Quarter of a million to receive water bill support in Yorkshire

Yorkshire Water is on track to provide 250,000 customers with financial support by April this year, when it completes the first year of the water industry’s five-year investment cycle.  

Through bill reductions, bill caps, debt support, the utility will provide £60m in financial support to low-income households across the region by April 2026 - this includes 60,000 customers who saw an overall reduction in their bill last year.  

At present, 190,000 customers are receiving direct bill support – either a bill reduction, bill cap, or support with bill debt – and a further 38,000 are being supported via special payment arrangements, wellbeing checks and signposting to helpful services. By April, the total number of customers being supported is expected to reach 250,000. 

The increase in bill support came following a rise in average bills last year – around £11 per month – to help fund an £8.3bn 2025 - 2030 investment programme. 

As part of the programme, Yorkshire Water has already replaced 120km of mains across the region – estimated to be saving 1.24 million litres every day in leakage – and created 30,500m3 of extra storage in the wastewater network, creating capacity to reduce the likelihood of storm overflow discharges, among more than 200 other infrastructure improvement projects. 

Angie Markham-Nock, affordability strategy manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “When we implemented bill increases last year to help fund our investment package, we knew it was important to lift our provision of financial support too so that we could ensure that we could provide more support to those who were struggling with bills. Although the financial year isn’t over yet, we are already surpassing our targets for the amount of people we have supported.” 

Across all of Yorkshire Water’s financial support schemes, 100,000 more households will benefit between 2025–2030 than in the previous five years, taking the total to 345,000. Over £375m will be delivered in bill reductions and debt support over the next five years.  

The utility offers two different bill reduction tariffs, Water Support and Water Sure, which reduce or cap bills at a fixed amount for those with low income or who claim income-based benefits and need to use extra water.  

There are also three schemes available to customers to help pay off water bill debts: two payment matching schemes, Resolve and Direct Support, and the Community Trust, which is an independent charity providing debt support payments. Customers can receive advice about being placed on a water meter, and whether this would reduce their bill.   

Angie added: “We would strongly encourage anybody who feels that their bill is unmanageable to take a look at the financial support schemes we have available on our website and get in touch with us, so that we can open the conversation and see what we can do for them.” 

Customers can find details of financial support schemes and eligibility at https://www.yorkshirewater.com/bill-account/help-paying-your-bill/ or reach out by contacting 03451299299. 

The five-year £8.3bn investment cycle includes: 

• Over 1,000km of mains being replaced 
• £1.5bn programme to reduce discharges from storm overflows 
• A £350m investment at 85 wastewater treatment sites across the region to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering watercourses over the next five years. 
• £38m package for reducing leaks 
• Investment in water supplies – including testing for new boreholes at East Ness and Brayton Barff, and upgrades at Ingbirchworth and Haisthorpe treatment sites