Bills on the rise as Portsmouth Water announces less than 3% increase
The company says it's a below inflation increase of around 23 pence per month
Last updated 2nd Feb 2024
Water bills across the south will go up by, on average, £27 a year from April.
Bosses at Portsmouth Water say that although the increase is challenging for many customers, it still remains below the UK's 4.2% inflation rate and the 6% industry average hike.
The utility company announced that it has increased the Helping Hand social tariff threshold to £21,000, benefitting an additional 15% of its customers, and doubled the payment holiday option to six months.
Despite the rise, Portsmouth Water maintains the lowest water supply charges in England and Wales, with an average daily cost of 33 pence for its customers.
Bob Taylor, CEO of Portsmouth Water said: "We understand that even a small increase can be difficult right now given the cost of living making it more challenging for customers to keep on top of their household bills.
"That's why we've worked hard to keep bill increases minimal and expand our support programs for the most vulnerable in our supply area, meanwhile continuing to invest in our network. We remain committed to providing high-quality water at the lowest possible cost while investing in the future of our water supply."
Despite record investments in reducing leakage and infrastructure upgrades, the bill increase is lower than in the previous financial year, resulting in a real-terms price fall of 6% over the last decade.