DEVELOPING: Water Bills Soar for Millions as Appeal Fails to Stem Inflation

BREAKING NEWS Millions of households in England face higher water bills after the UK's competition regulator agreed to let five water companies increase charges by an average of £3, or around £12 per year. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has granted permission for Anglian, Northumbrian, Southern, Wessex, and South East water companies to raise their bills, despite initial plans to limit increases. The decision affects over 7 million household and business customers. The CMA had previously agreed to allow the companies to increase bills by an average of £36 over five years, but the latest ruling means households will now face even higher costs. An independent group of experts appointed by the CMA recommended specific increases for each company: Anglian and Northumbrian by 1%, Southern by 3%, South East by 4%, and Wessex by 5%. The water companies had argued that the initial planned increases were not enough to fund better infrastructure, but critics have expressed concerns about the impact on low-income households. This is a developing story. The CMA's decision will come into effect immediately, with bills set to rise for millions of customers across England. Further details and reactions are expected in the coming hours and days. *This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Based on reporting from Bbc.*