Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled ‘Government unveils biggest overhaul to water in a generation’ published on 19 January 2026, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of her Water White Paper on household bills once implemented.

Managing cost of living pressures is a priority. These reforms build on safeguards for households, including by strengthening the Guaranteed Standards Scheme and reforming the WaterSure support scheme. Affordability must be at the core of any future investment plans. The Government will be doing an impact assessment for the water reform bill which will cover the costs and benefits of reforms.

The reforms are ultimately designed to support growth, reduce bill volatility, and keep costs fair for customers in the long-term.