31 January 23
Affinity water invests more for the future and offers help with the cost-of-living
- £50 credit for some vulnerable customers
- Saving water is a great way to save money
- Investment this year of around £150 million to keep customers taps flowing
As water bills are set to rise Affinity Water is supporting customers who are most in need with a one-off £50 payment towards their water bill this year.
Affinity Water’s tariff for clean water, which is approved by its regulator Ofwat, will be increasing by between 10 and 12% from 1st April 2023. Based on an average water bill, customers can expect to pay around 52p extra per week. This will help the Company to continue to invest in its network, support those in need with social tariffs and protect the environment.
Some vulnerable customers will receive the £50 cost-of-living credit, which will show on their bills from April 2023 onwards. Customers will not need to claim the discount which will be awarded automatically according to the Company’s eligibility criteria. It is expected that some households, including those on certain benefits, and some pensioners, will receive the credit on their annual bill around March and some on their bills during the year.
James Tipler, Head of Financial Support and Service Delivery for Affinity Water said:
“We know that our customers may be feeling worried about rising energy bills and an increase in the inflation rate which is pushing up the cost of living. Inflation is the highest it’s been since 1980 which means things like our energy costs, pipes, fuel, and things we use to treat your water are now much more expensive than they were last year so Bills will be increasing. We hope this one-off cost of living payment will cushion the impact of that increases for certain vulnerable customers”.
Overall, the average household water bill for 2023/24 will change slightly to £186.67 a year– the equivalent of just 51 pence a day. The changes will take effect from 1 April 2023 and will vary by region and on whether a customer has a water meter installed or not.
In 2023/2024, the Company is set to invest around £150 million to keep customers taps flowing with high-quality drinking water they can rely on. It will be investing in innovative technology to drive down leakage, with an aim to have reduced leakage by 20% by 2025.
Customers are also being advised to save money by saving water and to go onto a water meter. Mr Tipler continued: “Saving water is a great way to save money, as 17% of an average household’s energy bill is spent on heating water. Getting a water meter puts you in control of your bill by making sure you only pay for the water you use – it will also help you to spot leaks too”.
Each £1 we receive from customers is spent on providing and improving our services.
This equates to 36 p on our Assets; 28 p on our Suppliers; 18 p on our People; 11p on our Lenders (to invest in our Network); 7p on local and central government charges; 0p on our shareholders. (Figures from Annual Report for year end March 2022)
Mr Tipler said investment was key to Affinity Water’s future: “Population growth, climate change and the demand for water are putting significant pressure on the local environment and water resources in Affinity Water’s supply area.
“We plan to invest our resources to reduce customer demand, drive leakage down further than ever before, introduce metering, and put significant investment in new infrastructure for new sources of water. We know our customers care about the environment that is why we have committed to reduce abstraction from chalk aquifers by around 98 million litres per day by 2025 and have monitored and learned from this when developing our environmental destination targets. Investment is key to our future”.
Our Water Saving Quiz:You can find out how much water you’re using and claim free water-sing devices by taking a three-minute My Water Footprint quiz.
Apply for a Meter:You can find out more and apply for your free meter.
The LIFT discounted Tariff:If your household income is less than £17,005 or you’re currently claiming certain benefits such as Universal Credit or Job Seeker’s Allowance, you may be eligible for a reduced water bill on our low-income fixed tariff (LIFT). Further struggling to pay schemes are also available.
Wastewater charges:Affinity Water is the UK’s largest Water only Company. However, we collect the wastewater charges on behalf of Thames Water and Anglian – these will be increasing too. More information will be found on the bill.
Questions about your bill?: If customers have any questions about their bill, they should visit affinitywater.co.uk/yourbill, where they will find a handy video that explains each section and some frequently asked questions.