United Utilities: Profit rises significantly as water bills hiked May 15, 2025 Profit at United Utilities jumped significantly ahead of the FTSE 100 giant hiking water bills for its more than seven million customers, it has been revealed. The Warrington-headquartered firm, which serves customers in the North West of England, has also proposed an increase to its final dividend of 4.2 per cent to 34.6p. The company [...]
Sick Boat Race rowers remind us why we must be tough on water companies April 13, 2025 Sick Boat Race rowers are the tip of the iceberg. Failing water companies are polluting the Thames and it's time for action, says water minister Emma Hardy.
Pennon Group records loss after parasite scandal March 31, 2025 Pennon Group, the British utility firm which owns South West Water, said in a trading update this morning that the costs of last year’s Brixham water supply scandal had forced it into a loss in the second half of last year. The water company said lower customer demand and inflationary cost pressures were offset by [...]
Thames Water’s finance chief quits as firm continues trying to find a buyer March 28, 2025 Thames Water’s finance boss has quit midway through a key restructuring of the heavily indebted utility giant. Chief financial officer Alastair Cochran told the firm that he was stepping down on Friday morning. His sudden departure comes as Thames Water continues to try to find a buyer for the company to help steady its finances. Thames Water is England’s biggest water firm, with about [...]
Water bills to rise by an average of £123 January 30, 2025 Households can expect their annual water bill to rise by an average of £123 from April, more than the amount announced by the regulator last month, the sector’s industry body has said. According to Water UK, the average bill in England and Wales will jump from £480 to £603 in the year from 1 April, [...]
United Utilities and Pennon to hike dividends in line with inflation as customer bills rise January 29, 2025 United Utilities and Pennon Group plan to increase dividends as consumers grapple with significant bill increases over the next five years. The water firms on Wednesday both said dividends would rise in line with inflation each year until 2030, following Ofwat’s final determination in December. The regulator’s ruling, which sets customers’ bills for the next [...]
Severn Trent hikes dividend despite balance sheet concerns January 24, 2025 Severn Trent, one of the UK’s biggest water companies, has announced plans to hike its full-year dividend despite coming under fire for allegedly inflating its balance sheet using an accounting trick. The utility was accused by BBC Panorama last month of claiming a £1.68bn investment in its accounts which in reality had no value to [...]
Water bills set for hefty hike as Ofwat judgement looms December 18, 2024 The water regulator Ofwat is set to allow bills to rise by at least 21 per cent in the next five years, as part of its long-awaited decision on the financial future of the scandal-hit industry on Thursday. Ofwat will reveal its final determination for how much water firms are allowed to hike their bills [...]
Water bills set to rise by a fifth as government calls for ‘complete reset’ of sector December 15, 2024 Water bills are set to rise by at least 21 per cent as the government slams a "failure of regulation and governance" within the sector.
Thames Water reports surge in pollution incidents as debts swell December 10, 2024 Thames Water saw a 40 per cent increase in pollution incidents in the first half of its financial year as its debts continued to spiral. The company reported 359 so-called category one to three pollution incidents in the six months to September 30, blaming an especially wet spring and summer. Debt levels were £15.8bn at [...]