Key takeaways

• If you're not on a meter, a smaller household often pays less by switching to one, check with a free calculator.
• On a meter, every litre you save comes straight off the bill.
• Silent toilet and tap leaks waste water around the clock, find and fix them.
• Many water companies give away free devices via GetWaterFit (Save Water Save Money).
• Showers usually beat baths for water use, and shorter showers save hot-water energy too.
• Saving water saves energy as well, since less hot water means less heating.

Here's the thing about your water bill: how you're charged decides how much your habits matter. If you're on a meter, every drop you save shows up as money. If you're on unmetered (rateable value) charging, you pay a fixed amount however much you use, so the first question is which side of that line you're on.

1. Should you get a water meter?

If you don't have a meter, you're charged a fixed sum based on your property's old rateable value, regardless of how much water you actually use. That's great value for a big family in a small house, and poor value for a single person or couple in a home with a high rateable value.

The rule of thumb: if there are more bedrooms than people in your home, a meter often saves you money. You use less than the fixed charge assumes, so paying for what you actually use works out cheaper.

Check before you switch

Most UK water companies offer a free online calculator that estimates your metered cost based on your household. Switching to a meter is free, and some regions offer a trial period or money-back guarantee, so you can change back if it doesn't save you money. Check your own water company's website for what's available in your area.

2. Find and fix leaks

Leaks are money running away, literally. A dripping tap or a silently leaking toilet can waste a surprising amount of water day and night, and on a meter you pay for every drop.

Do a meter test

Turn off every tap and water-using appliance, note your water meter reading, and don't use any water for an hour or two. If the reading has moved, water is escaping somewhere.

Check for a silent toilet leak

A leaking flush valve can trickle water into the bowl unnoticed. Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern and wait 15 minutes without flushing, if colour appears in the bowl, the valve needs a cheap seal. Some water companies supply free leak-detection strips.

Fix dripping taps

A worn washer is usually all that's behind a dripping tap, a quick, cheap fix that stops a steady, pointless loss of water.

3. Claim your free water-saving devices

This is the win most people miss. Many UK water companies partner with GetWaterFit (run by Save Water Save Money) to give customers free water-saving devices. You enter your postcode, answer a few quick questions about your usage, and order gadgets tailored to your home, at no cost.

• Cistern displacement bags: cut the water used per flush.
• Shower regulators & timers: reduce flow and time in the shower.
• Tap inserts / aerators: use less water without losing pressure.
• Leak-detection strips: spot a silent toilet leak.

How to get them

Search “GetWaterFit” or check your own water company's website for their water-saving devices page. Some companies also offer free home water-efficiency visits, checking for leaks and fitting devices for you. It's genuinely free, worth ten minutes.

4. Bathroom habits (where most water goes)

The bathroom is the biggest water user in most homes, so small changes here matter most:

Easy bathroom savings:

• Take shorter showers, even a couple of minutes less adds up, and saves hot-water energy too.
• A shower usually uses less water than a bath (a power shower can be the exception).
• Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth or shaving.
• Fit a cistern bag or use a dual-flush button's smaller flush.

5. Kitchen and garden

• Run full dishwasher loads: more efficient than washing up under a running tap.
• Use a bowl to wash up: rather than a constantly running tap.
• Keep a jug in the fridge: no running the tap to get cold water.
• Fit a water butt: free rainwater for the garden and plants.
• Water plants early or late: less evaporation, so less water needed.
• Only boil the water you need: saves water and electricity together.

6. Extra help if bills are a struggle

Support is available

If you're struggling to pay, contact your water company, all providers offer payment plans and support schemes, and some have social tariffs for eligible households. The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) offers free, independent advice, and Citizens Advice can help with water and other bills. There's no shame in asking for support.

A fixed leak is a lower bill.

Leaks and plumbing faults waste water and money, and can cause damage if they're left. Smart Cover's plumbing & drainage and home emergency cover gets a qualified engineer to leaks, burst pipes and blockages fast, so a small drip never becomes a big bill.

Smart Cover protects your plumbing from breakdown, it isn't a water supplier.

Related guides shown on page

• Cut your heating & gas bill: https://smart-cover.co.uk/blogs/how-to-reduce-your-heating-gas-bill
• Cut your electricity bill: https://smart-cover.co.uk/blogs/how-to-cut-your-electricity-bill

Disclaimer

This guide is general information for UK households and is not financial advice. Water charging, meter options, support schemes and free-device availability vary by water company and region, check your own supplier. Smart Cover is a provider of home emergency and plumbing cover, not a water supplier. Cover levels, limits and exclusions vary by plan, see your policy documents and IPID.

Coverage is subject to eligibility, exclusions, and claim limits. Please read the full policy terms and conditions before purchasing. Smart-Cover is a trading name of Smart-Cover Direct Limited (FRN 600428), which is an appointed representative of City and Commercial Limited (FRN 314346), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.