Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with representatives of water companies following the publication of research by Water UK on 4 February which found that water bills in the UK will rise by 1.7 per cent from April 2022.
Prior to the publication of estimated water bills for year 2022-23, Defra and Water UK discussed the potential increase and the support measures that are available to households who may struggle to pay their water bills.
Water companies will continue to offer a wide range of support, including bill discounts, adjusting payment plans and helping customers to get advice on benefits and managing debts. Water companies have also increased their customer engagement to inform households of these measures.