Price change in England
From 1 April 2026, wholesale water companies will update their charges for clean water and wastewater services. Ofwat will sign off final prices before they are published between January and March.
What you can expect
This table shows the average price changes for our customers for each wholesaler.
| Wholesaler | Price Change | Average | ||
| Water | Sewerage | Trade effluent | ||
| Affinity Water | 11.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 11.7% |
| Anglian Water | 11.9% | 9.8% | 13.0% | 11.3% |
| Bristol Water | 15.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 15.7% |
| Northumbrian Water | 3.8% | 5.4% | 16.9% | 6.3% |
| Portsmouth Water | 4.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.3% |
| Severn Trent Water | -1.1% | 12.1% | 10.0% | 4.8% |
| South East Water | 12.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 12.6% |
| Southern Water | 29.1% | -5.6% | -7.1% | 5.7% |
| Southstaff Water | 4.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.0% |
| Southwest Water | 11.5% | 24.5% | 14.9% | 17.1% |
| SES Water | 7.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 7.7% |
| Thames Water | 10.6% | -4.9% | -4.6% | 2.8% |
| United Utilities | 17.9% | 8.0% | 11.1% | 12.1% |
| Wessex Water | -1.5% | 10.2% | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Yorkshire Water | 3.0% | 9.8% | 6.8% | 6.4% |
It’s important to note:
- They are based on overall charges for all our customers.
- Your price change will depend on factors such as the amount of water used and meter size.
The wholesalers finalise their 2026/27 prices and publish them on their websites between January and March.
We’ll provide links to these charging schemes when they are available, so you can see how the annual price increase affects your charges.
Why are prices increasing
Every five years, Ofwat reviews water companies’ investment plans and sets price limits. The latest review approved significant increases between 2025 - 2030 to support a record £104 billion investment in the water network.
This includes:
- Building new reservoirs
- Upgrading wastewater treatment plants
- Reducing storm overflow spills
- Cutting leakage and improving supply resilience
These projects are essential to meet environmental standards and secure long-term water supplies,
What makes up your water charges
Next steps
- Submit monthly meter readings via MyAccount for accurate billing
- We’ll share confirmed prices and helpful resources by the end of January
- Contact us if you have any questions - we’re committed to keeping you informed and helping you reduce costs wherever possible.
Price change in Scotland
From 1 April 2026 new wholesale water and wastewater charges come into effect
Measured clean water and foul water charges
Scottish Water sets clean water charges. We don’t know what the new charges are yet, but expect the average increase for 2026/27 to be 9-10%.
Your exact charges will depend on your water usage and the size of your meter.
Price increases are to support infrastructure investment needed to ensure future supplies, and are approved by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.
Unmeasured and drainage charges charges
Unmeasured and drainage charges are based on the rateable value (RV) of your property.
New rateable values will apply from 1 April 2026 due to the planned 2026 revaluation, which sets RV based on April 2025 rental values.
RVs for individual properties vary, with some increasing and some decreasing. For those seeing an increase, it is expected to be 20% or less.
Independent local assessors set RVs and you can view them on the Scottish Assessors Association website when finalised.
How we can support you
We understand these changes come at a time when many businesses are facing cost pressures, so we’re here to help:
