Record Water Bill Complaints

Water watchdog complaints surge 84 percent amid record bill increases across England and Wales.

Complaints about water companies in England and Wales reached record levels in 2025-26, with cases escalated to the Consumer Council for Water rising 84% to 15,115—the largest annual increase in the watchdog’s 20-year history. Complaints filed directly with companies rose 56% to 321,347, driven largely by confusion over steep bill increases, affordability concerns and billing administration. South West Water recorded 18,938 complaints, or 183 per 10,000 households, and joined Thames Water in receiving “poor” ratings for both complaint volume and the effort required to resolve cases. The CCW said customers expect higher bills to produce tangible improvements, including more reliable services, cleaner rivers and better assistance for people struggling to pay. Water companies and their representative group said the increases are needed to finance long-delayed upgrades to aging infrastructure and environmental systems, while Ofwat has provisionally approved an additional £3.4 billion in industry spending through the end of the decade.

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