Aneira Davies
Social and newsletter writerMoney Saving Expert fan Sophie wrote to thank consumer expert Martin Lewis for his top tip – could you cash in too?
It's hard enough keeping track of what benefits and entitlements we should be getting at the best of times, but throw in a cost-of-living crisis and we're trying to find all the tips and tricks we can to help us save much-needed cash.
And, while we may not be in the know about all that we're eligible for, financial experts such as Martin Lewi s are on the case on our behalves.
In fact, the money saving guru helped one woman save a whopping £950 on her bills, by reminding her (and us) of a simple thing we can ask our utility companies to check for us.
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Writing to the team to thank them for helping her claim the refund on her bills, the woman revealed she didn't even know she was eligible for it.
So, could it help you too?
'Success of the week'
Sophie wrote to Martin himself to share how she'd managed to save almost a thousand pounds on her water bills, just by contacting her water company.
The woman revealed she'd read in the Money Saving Expert newsletter a few weeks ago that water bill hikes were coming in April and how installing a water meter could knock some cash off your bills.
After contacting her water company to see if she was eligible for the water meter, she found out she wasn't, BUT discovered there had been a mistake with her water bill, which meant she'd been overcharged.
Sophie wrote: 'We can't have a water meter, but I didn't know about the assessed charge.
'After contacting my water company, it discovered a mistake in the numbers used on our bill, which has now been reduced.
'It also means we're getting a backdated refund of £950 on previous miscalculated bills. Thanks for all of your tips!'
And the team took to their newsletter to declare Sophie the 'success of the week', sharing her story with others in the hope that it would help them too.
What is an 'assessed charge bill'?
In the previous newsletter, the Money Saving Expert team had advised customers to check if they were eligible for a water meter and if not, to ask for an 'assessed charged bill'.
This, Martin said, can work out how much you'd likely pay if you were on a meter. And, while it can sometimes be a lot higher than what you're paying now, it can also be less – so it's worth finding out if it will make you a saving on your bills.
And, in Sophie's case, it meant she was eligible for a £950 refund.
Why are water bills increasing?
Water UK have announced that from April 2023, the average water bill will increase by 7.5% in England and Wales and by 5% in Scotland.
It's set to be the highest rise in households' yearly water bills in almost 20 years, once they increase to an average of £448 in spring.
However, the exact amount your bills increase by depends on the area you live, the amount you're charged and the rate it's rising by.
And you may be able to save money by moving to a water meter.
However, if your family uses a lot of water, remember your bills could actually increase.
How could a water meter help me?
A water meter can help you reduce your bills as you'll only pay for the amount you use, rather than a fixed price.
A water meter calculator can help you figure out if one will help you save cash.
You'll need to enter details such as who your water company is, and how many times you use the washing machine and garden hose, for example.
The calculator should then tell you how much you'll save and tell you the right option for you.
You can find out if you would benefit from a water meter by using the free water meter calculator on the The Consumer Council for Water website.
What other price rises should I be aware of?
Sadly, an increase in water bills is not the only price hike this year. Find out what other price increases families could see this year, by reading our article here .
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