Martin Lewis reveals how to beat 7.5% water bill increase as one viewer saves £400 thanks to the money-saving guru’s simple tip

• Home owners could save hundreds on their water bills by installing water meters
• On his ITV show, Martin Lewis explained why water meters are so essential in ensuring you’re not overpaying on your bills – with one woman saving £400
• READ MORE: Martin Lewis warns ‘800,000 families could be missing out on up to £2,000 tax-free childcare a year’

Martin Lewis has revealed how savvy Brits can beat the 7.5% water bill increase by checking to see if they’re entitled to a money-saving meter

Speaking tonight on his ITV programme, The Martin Lewis Money Show, the money saving expert detailed how already homeowners are saving huge amounts of cash by opting for a free two-year trial. 

This comes as water bills are set to increase from April 1st, by an average of 7.5 per cent in England and Wales, and by 5 per cent in Scotland. 

The financial guru, 50, explained how most water providers in England and Wales offer free water meters and urged viewers to make the most of them.

On his ITV show, Martin Lewis explained why water meters are so essential in ensuring you’re not overpaying on your bills

Using the example of two people living in a three bedroom house Martin said: ‘So water bills are based on the ratable value, which is a proxy for the house value, so be a big bill, but we use less, you know I don’t use much water and I don’t have much coming out of the other end. 

‘So we would likely save on a water meter.’ 

Writing into the show, one viewer revealed how she had saved a whooping £400 a year on her water bill, by installing a water meter on one of the two-year trials. 

The viewer, Debra, said: ‘Took your advice on water bills. Last year we paid £717.00 so we opted for the two year trial to have a meter. 

‘Chuffed to bits with our first bill of £121, with an average saving of £400. We have since shared this with our family and friends and three have changed to water meter as well. 

It is also worth noting that if a water meter doesn’t work for you, you have two years to change back if you do it voluntarily. 

The money saving expert was thrilled to hear this and explained: ‘I presume that is a six monthly bill at £121 so it’s £242 over the year, but these are substantial savings.’

It is worth asking if there are more or the same number of bedrooms than people in your home. 

One viewer wrote into the show to share her good luck in taking Martin’s advice on having a meter installed. She managed to save a total of £400 on her water bill over the year 

Martin explained how bill payers could also reduce their water bills, if they are not entitled to a water meter 

However, if your water company says that they cannot fit a water meter because it’s not practicable, Martin advises using the consumer council’s water calculator and asking for an assessed charge. 

He said: ‘[This] will tell you roughly what you would pay on a water meter if you did have one and if that is cheaper you could just pay the lower amount.’ 

Furthermore, the financial guru said that people on benefits, those struggling with disabilities or others who have a medical condition (like Crohn’s disease) which means they need to take more showers or baths, should speak to their water firm to see if they can be swapped to a cheaper tariff.

‘And finally there are over one million free water-saving gadgets,’ Martin said. 

Writing into the show, one viewer revealed how she had saved a whooping £400 a year on her water bill, by installing a water meter on one of the two-year trials

‘It’s postcode dependent some people get them some people don’t.

‘Savewatersavemoney.co.uk, which you can get totally for free from your water firm, cuts water and it cuts your energy use too, because remember much of the water that we use is heated.’

However, the expert said it is worth nothing that there are two water companies that don’t allow you to change back after choosing a water meter – so do check with them before you go ahead. 

Last week, Martin Lewis warned that there are a staggering 800,000 Britons possibly missing out on up to £2,000 in tax-free childcare a year. 

He explained: ‘If you have a child aged three to four, you are due 15 to 30 hours of free childcare every week.’

He pointed out that this applied to childminders, nurseries, after school and holiday clubs, which many people fail to realise count as childcare, depending on where you live and how many hours you work.

The financial expert explained that parents can apply via their provider of via their local authority depending on their location.

He said: ‘Look, this isn’t without issues as some childcare providers say the government doesn’t fund them enough to do this and provision maybe patchy, but it is absolutely worth checking.’

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