Early day motion · EDM 22 · 13 May 2026

Water bills

Tabled by Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat) 29 signatures

The motion

That this House notes with concern the news that the Competition and Markets Authority has agreed to allow water companies including Anglian, Northumbrian, Southern, Wessex, and South East Water to increase bills by an additional 3% on average, compared with the amount agreed by the regulator Ofwat; notes that this comes after the Independent Water Commission’s final report in July 2025, which echoed Liberal Democrat calls for Ofwat to be replaced with a new regulator on account of its failures to regulate water companies for their environmental pollution and financial mismanagement, which has ultimately left customers paying more for poorer services; and urges the Government to come forward with a new, stronger regulator to hold water companies to account and implement a single social tariff for water bills to help eliminate water poverty.