Water rate hikes 'will hit poor'
Updated on 31 March 2007
People on low incomes will struggle to keep up with upcoming water rate hikes, a consumer group has warned.
Households across England and Wales face average bill increases of £20 per year when new rates come into force on Sunday.
But the Consumer Council for Water warned that some customers would be harder hit than others.
The average 7% increase masks regional variations in price rises from the different water companies.
Severn Trent customers will see their bills go up by 5.7% compared to 10.1% for South West Water customers.
The average water bill for 2007-08 will be £312 for households in England, rising to an average £363 for households in Wales.
Dame Yve Buckland, chairman of the Consumer Council for Water, said: "Although water costs each household less than a pound a day on average, many consumers on low and fixed incomes will struggle to keep up with these bill rises."
She called on water companies to show their customers they are getting value for money - especially in light of recent profit announcements and the recent South East drought.
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