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Pay Delay

Important

Do not attempt this action if you have any concerns about ending up in arrears for payment.

We all want the polluters to pay for how they've neglected our waterways and breached their licensing obligations, while siphoning off profits that could have repaired some of the damage to our aging infrastructure.

In 2024, as captive consumers of our water companies, we are footing the bill for investment in our water supply. Many of us now face significant hikes in our bills to pay for their poor performance and shoddy profiteering. So it's not enough they are risking lives, public health and preservation of wildlife, we are paying for their corrupt practices.

You can register your displeasure with the water company and cause them inconvenience by cancelling your direct debit and paying by bank transfer, sending an old-fashioned cheque or changing your standing order amount.

By taking control over how you pay your bill, you are sending the message: I don't trust you or agree with your operating principles.

Steps to follow:

Step 1. Change Your Payment Method

  • Stop automatically paying your bill by Direct Debit, if applicable, by visiting your bank.
  • Change the amount of your standing order, if applicable.
  • Wait For Your Water Company to get in touch.

Step 2. Arrange your new payment method.

  • Once the water company has contacted you, choose how you want to pay them. (This isn't an exhaustive list and there maybe more options).
    • Bank transfer - check your water company's website to see how to do this
    • Send a cheque
    • Standing Order - a fixed, regular payment instruction that an account holder gives to their bank to transfer a set amount of money to another account at regular intervals (e.g., weekly, monthly, or yearly).
    • Pay in cash - you can pay your water bill in cash, but the available locations and methods depend on your specific water provider. Most major UK water companies allow cash payments at Post Offices, PayPoint/Payzone outlets, or sometimes directly at banks.
    • Pay with a Post Office Order - you can pay your water bill using a postal order at the Post Office, provided your water supplier accepts this method and you follow the specific payment instructions for your provider.
    • Telephone Payments: Automated systems allowing payments by debit or credit card over the phone, usually available 24/7. If you're asked whether you want to use this card for future payments, say no so you have control over when and how you pay your bill.

When you receive a bill it can be paid individually in full, or paid monthly, weekly, or intermittently. The aim is to delay payment, make payments unpredictable or both.

A similar action is suggested by Boycott Water Bills: Cancel for Clean Water.

Many people are boycotting the sewerage part of their water bill. If you want to step up your action see the Don't Pay for Dirty Water campaign which is now swimming along nicely.

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