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On average, UK households are paying £396 per year for their water bill, or £33 a month. The actual amount you pay for your water will vary depending on whether you have a water metre, and where in the UK you live.
The company that handles your water, and sewage cannot be changed. Your provider is based on where you live, rather than who you choose. This removes the ability to shop around for a cheaper providier, like you can with gas and electricity providiers. However, you can choose to swap from a fixed price bill to a water metre if you believe this would reduce your bill. You can also apply for financial support that your water providier may be offering. You may also be entitled to a reduced bill, if you use more than the usual amount of water due to a health condition. In this guide, we cover these options and many others on how you can save money on your water bill.
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Sign up for the Watersure Scheme
The Waterscure Scheme is a scheme where suppliers cap water bills based on the average household bill for your water supplier. The scheme is available to those who are in receipt of benefits, and either have a health condition that requires you to use a lot of water, or have three or more children under the age of 19.
Below is a list of qualifying benefits, you must be in receipt of one of these benefits to qualify:
- Universal Credit
- housing benefit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit (except families in receipt of the family element only)
- Pension Credit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
If you receive one of those benefits, you’re half way there. The next qualifier is whether you have either:
A medical condition, such as incontinence or crohn’s disease that causes you to use extra water or,
3 of more children under the age of 19 living in the property.
There are however somethings that may disqualify you:
If you are having home dialaysis, and receive money from the NHS to help fund the water costs, then you won’t qualify.
If you have a swimming pool or garden sprinkler system, then you won’t qualify.
To apply for the Watersure scheme, contact your water supplier and ask for a watersure scheme form. You can find your water company by checking a recent bill, or looking up who covers your area on the Water UK site.
Reduce water waste
One of the easiest ways to reduce your water bill, is to start by using less water. This can also help reduce your energy bills, as you’ll be using less hot water.
Below are some ideas for ways you can reduce your water usage:
- Have a shower over a bath, and use an egg-timer or shower time to reduce how long you’re in the shower.
- Turn the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth, or putting shampoo on your hair.
- Replace your shower head, with a more water efficent one
- Use a shower flow reducer, which helps you use less water in the shower.
- Get leaking appliances and pipes fixed
- Get a waterbutt for your garden, to collect rain water and use this to water your plants instead of tap water
- Use water saving gel for your plants, to reduce the amount of water wasted
- Use a bowl to wash up in rather than filling a sink or running the tap.
- Only use a dishwasher or washing machine if they’re full
- Don’t flush things like wipes or tampons
- Only fill your kettle with the amount of water needed to make your drink
- Buy more efficent appliances, that use less energy and water
- Use an adapter for seperate hot/cold water taps, to make them into a mixer tap
Free water saving devices
A few companies, and some water suppliers are giving away free devices to help you save water. Such as a cistern bag, that helps reduce the amount of water your toilet uses or a free shower head that is more water-efficent.
You can check whether your local water suppliers are offering free water saving devices on Savewatersavemoney. This site also has paid water saving devices available, such as a CombiSmart thermostatic valves that help reduce the time it takes for water to heat up.
The website I like using is Get Water Fit. To get access to the water saving freebies, you need to take part in their questionaire. First you enter your postcode, then they’ll ask you a series of questions, such as how many showers you have. These questions will tailor the results to your home, so you get given a list of devices that will work for you. Get Water Fit also aims to help you reduce your carbon emissions, so you may seen a reduction in your energy bills, not just your water bill!
Get Water Fit also offers:
Free fixing of leaking appliances
Free 15 minute zoom consultation with a water efficency technican
Free app to access your account on their website’s portal at any time
Get financal help with your water bill
If you’re struggling to pay your water bill, contact your supplier. Suppliers have different financial assistance available, to help you pay your water bill.
If you’re in debt, your supplier may be able to offer you a payment plan where you can have the debt reduced if you meet the payment schedules. Some suppliers have grants, or reduced bills available for those on low incomes. You may be offered a flexiible payment plan, breaking down your bill into weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments.
If you are struggling with your bills, we highly recommend contacting an organisation that can offering free independant advice. You can find a list of organisations offering free, financial advice here.
