Press & PR

Industry regulator Ofwat has announced that water companies will be able to raise their bills by as much as nine per cent next month.

The recommendations support an average rise of 5.8 per cent, which will push annual household spending on water to £330, an increase of £18.

Customers likely to be most severely hit by the price hikes are those living in north-east Wales and north-west England, with supplier Dee Valley Water expected to raise prices by 9.4 per cent, the Daily Mail reports.

A spokesperson for Water UK has responded with the claim that the increase in prices is needed to make infrastructural changes to the sewer and water networks.

Regina Finn, chief executive of Ofwat commented: "With household bills generally going up - including increases in energy and council tax - we are aware that bill increases are difficult for some customers."

UK energy prices are currently the fourth highest in Europe, with Allan Asher of Energy Watch reporting for the BBC that much of the rise is due to a lack of competition in the market place.

Vonage is committed to providing a low cost internet phone service that keeps bills low, with an online real-time account management system allowing people to account for the calls they make.