Water bills are expected to increase in the UK by an average of 1.7 per cent, alongside increases to national insurance and the energy price cap.

The forecast, as announced by industry body Water UK, will see the typical annual water bill increase to £419 per year, with some parts of England seeing substantial increases of up to 10 per cent, whilst others seeing a decrease in bills.

This has highlighted the need for an efficient water supply, and for some people living in a hard water area, a block salt softener can help reduce heating bills along with removing the risk of limescale on taps and surfaces.

Industry professionals have advised that anyone worried about their water bill in the future should contact their water company to see what help can be offered with their bills.

These include payment matching plans which can reduce debt so long as payments are made, grants that are provided by independent trust schemes, payment holidays and flexible payment plans, the Water Direct scheme and WaterSure.

WaterSure is a scheme that helps customers who have income-related benefits, a water meter, and use a lot of water due to having a large family or a member of the household with a medical condition that necessitates using a lot of water.

The latter typically requires a medical diagnosis for conditions such as sweeping skin disease, Crohn’s Disease, renal failure, ulcerative colitis or other medical condition where treatment requires a larger-than-usual usage of water.

If a household is eligible then their bills will be capped to the cost of the average water bill of the company in question.

Other suggestions given by CC Water suggests looking into whether a water meter could save you money, particularly if you have more people living in a house than bedrooms, although it is important to check before you apply to do so to see if it would save any money.