Torbay water bills set to rise by less than inflation

South West Water has announced that the average bill for customers across Torbay and South Devon will be increasing by less than £5 - to ensure they remain affordable during the cost-of-living crisis.

The average household bill for water and wastewater services for 2023/24 will be £476, compared to £472 last year.

The news comes as industry body Water UK revealed average yearly water and sewerage bills in England and Wales are forecast to rise by £31 (7.5 per cent) in the forthcoming year.

Laura Flowerdew, South West Water’s chief customer and digital officer, said: “We understand the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis for our customers, which is why we have worked hard to minimise any increases.

"We strive to help any customers who need it, and we encourage any customers who are worried about their bill to get in touch and see what additional support we can offer.”

The water company says it is also undertaking a wide range of initiatives to help customers during these challenging times.

This year, the company has supported customers with £68million of benefits, providing a range of support measures for customers struggling to pay their bills and vulnerable customers, with more than 79,000 customers expected to access financial support between April 2020 and April 2023.

In direct response to the cost-of-living crisis, South West Water’s parent company, Pennon, accelerated the release of their second WaterShare+ issuance, with customers further able to benefit from a bill reduction or the opportunity to take a stake in the business, giving them a greater say in their local water company.

As the largest employer in the region, South West Water says it can help in other ways too - having just announced plans to double its apprenticeship and graduate programmes to 1,000 by 2030, and offering 5,000 work placements for children over the same period.

By April this year, 42,000 customers will have been taken out of water poverty through South West Water’s support tariffs as part of its industry-leading ambition to eradicate water poverty by 2025, said a spokesperson for the company.

Customers will also continue to benefit from the £50 government contribution for 2023/24.