Southern Water has announced a hike in energy bills to help combat growing economic pressures.

The company will be increasing its bills by almost 10 per cent to keep in line with inflation.

Dual service customers can expect an increase of 9.4 per cent on their charges, with an average annual bill rising from £401 to £439.

Water bills will increase by one per cent while waste will increase by 9.7 per cent.

The company says this increase will help them to “improve their performance” and to assist more people in financial difficulty.

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Katy Taylor, Southern Water’s chief customer officer, said: “We are aware that the UK’s cost-of-living crisis is a worry for many of our customers, and this is why plans to increase tariffs are never taken lightly.

“The rise this year reflects the growing economic pressures of chemical, energy and wage inflation.

“We are channelling more money than ever before into supporting customers in need – particularly those who may struggle to pay their bills.

"This £98m will boost the support package we already offer customers including payment holidays, special tariffs, debt write-offs, bill reductions and grants for household items.

“If you know anyone who is finding it hard to pay their bills, please encourage them to get in touch with us as we can help.”

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