Martin Lewis reveals how to save up to £1,000 a year on water bills in 3 easy steps | Personal Finance | Finance
Households are being urged to take a look at their water bills as the Money Saving Expert warns that it remains one of the most overlooked utility costs in Britain. With water bills set to keep rising and millions of households paying more than they need to, Martin Lewis says the right combination of meter switches, freebies, and bill checks could be worth as much as £1,000 a year.
In an episode of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV, the consumer champion broke down the three biggest ways UK households can cut water costs. Martin said millions of households are still being billed based on the rateable value of their home from almost 40 years ago, rather than the water they actually use.
Lewis said: “Staggeringly, your water bill is still based on the 1990 rateable value of your home. The rateable value is a proxy for the rent and the rent is a proxy for your house value, so sort of think of it as it’s based on your house value. Which means if you’re a low user in a big house, a water meter that measures your usage is likely to be cheaper.”
His rule of thumb: “Do you have more or the same number of bedrooms than people in your house?”
Martin advised viewers to use the Consumer Council for Water’s free calculator at CCWater.org to check whether a meter would save them money.
Lewis’ second tip was to reduce water usage, particularly hot water, which directly affects energy bills as well. “Because much of the water we use is heated, it can work to cut your energy bill too,” he said.
“The website savewatersavemoney.co.uk has hundreds of thousands of freebies on to cut the cost of water, like pipes or change shower heads that can help. Check out what’s available near you.”
Martin’s biggest reveal was to recommend checking for discounts you could be entitled to.
He said: “Perhaps the most important one here, 5.7 million eligible homes are missing out on water discounts.”
He explained there are two main schemes households should check: a social tariff for people on low incomes (which can cut water bills by up to 90%), and WaterSure, which caps bills for households where someone has a medical condition requiring extra water use, or where there are three or more children on benefits. Both can be claimed at the same time.
Martin highlighted a viewer message from Laura, who said: “I contacted my water company and will now be saving just under £500 a year, same water, same drainage and sewage. One of the best phone calls I’ve ever made, thank you so much.”
