Households face another drain on finances

On 1st April, 2013, Ofwat's price hike comes into effect, raising the average annual water bill to £388. Consumers who are struggling to find the extra cash are still reeling from the latest round of energy price rises from the big six suppliers. And uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, warns that consumers should not discount the possibility of even more energy price hikes to come.
 
Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: "Ofwat's price hike coming into play on Easter Monday will leave many households drowning as they try and keep on top of their increasing bills.
 
"Following the wave of winter price hikes from the big six, consumers now face coughing up  a staggering £1,740 a year on energy, water and sewerage alone. The relentless rise in the cost of household bills could leave consumers simply unable to stay afloat. And despite recent profit announcements, energy suppliers have not ruled out further price rises this year so the squeeze on household budgets could continue to tighten.
 
"It is therefore more important than ever for consumers to act and ensure they are not paying over the odds for household bills.  Although there may not be the option of switching to a cheaper water supplier, households can move to a water meter, which could save them £54 a year. As a rule of thumb, if there are more bedrooms than people in a household then a water meter could be more cost effective. When looking into cutting costs on your water bill, sometimes a few simple measures can stop your hard earned cash going down the drain."
 
Pros and cons of being on a water meter:

If you are on a meter, you only pay for what you use, which means that cutting back on the amount you use will save you money.

If you switch to a water meter and find that you are not saving money or are unhappy with the change, you can switch back to unmeasured charging within 12 months.

The general rule of thumb: if there are less people in your house than bedrooms (e.g. two people living in a four bedroom family home) then you could save money by switching to a water meter.

For larger families, being on a water meter may not be cost effective as your water consumption may be high. Customers living in compulsory metering areas will need support in regulating and reducing consumption.