UK water complaints rise 84% as customers confront higher bills

Household complaints about water companies in England and Wales rose by 84% in a year, as customers struggled with higher bills and confusing charges. The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) said the increase was the largest year-on-year rise in its 20-year history.

The watchdog received 15,115 complaints in 2025-26, compared with 8,235 in the previous year. Complaints made directly to water companies, which customers generally must do before escalating a case, rose 56% to 321,347. The figures were reported by BBC News from the CCW’s latest household complaints report.

Billing leads the concerns

Measured billing, affordability and billing administration were the three most common subjects raised with the CCW. That pattern reflects a difficult backdrop for households: Ofwat has allowed companies to increase bills by 36% across the 2025–2030 regulatory period, while customers are still waiting to see whether additional spending will produce better service and infrastructure.

Mike Keil, the CCW’s chief executive, said the numbers showed continuing dissatisfaction with the water sector and that customers were impatient to see benefits from higher charges. The council called on companies to explain clearly how customers’ money is being invested.

The CCW’s report also compares companies using complaint volumes per 10,000 households and the effort customers need to expend to resolve issues. Thames Water and South West Water were rated poor on both measures. Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water were the only companies rated good on both, according to the BBC’s account of the findings.

A service problem as well as a price problem

The complaint figures do not prove that every bill increase is incorrect, nor do they measure the quality of every individual case. They do show that more customers are taking disputes beyond their supplier, creating a visible test of whether companies can explain charges and resolve problems at the first attempt.

Water UK, the industry body, said higher bills were needed for upgrades to secure supplies, support growth and reduce sewage entering rivers and seas. It also said 94% of complaints were resolved at the earliest stage without CCW involvement. That industry measure describes the route complaints take, but does not remove the concern reflected in the watchdog’s rising caseload.

For customers, the immediate issue is clarity: whether bills accurately reflect meter readings, whether affordability support is easy to find and whether a complaint can be settled without repeated contact. The CCW’s findings leave companies facing a credibility test. Investment promises will carry more weight if households can see clearer bills, faster answers and measurable improvements in everyday service. The pressure is likely to persist while households absorb higher charges and companies explain how new investment will improve reliability, environmental performance and customer support. That makes complaint handling an important measure of whether the sector’s wider recovery is reaching the people who fund it.