Close up of a Young family having breakfast and going over their bills and home finances on the laptop

We know that many households are finding it difficult financially, especially in the face of rising costs. This includes water bills which are expected to rise by 36%, before inflation is added, between 2025 and 2030. While this increase will help release investment to improve our water services and the environment, it will make it harder for some families to pay their bills.

That’s why CCW has done some research to find out how these changes could affect people. We asked over 1,100 families across England and Wales about their water bills — how they manage their money, how they get help when they need it, and what they think about the support they get from their water companies. We also spoke to people who are finding things particularly hard to manage on a low income, to learn how water companies can better support them.

Because of our work in the past, more than 1.8 million households already get help to lower their water bills. But with big bill rises in the pipeline, we know more people will need support. This research will help us to better understand how this support can be improved and reach those that need it most.

We want everyone to have clean, safe water at a price they can afford — and we’re working hard to make that happen.

Download Read our full Water Worries Affordability Research (pdf – 1 MB)