Regulators must do more to help consumers navigate markets, national audit body says March 20, 2019 Britain’s four main regulatory bodies need to do more to help consumers navigate increasingly expensive markets and get the best deals available, the National Audit Office (NAO) said today. Debt was the most common problem people sought help with across the utilities, communications and financial services sectors due to high bills and credit payments, the NAO said this [...]
Water companies outline plans to cut customer bills September 3, 2018 Water companies have submitted five-year plans to reduce customers' bills to industry regulator Ofwat. Severn Trent Water said there will be a five per cent reduction in bills in real terms, and United Utilities revealed that customers will pay 10.5 per cent less under plans for 2020 to 2025. Read more: Thames Water launches major investment after choppy year London's [...]
Water giant United Utilities forecasted to hit higher profits November 18, 2018 United Utilities, the UK’s largest listed water firm, is forecasted to post a rise in earnings and profits when it reveals its first-half results later this week. According to City estimates the FTSE 100 group is set to report earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of £360m in the first six months of the financial [...]
World Water Day: Awareness isn’t enough to save the planet’s water supply March 22, 2019 Water is taken for granted. When my great-great-grandfather, Daniel Swarovski, set up his company in the Austrian Alps in 1895, he chose the area because of the abundance of water, which he needed for creating crystal. Read more: Ofwat pours cold water on providers' business plans Water was, and still is, the essential resource for [...]
United Utilities to spend £80m on supplies after UK summer heatwave September 28, 2018 United Utilities expects to spend another £80m this year on safeguarding its supply line, after narrowly avoiding the need for a hosepipe ban during the UK’s summer heatwave. "Earlier this year, the UK experienced a prolonged period of extreme hot and dry weather resulting in exceptional demand from customers," it said in a trading [...]
Profits plunge at Thames Water after extreme weather puts the pressure on pipes December 6, 2018 Thames Water’s half-year profits plunged by nearly 50 per cent today, as a combination of extreme weather and regulatory fines threw light on the mounting pressures that loom over one of Britain’s largest utility companies. The under-fire firm posted pre-tax profits of £67.7m in the six months to September, falling from £129m in the same [...]
Thames Water launches major investment after choppy year September 2, 2018 Thames Water has unveiled plans for a record £11.7bn investment project today as it seeks to win back public support following a turmoiled year of regulator fines and bonus pay disputes. In a five-year business plan submitted to regulator Ofwat, Britain’s biggest water company is announcing new funds for leakage reductions and infrastructure resilience. However, [...]
London water shortage problems: Water is still out across large parts of London as Thames Water apologises and Chuka Umunna calls for public inquiry March 6, 2018 Many Londoners are still without water as Thames Water struggles to restore full service after last week’s extreme weather. The utility company apologised to customers who have had now water for several days now, in particular in the south of the capital. “The sudden drop in temperature has put pressure on our older cast iron [...]
Water bills across England and Wales are set to rise in the next year February 1, 2017 The tide is rising on average household water and sewerage bills in the 2017-2018 year. Homes in England and Wales will see their bills rising £6, or two per cent, to an average price of £395. The increase falls in line with a five-year plan agreed upon by the UK's water and sewerage companies, UK Water said today. [...]
United Utilities hikes dividend and pours money into its customer services November 23, 2016 United Utilities hiked its interim dividend this morning as it announced a rise in operating profit – and has said it is becoming more committed to delivering top-quality customer services. The figures For the six months ending 30 September 2016, revenues dipped to £853m, down from £857m during the same period last year. Read more: [...]