UK Water Bills go up by double digits again in April 2026 – CEO’s salaries/bonuses still paid millions!

Cry me a river - of incompetence - by executives, regulators ad a government intent on building out 'net zero' crap over essential clean water supply, sewage and irrigation.

Here’s the detail from Brave AI:

• “Severn Trent Water: 10% increase (up £52 to £587)

• United Utilities: 9% rise (up £57 to £660)

• Hafren Dyfrdwy: 9% increase (up £54 to £635)

• Affinity Water (central region): 13% hike

• Bristol Water: 12% increase

• Sutton and East Surrey Water: 11% rise

• South East Water: 7% increase, following supply disruptions

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) approved a limited additional increase of up to 3% on top of Ofwat’s 36% five-year average rise, allowing £556 million in extra funding—only 21% of the £2.7 billion requested by water firms.

Water UK and companies have pledged to use funds only for new, necessary, and value-for-money projects, with a money-back guarantee if commitments are not met. The Consumer Council for Water has called for a stronger national safety net, as affordability remains a major concern.”

The CMA ‘approved’ an additional increase on top of the water regulator (OFWAT)’S thirty six per cent five year average rise!!! A QANGO ‘topping up” increases ‘approved’ by another QANGO???

The other main supplier Thames Water kept charges stable.

“Thames Water bills will increase by an average of £3 a year (0.4%) from April 2026, taking the average annual bill to £658.

“This is a significant slowdown compared to the previous year’s rise, which saw an average increase of £17 per month. The 2026 increase is part of a five-year plan approved by the water regulator Ofwat, allowing water companies to raise bills by 36% overall between 2025 and 2030 to fund essential infrastructure upgrades and reduce sewage spills.

Who are these people???

Here’s some of the problems they have created for some background context(from Brave AI):

“Systemic underinvestment and poor infrastructure maintenance are central to the crisis, with companies like Thames Water losing 600 million litres of water daily and facing a 35% bill increase due to £14 billion in debt—up from zero at privatisation in 1989. Frequent water outages, such as those affecting 30,000 properties in Kent and Sussex, and sewage spills—up 60% in 2025—have severely damaged public trust, with over 56,000 hours of sewage discharge near company headquarters in 2023 alone. “

“Profit-driven models have prioritised dividends and executive bonuses over essential upgrades; since privatisation, £85 billion in shareholder payouts have been made despite underinvestment. Thames Water, Southern Water, and South East Water are among the worst performers, with Thames Water alone responsible for 33 of 75 serious pollution incidents in 2024. Regulatory failures are also critical—Ofwat’s pricing models have discouraged investment, and the fragmented system of multiple regulators (Ofwat, EA, NRW) has led to inconsistent oversight and enforcement. Public frustration is high, with a Survation poll showing most Thames Water customers now support nationalisation. Calls for root-and-branch reform, including a public benefit model and stricter resilience standards, are growing, as the sector faces collapse without systemic change.

The rewards for incompetence are high:

“Total executive compensation across the sector reached a record £10 million in 2022/2023, with £9.7 million paid in bonuses and incentives alone. By 2023/2024, total bonus payments rose to £9.1 million, while overall executive pay—including base salaries, bonuses, and pension contributions—exceeded £20 million.”

“Top earners include:

• Liv Garfield (Severn Trent): £3.9 million in 2021/22, £3.2 million in 2022/23.

• Sarah Bentley (Thames Water): £2 million in 2021, with a £3.1 million “golden hello” upon appointment.

• Peter Simpson (Anglian Water): £1.3 million in 2021, despite poor pollution records.

• Steve Mogford (United Utilities): £3.2 million in 2021.

Thames Water paid its executives £1.52 million in salaries and benefits in 2022/23, and over £8.5 million in total since 2020, despite severe financial instability and pollution issues.

Pension contributions for executives also rose, reaching £1.68 million in 2023/24—up from £1.55 million the previous year.

These figures have sparked widespread criticism, with calls from the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and environmental groups for an immediate ban on bonuses for executives at firms with poor environmental records. The government has strengthened regulatory powers, including unlimited fines and the ability to block bonus payouts, but critics argue enforcement remains insufficient. That was Four years ago – and last year?:

“Senior executives at UK water companies received significant pay packages in 2024–25, despite a ban on bonuses for some firms and widespread public backlash over pollution and service failures. “

“Liv Garfield, CEO of Severn Trent, received £3.3 million in total remuneration, the highest among UK water bosses. Keith Haslett, CEO of Affinity Water, saw his pay double to £1.6 million, while Lawrence Gosden, CEO of Southern Water, received an 80% pay rise to £1.4 million, justified as part of a long-term incentive plan rather than a bonus.

“ Despite the bonus ban for six major firms—Thames Water, Anglian Water, Southern Water, United Utilities, Wessex Water, and Yorkshire Water—some executives still received substantial payments. For example, Colin Skellett, former Wessex Water boss, received a £170,000 bonus despite the ban, paid by his parent company YTL Utilities (UK). “

“Thames Water executives were in line for £13 million in retention bonuses over 2025–26, with £2.5 million already paid in April 2025 from a £3 billion emergency loan. The company later deferred further payments but confirmed no plans to reclaim the money. “

“In Scotland, Alex Plant, CEO of Scottish Water, received a total package of £523,000, including a £49,000 salary increase, amid a 10% rise in customer bills. Executive pay at South East Water also rose to £448,000 for its highest-paid director in 2025, despite repeated service outages. “

I would sing “cry me a river” but these companies would probably create one full of sewage or one that flooded.

Cry Me A River

Onwards!

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