Southern Water is increasing its bills by just under 10% for 2023/24.
The water company says due to “economic pressures” it is increasing household bills in line with inflation.
This means dual service customers can expect an increase of 9.4% on their charges, with an average annual bill rising from £401 to £439, while water only bills will go up by 9% and waste only by 9.7%.
Katy Taylor, Southern Water’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “We are aware that the UK’s cost-of-living crisis is a worry for many of our customers, and this is why plans to increase tariffs are never taken lightly.
“The rise this year reflects the growing economic pressures of chemical, energy and wage inflation.
“We are channelling more money than ever before into supporting customers in need – particularly those who may struggle to pay their bills. This £98m will boost the support package we already offer customers including payment holidays, special tariffs, debt write-offs, bill reductions and grants for household items.
“If you know anyone who is finding it hard to pay their bills, please encourage them to get in touch with us as we can help.”
Southern Water says the rise will also help fund its£98m support package for those in need.
The company says in real terms, the 2023-24 average bill is 12.5% lower than four years ago. It says it has not paid any dividends to shareholders since 2017.
Southern Water has been under fire over outages in Thanet during December and January and outfall releases in to the coast on an ongoing basis.
This month MPs, including South Thanet’s Craig Mackinlay, voted in favour The Draft Environmental Targets Regulations which sets legally binding targets to tackle water pollution. However, the draft has been criticised by Labour as allowing another 15 years of sewage pollution before measures come into force.
Find out about how your new bill is calculated or support schemes and payment schemes
