Water bills will rise by almost 2 per cent in England and Wales from April, Water UK has said.
The 1.7 per cent jump will push prices up by roughly £7 to £419 a year.
Meanwhile, the chancellor has warned that workers on average salaries will “feel the pinch” when the energy price cap soars by nearly £700 from April.
Rishi Sunak’s warning comes after the regulator Ofgem revealed that households will have to pay up to £1,971 a year for their annual energy supply, due to a jump in global gas prices.
“The price rise is so significant that it’s not just those families who are on benefits that are going to feel the pinch, it’s actually middle income families as well,” he said.
The government has sought to ease the cost-of-living crisis by offering most households £350 in support. However, critics have claimed this will do little to help those most affected.
The Resolution Foundation think tank has predicted that 5 million households will be under “fuel stress”, twice the current number.
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