Household water bills to rise 2%

Household water bills in England and Wales will be increased 2% in the coming year, according to the water companies body.

Water UK said average water and sewerage bills for 2017-18 will be £395, an increase of £6 compared with the previous year, as part of the industry's five-year plan.

"Water companies are fully committed to delivering great customer service and keeping household bills as low as possible," said chief executive Michael Roberts.

This year, details on bills in England and Wales are being published alongside information from the companies about how they are performing.

"We hope this will both inform the ongoing conversations about priorities between companies and their customers, and provide a signpost to the help available from each water company for those households who genuinely struggle to pay," Roberts said.