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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent excessive annual increases in household water bills in Hazel Grove constituency.

Ofwat assesses affordability for each water company through a five-yearly Price Review process, in which water companies must detail in their business plans how they will address affordability. Ofwat’s price controls for Price Review 2024 set out that the average customer bill will increase by 36%, before inflation, over the next five years.

We understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing and we are pushing the sector to ensure support is available. We expect water companies to put robust support in place for vulnerable customers and keep current affordability schemes under review to ensure vulnerable customers are supported.

Bills must remain affordable, and customers cannot be expected to pay the price for years of underperformance in the past. Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure households across the country are supported.