3 days ago
Brace for the 'bathtime tax'… Bigger families face being punished with huge bills as Labour 'backs plans to ramp up charges on high users'
Families have been warned to brace for a 'bathtime tax' as ministers back plans to ramp up costs for higher water users.
The government has voiced support for suppliers testing new tariffs that penalise households consuming the most.
That could include 'seasonal' charges, meaning water would cost more in the summer.
Trials have also been taking place for 'rising block' tariffs, where prices get steeper the more you use.
But the Tories warned that the 'punitive' arrangements would deal a hammer blow to young parents, at a time when water costs are rising across the board anyway.
Alarm has been sounded over water supplies after the driest start to spring in England for almost 70 years.
Companies have been urging the government to get behind variable tariffs, which they argue would cut bills for many households with lower consumption.
However, that would almost certainly require smart meters being installed in all homes to provide real-time data on usage.
The government has voiced support for suppliers testing new tariffs that penalise households consuming the most
Currently only around 12 per cent of households in England are though to have smart meters, with conventional meters far more common. Periodic readings have to be taken from those.
Around 60 per cent of homes in England are currently metered, but the vast majority of those have a conventional meter from which periodic readings are taken. The Government estimates that only 12 per cent have smart meters, which are connected to the internet and provide data directly to the utility company.
Answering a Parliamentary question from Tory frontbencher Kevin Hollinrake, water minister Emma Hardy said last month: 'This Government supports the innovative approaches being taken to trial new charges aiming to make bills fairer and more affordable.
'All companies plan to trial new charging structures by 2030 and some of them plan to introduce them more widely for additional customers if the trials are successful.
'Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways.
'As the water regulator, Ofwat regulates the charging trials by issuing rules that require companies to set fair charges for all customers, and to ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles.'
Mr Hollinrake said: 'Labour want to levy socialist-inspired tariffs to punish those who have worked hard to improve their homes and gardens.
'This is a Net Zero stealth tax on children's bathtime.'
A Government spokesman denied there was any plan to legislate on smart meters or 'progressive' tariffs.
'This is complete nonsense. The Government has no such plans,' the spokeswoman said.
A Labour source added: 'This is absolute rubbish from the same Conservative Party that broke our water industry.
'After their rule, water bills skyrocketed and we had record levels of sewage being pumped into our rivers.'
Ofwat has previously called on companies to consider charging customers a premium for hot tubs, swimming pools or extensive sprinkler systems.
It has also suggested companies look at seasonal charging to help lower bills in winter – or at whether bills could be reduced for homes with water butts and permeable driveways.
