The number of household complaints about water firms escalated sharply in 2025-26, with the industry watchdog receiving 15,115 cases — an 84% rise on the previous year — as customers reacted to steep bill increases and confusion over charges.
What the figures show
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) said the year-on-year increase was the largest in its 20-year history and underlined widespread customer dissatisfaction with the sector. Household complaints logged directly with water companies, which customers must pursue before escalating to the CCW, rose 56% to 321,347.
| Measure | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints to CCW | 8,235 | 15,115 | +84% |
| Household complaints to companies | — | 321,347 | +56% |
The CCW identified the leading issues prompting complaints as measured billing, affordability and billing administration.
Which companies fared worst
The watchdog assessed firms on the number of complaints received per 10,000 households and the amount of effort customers had to expend to resolve problems. Two large suppliers, Thames Water and South West Water, were rated "poor" on both measures.
"These figures reflect just how dissatisfied many people still are with the state of the water sector... Companies need to be clear and open with their customers about how they are investing people's money to deliver real improvements,"
— Mike Keil, chief executive of the CCW.
Thames Water said it was sorry customers had not received the service expected and acknowledged bill clarity had been a particular source of frustration. The firm noted it was redesigning bills to make them easier to understand. South West Water said it recognised there was more to do and listed steps to reduce repeat contacts and improve first-contact resolution.
"We know bill clarity has been a particular source of frustration, which is why we have launched a programme to redesign them, so they are easier to understand,"
— David Bird, retail director at Thames Water.
Why this matters for households and the economy
For households the immediate effect is straightforward: higher bills and administrative failures are squeezing disposable incomes, particularly for those already struggling with energy and food costs. The CCW’s finding that affordability is among the top three complaint drivers signals mounting pressure on household budgets.
For the wider economy, repeated customer dissatisfaction can translate into political pressure on regulators and ministers, potential enforcement action, and reputational risk that may influence investment, operating costs and ultimately bills. Firms argue the bill increases are necessary to fund maintenance and upgrades — investment that is intended to reduce long-term risks to supply and the environment — but customers are impatient to see tangible service improvements for the extra money they are paying.
From a labour-market perspective, persistent complaints and administrative problems may reflect resourcing and capability issues in customer service operations. Firms are likely to face a choice between investing more in customer-facing functions — which increases operating costs — or accepting lower customer satisfaction and regulatory scrutiny.
What to watch next
- Regulatory responses: whether Ofwat or other bodies impose fines, require service improvement plans, or enforce changes to billing practices.
- Company actions: the pace and effectiveness of billing redesigns, customer-contact improvements and transparency over how bill rises are being spent.
- Political pressure: MPs and consumer groups may heighten scrutiny, particularly in constituencies where companies are rated poorly.
The jump in complaints is a blunt indicator that rising bills alone will not be politically or socially sustainable unless customers can see clearer value — in the form of reliable services, simpler bills, and real improvements in water infrastructure and environmental performance.
