Scottish water bills to increase by up to £103 a year

Bills will rise by up to £103 to bring the average water bill in Scotland to £532.

However, prices in Scotland will still remain the lowest of any UK water company, after average water bills in England and Wales rose by 26 per cent (£123) last April.

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland, the independent economic regulator, also said the rise is within the limits it has set.

Scottish Water deliberately kept bill increases below inflation during and after the coronavirus pandemic, which reduced the board’s investment programme by £400-£500 million.

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Bosses at the water board said the increases are needed to make sure essential maintenance is carried out for over 5 million people, and to support infrastructure upgrades to water pipes and treatment works.

Water bills are usually paid as part of council tax bills, and will increase by an average of £42 a year in April. Cosla, the umbrella body for Scotland’s 32 local authorities, has warned that council tax rises will be inevitable on the back of the Scottish Government’s 2026/27 budget.

Increases coming into effect in April:

• Band A - £434.88 (£32.62 increase)
• Band B - £507.36 (£40.39 increase)
• Band C - £579.84 (£46.16 increase)
• Band D - £652.32 (£51.93 increase)
• Band E - £797.28 (£63.47 increase)
• Band F - £942.24 (£75.01 increase)
• Band G - £1,087.20 (£86.55 increase)
• Band H - £1,304.64 (£103.86 increase)

Scottish Water said the overall economic value generated was £4.5 billion a year.

More extreme weather and growing demand is placing more and more pressure on Scotland’s waste and waste water system.

This includes the driest start to the year in six decades in 2025, and an increase in repairs due to old infrastructure reaching the end of its operational life.

Alex Plant, chief executive of Scottish Water, said the board will not put up water bills more than they need to.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast, they said: “The balance that we always try and get into our decisions on bills is are we making sure that we are dealing with those more extreme weather events, dealing with the growth in population we are seeing, and the shift in population from west to east, as well as trying to cope with the fact a lot of our assets are ageing.

“We need to make sure we are investing to protect these essential services but not putting up bills more than we need to.”

Scottish Water, which is publicly owned, says Scotland has one of the most comprehensive support schemes in the UK, with 53 per cent of households receiving help with their water charges.

Since 2021 drinking water compliance in Scotland has improved to 99.93 per cent. There has also been a 25 per cent reduction in serious environmental pollution incidents and internal sewer water flooding incidents have been cut by a third.

Gail Walker, head of water at Consumer Scotland, said the increase is “steep” and the second year in a row bills have risen.

She said: “This increase highlights ongoing issues of affordability for some consumers and reinforces our concerns over a significant projected rise in water poverty over the next few years.

“Consumer Scotland has recommended greater protection for low-income households by increasing existing discounts and by improving targeting to reach consumers who currently miss out on financial support and this latest increase once again highlights the need for urgent action.”

Douglas Lumsden MSP, the Scottish Conservatives’ energy spokesman, said: “Hard-pressed Scots who are already being taxed to the hilt under the SNP, will be furious at plans to hike water bills yet again.

“These inflation-busting rises come at a time when quango fat cats at Scottish Waters are continuing to hand themselves eye-watering pay rises.

“That is a disgrace and will stick in the throat of families who are struggling with the cost-of-living.

“SNP ministers cannot keep turning a blind eye to what is occurring at their quango and stand up for households.”