Can't pay your water bill? Your rights and where to get help

Water bills went up again in April 2026. Water UK said the average combined water and sewerage bill in England and Wales would rise by £33 (5.4%) to £639 a year. That followed a record rise of £123 (26%) in April 2025, when the average went from £480 to £603.

Your own bill depends on your water company and whether you have a meter. CCW, the water consumer body, said this year’s increases ranged from 0.4% to 10% between companies. If you’re struggling to keep up, here’s what your water company can and can’t do, and where to get help.

Can my water be cut off?

No. The Water Industry Act 1999 removed water companies’ power to disconnect homes for non-payment. It also made it an offence to fit a device that limits your supply to make you pay. The protection covers your main home, including caravans and houseboats.

That’s why debt advisers usually treat water as a non-priority debt. Read priority debts: which debts to deal with first. Non-priority doesn’t mean you can ignore it, though.

What can a water company do?

If you fall behind and don’t agree a plan, your water company can:

• pass the debt to a collection agency, or sell it to a debt purchaser
• take you to court. If it gets a CCJ and you don’t keep up the payments the court orders, it can apply for enforcement, which can include bailiffs. Read what is a CCJ?
• ask the DWP for deductions from your benefits, often called Water Direct, if you get Universal Credit or certain other income-related benefits. A fixed amount goes towards the arrears, plus an amount for your ongoing charges, until the debt is cleared.

Water companies can usually chase unpaid bills going back up to six years.

How to get help with your water bill

Contact your water company as soon as you can. Ask for a payment plan you can afford and whether it offers payment breaks. Then check what extra help you could get.

Social tariffs

Ofwat says every water company in England and Wales offers a social tariff, but each one sets its own rules and level of help. CCW says about 1.96 million customers got help through social tariffs in 2024-25, saving £190 a year on average. CCW keeps a list of each company’s schemes on its website.

WaterSure

WaterSure caps the bill for some metered households. You may qualify if you have a water meter, or have applied for one, and you get a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or Housing Benefit. You also need either:

• three or more children under 19 living with you that you get Child Benefit for, or
• someone in your home with a medical condition that means using much more water, such as needing home dialysis

Your bill is then capped at around the average for your water company. In Wales, Dŵr Cymru customers can apply for WaterSure Wales, which works in a similar way. CCW says about 260,800 households got WaterSure help in 2024-25, cutting their bills by £325 on average.

Complaints

If your water company won’t help or you think it has made a mistake, complain to the company first. If you’re still unhappy, CCW can take up your complaint.

Water debt and debt solutions

CCW says around 2.85 million households were behind on their water bills in 2024-25, so you’re far from alone. Water arrears can be included in formal debt solutions:

You’ll still owe your ongoing water charges, so keep paying those if you can. Check whether you might qualify for a DRO with our DRO checker, or speak to a free debt advice service.

Frequently asked questions

Can my water company cut me off for not paying?

No. Water companies can’t disconnect or restrict the supply to your home for non-payment. They can still take you to court.

Is water debt a priority debt?

Usually not, because your supply can’t be cut off. Pay priority debts like rent, council tax and energy first, then offer your water company what you can afford.

How do I get a water social tariff?

Contact your water company and ask. Every company in England and Wales has one, but the rules on income and benefits differ.

Can water arrears be written off?

They can be written off through a Debt Relief Order or bankruptcy. An IVA can also include them, with what’s left written off at the end.

Sources

• CCW, Fairer and consistent support needed to help households combat more water bill rises
• CCW, 2m households secure lower bills through water companies’ social tariffs
• legislation.gov.uk, Water Industry Act 1999: explanatory notes
• Ofwat, Customer assistance
• Citizens Advice, If you can’t pay your water bill
• GOV.UK, Third party deductions from benefits: a guide for water suppliers