing this, is a work in progress.

2025/26 area of focus: Being fully prepared pre-customer contact

What will Thames Water be focusing on?

Thames Water will look to ensure that any outbound contact to a customer is fully prepared for, with a clear understanding of the case file and history of the complaint/enquiry. This should be the case even for transactional calls, as customers should be able to ask questions and receive answers, if needed.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

During the assessment, although not as prevalent as previous years, there remained occasions where existing system notes were not fully reviewed prior to customer contact. This remains an area of focus.

2025/26 area of focus: Closing complaints before they’re resolved

What will Thames Water be focusing on?

Thames will focus on ensuring that complaints are only closed once it is confident everything has been addressed for the customer. This means either an agreed resolution or a final response outlining why the customer’s preferred resolution is not possible and clarifying the next steps of the complaint process.

Observations from 2026/27 assessment

Based on the cases reviewed, examples of this were fewer than in previous years, but there were still rare examples of complaints being closed earlier than they should have been on an administrative level. This remains an area of focus.

Additional good practice and areas of focus

Good practice

1. Based on the cases reviewed, we saw positive evidence that the quality of enquiry/complaint handling by Thames Water’s front-line team is of a good standard and greatly improved in comparison to previous assessments.
2. Evidence of quick operational responses during complaint handling, both for operational issues and billing cases where attendance was needed.
3. Consistent evidence of well written and structured responses to customers across all teams. Explanations were clear and consistently covered all points raised by customers.
4. Positive evidence of clear expectation setting being provided regarding next steps and timescales for further contact. This is true of both phone interactions and in writing, including standard responses.

Areas of focus

1. CCW is asking that all water companies develop a Dedicated Support Team to enhance or supplement their current assistance processes or specialist teams. This team will provide enhanced, tailored support for customers whose circumstances make it harder to engage with complaint processes or achieve a fair outcome.
2. Thames Water will focus on providing a greater level of end-to-end case management through a single point of contact, where appropriate. This should increase customer reassurance and reduce effort.
3. Thames Water will continue to focus on consistently keeping cases open until it is confident all aspects of a complaint are addressed and ensuring that case handlers are ‘closing the loop’ with customers.
4. Thames Water will continue to focus on ensuring that outbound contacts to customers are fully prepared for by case handlers, with file notes being read and case histories reviewed.

Good practice

Clear but flexible approach​

Anglian Water provided evidence of a step-by-step debt process that is clearly and properly defined but still offers flexibility and personalisation where needed.​

What does this mean for customers?

Customers can be reassured that the individual steps and progression of Anglian Water’s process will be clear. However, they can also be reassured that , where needed and appropriate, the process will be paused or adapted to provide support and assistance.​

Clear, customer-focused written contact.

CCW saw evidence that Anglian Water’s debt correspondence is generally well written and clear. Reminder notices and all contacts issued throughout the process contain the right information, are well structured and feature a customer-friendly tone of voice. ​

What does this mean for customers?

Well-written customer contacts are important because they help customers understand the reasons for contact, the options available and the action they need to take. Clear, accessible language can reduce confusion and anxiety, enable informed decisions and encourage customers to seek support or engage at an earlier stage, leading to fairer and more effective outcomes.​

Embedded and consistent third-party actions and information

During the assessment, we saw examples of a consistent tone of voice being used across all stages of the debt process, specifically when external debt collection agencies (DCA) needed to be utilised. CCW saw strong evidence that this is driven by close working relationships between Anglian and its DCA, alongside stringent quality assurance processes.​

What does this mean for customers?

Customers can be reassured that even if their account is passed to an external DCA, the quality of contact will still be high and the tone of voice consistent. Contact will remain supportive, clear and helpful. ​

Support and advice

During the two days, CCW saw positive evidence of referrals to external debt charities, for holistic debt advice being provided to customers where appropriate. We also saw internal ‘extra care’ assessments being carried out to ensure people are receiving the correct level of support and advice, including ensuring they are on the right tariff. The assessments were straightforward and low effort for customers.​

What does this mean for customers?

This is positive for customers because it ensures that Anglian Water is holding the right conversations at the right time and can provide appropriate assistance and advice when needed. By identifying individual circumstances and support needs early, Anglian can guide customers towards suitable debt advice, additional care and the correct tariff, helping to reduce worry and achieve fairer outcomes with minimal effort.​

Areas of focus

Getting people to the right place quickly

During the assessment we saw some, rare, instances of customers not being passed to the debt team as quickly as they could be. This meant unnecessarily long journeys for some customers.​

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?

Anglian Water will focus on getting customers to the right team as quickly as possible. Billing and call centre teams will receive refresher training on understanding the triggers for customers to be passed to the Debt team so they can receive the right kind of assistance.​

Case management for ongoing cases

Over the two days CCW saw rare examples of lengthier debt journeys (involving call-backs, further correspondence or evidence being required) where customers did not have a single point of contact or case manager. This was particularly apparent when customers were passed for external, holistic debt advice and we saw examples where it remained unclear what the impact or results of those hand-offs were.​

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?

The company will look into introducing a greater level of case management during extended debt journeys by giving customers a dedicated, proactive point of contact. This will provide greater consistency and understanding of specific customers as well as better coordinate and book-end access to wider debt advice when needed.​

Outbound calls and a variety of contact methods at a variety of times

CCW’s assessment found that outbound calls were not consistently used as the first step when attempting to contact customers. Equally, we saw some missed opportunities for Anglian Water to pick up the phone at key points during longer debt processes (before referring to DCA or in between DCA placements).​

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?

Anglian Water will focus on attempting more outbound debt calls where appropriate. Particularly where customers have previously used the phone as a contact channel. It will also look to ensure that a range of contact methods are consistently attempted before cases are passed to debt collection agencies and further explore the usefulness of contacting customers directly in-between DCA placements.​

Consistent approach to payments plans

During the assessment we saw some examples of Anglian Water’s customer focus unintentionally resulting in customers potentially falling further into debt. This is due to payment plans being set up, at the customer’s request, for amounts that would not fully cover the owed amount and on-going usage. ​

What will Anglian Water be focusing on?

Anglian Water will continue to review the level payment plans are set at and will be cautious in setting payment plans that may not benefit customers in the long term.

This will be done while still recognising that there are times when this is appropriate and needed, but will be restricted to those occasions. Anglian will also make clear to customers that this is not sustainable in the long term.​