Water bills going up: how Yorkshire Water's average cost rise compares with other UK water firms - news

• Yorkshire Water bills will rise by 6% from April, adding £34 a year for most households
• The average annual bill will increase to £636 across the region
• Yorkshire’s rise sits mid-range compared with other water companies
• Some areas face much steeper increases of up to 13%
• Bills are rising to fund infrastructure upgrades, but affordability concerns are growing

Yorkshire Water customers will see their bills rise again from April, adding further pressure to already stretched budgets after last year’s sharp increase.

Bills are set to rise by 6%, taking the average annual bill to £636. In cash terms, that’s an increase of £34 a year for a typical household.

While the rise is broadly in line with the national average, it comes on top of significant increases already approved by regulator Ofwat for the rest of the decade, leaving many customers questioning how much more they can absorb.

How Yorkshire Water compares

Yorkshire Water’s 6% rise puts it somewhere in the middle of the pack compared with other water companies across England and Wales.

Some firms are imposing steeper hikes, particularly in areas where infrastructure investment is being ramped up rapidly.

Severn Trent customers, for example, are seeing bills rise by 10%, while United Utilities customers face a 9% increase.

Others, such as Thames Water and Affinity Water’s eastern region, are seeing much smaller changes this year, though many were hit hard in previous rounds of rises.

Here’s how annual bills compare across major water companies, including the full list of confirmed increases:

• Affinity Water, central region (water-only): £266; up £31 (+13%)
• Affinity Water, eastern region (water-only): £280; up £1 (+0.4%)
• Affinity Water, south-east region (water-only): £294; up £3 (+1%)
• Anglian Water (water & wastewater): £674; up £44 (+7%)
• Bournemouth Water (water-only): £205; up £11 (+6%)
• Bristol Water (water-only): £264; up £29 (+12%)
• Dwr Cymru (water & wastewater): £683; up £31 (+5%)
• Essex & Suffolk Water (water-only): £333; up £15 (+5%)
• Hafren Dyfrdwy (water & wastewater): £635; up £54 (+9%)
• Northumbrian Water (water & wastewater): £535; up £31 (+6%)
• Portsmouth Water (water-only): £162; up £13 (+8%)
• Severn Trent Water (water & wastewater): £587; up £52 (+10%)
• South East Water (water-only): £324; up £21 (+7%)
• South Staffs Water, Cambridge region (water-only): up £210; £7 (+3%)
• South Staffs Water, South Staffordshire region (water-only): up £230; £6 (+2%)
• South West Water (water & wastewater): £740; up £39 (+6%)
• Southern Water (water & wastewater): £759; up £55 (+8%)
• Sutton & East Surrey Water (water-only): £257; up £26 (+11%)
• Thames Water (water & wastewater): £658; up £3 (+0.4%)
• United Utilities (water & wastewater): £660; up £57 (+9%)
• Wessex Water (water & wastewater): £695; up £17 (+3%)
• Yorkshire Water (water & wastewater): £636; up £34 (+6%)

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Why bills keep rising

Water companies argue the increases are necessary to fund major upgrades to ageing pipes, improve water security and reduce sewage spills into rivers and seas.

Across the industry, firms are planning tens of billions of pounds of investment over the next few years.

But the timing remains contentious. Yorkshire Water customers are still feeling the impact of last year’s large, front-loaded increase, part of a longer-term plan that allows bills to rise by more than a third between 2025 and 2030.

What support is available?

For households struggling to cope, support schemes remain in place. More than two million households nationwide receive help through social tariffs, the WaterSure scheme and other affordability measures, with average discounts of around 40%.

Regulators say this support is being expanded further over the coming year. Even so, consumer groups warn that affordability concerns are mounting, with complaints about water bills rising sharply.

While many customers accept the need for investment, there is growing impatience to see real improvements delivered, especially cleaner rivers, fewer disruptions and better service, in return for yet another increase.