A WATCHDOG has called on water companies to ensure that those who cannot afford to pay their bills are given the help they need after it was announced prices would be going up.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has made the plea after the publication of charges reveals that the average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales will rise by £2 to £389 in 2016/17 – an increase of less than 1 per cent.

The figures show average bills but what customers actually end up paying will vary depending on individual circumstances. Some customers will pay more and some less than the average bill for their company.

From April, the average water and sewerage bill for Thames Water customers will be £374, which is an increase of £5 on this year, or one per cent. This is made up of £198 in water costs and £176 in sewerage costs. Residents in the North East face the highest hike in prices of two per cent, which will see an extra £7 added to their bills.

Tony Smith, Chief Executive of CCWater, said: “We are pleased that the rise in bills for 2016-17 is less than 1 per cent but it is still an increase. Affordability is still a concern for many low-income households who are already struggling to pay. Our research shows that one in eight customers in England and Wales are already finding it difficult to afford their water bill.

“Water companies need to do more to ensure that customers who are struggling or unable to pay their bill get the help they need. We have been working with the companies to ensure that they raise awareness of the social tariffs and other assistance schemes they can offer customers who urgently need support.”

CCWater has helped 15 water companies to launch social tariffs and more are in the pipeline this year. Households who are already struggling to pay their bill should contact their water company and ask for help.

The water watchdog is also supporting struggling customers by working with poverty relief charity Turn2us to launch an online benefits calculator and grants search tool to enable customers to identify additional income to help them to pay their bills.

A spokesperson for Thames Water said: “Our bills remain the third lowest among water and sewerage companies, while work to further improve customer service and our ageing infrastructure to make it fit for the future continue at the same pace thanks to high levels of investment – around £1bn a year.”

The company introduced a social tariff in 2014 and those struggling to pay their water and sewerage bills should visit www.thameswater.co.uk/your-account/583.htm for more information.