Save £200 on water bills with simple shower change

Martin Lewis explains how to save on water bills

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Data from home management group Livlet found a family of four could save £204 on bills by reducing the time spent in the shower from eight minutes to six minutes. This would also reduce carbon emissions by 235kg of CO2.

Dasha Klyachko, CEO and Founder of Livlet, said the potential savings from reducing time in the shower shows the power of small comments on the power of small lifestyle changes.

She said: “Making small and achievable lifestyle changes where we can isn’t trivial and can make a real difference, and this is reflected clearly in our data.

“We have created our new ‘Shower Cost Calculator’, which enables users to calculate their yearly gas and water expenses for showers that are served by gas boiler systems, and see the real life impact of their lifestyle changes.

“Little by little, together we can make a big difference to our planet. Amidst an ongoing cost-of-living squeeze, we believe it’s a win-win scenario.”

The Shower Cost Calculator works by a person inputting the number of showers they have a day, the time they spend in the shower and the shower flow rate.

This can be compared with how much a person would spend if they had a different number of showers for a different length of time.

For example, according to the calculator, a person who had one shower a day for eight minutes, with a flow rate of eight litres a minute, which is the typical flow rate for a hand shower, would spend around £72 a year in gas bills and £72 a year on water bills.

If the person reduced the length of their daily shower to six minutes, they would spend £54 a year on gas bills and £54 a year on water bills, saving £36 a year.

People on low incomes can get help through the WaterSure scheme as well as those with sight, hearing or mobility difficulties. The scheme caps a household’s energy bills.

The scheme could save a family up to £500 a year off their water bills. To qualify for WaterSure an individual needs to:

  • Be on a water meter or have applied for one and be waiting for it to be installed, or be paying an assessed charge because it’s not possible to fit a meter at your property
  • Be claiming certain benefits
  • Have a health condition which requires more use of water.

All suppliers offer WaterSure if a person or someone in their household receives one of the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit
  • Housing Benefit
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income Support
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit awarded at a rate higher than the family element.

Some water suppliers also offer WaterSure to people who are on Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments.

A new campaign called ‘Support on Tap’ has also been launched to make people aware of all the help available from water companies.

Stuart Colville, Water UK director of policy, said: “Water companies work at the heart of their communities so see the acute pressure that many customers are feeling at the moment. That’s why they are taking decisive action to ensure those in need get the right help.

“I would urge anyone who is worried about paying their bill to get in touch with their water company today. There is a range of help available, and companies are increasingly working with other organisations to ensure everyone is aware of the help available.”

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