Global Markets
Home›Global Markets›Trade & Tariffs›UK water firms approved to raise bills for housing and…
UK water firms approved to raise bills for housing and datacentres
The regulator authorized plans that add £3.4bn more than planned, with millions of households in England and Wales facing higher bills.
UK water bills in England and Wales are set to rise after proposals that allow five water companies to increase charges to fund additional infrastructure, including for new housing and datacentres, were approved, according to Guardian Economics. The outlet said the approvals would let companies spend £3.4bn more than planned, shifting costs to households as the industry funds new capacity. Andy Burnham, speaking after chairing an emergency Cobra committee meeting on extreme heat, accused water companies of effectively treating customers as a source of ongoing funding and said he remains committed to keeping bills down. Separately, the same coverage noted UK GDP grew 0.4% in the second quarter, slowing from 0.6% in the first quarter, and described analysts’ expectations that momentum could fade in the second half.