Committee publication · Correspondence · 24 March 2026
Correspondence from Citizens Advice regarding water bailiffs, dated 6 March 2026
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Reforming the water sector
Summary
Citizens Advice writes to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee regarding its inquiry into water sector debt collection. The letter raises concerns about enforcement practices against vulnerable customers, particularly those on means-tested benefits, citing 44,000 people seeking help with water debt in 2025 and continued breaches of professional standards by bailiffs. It opposes broad data sharing with credit reference agencies while supporting targeted data sharing for social tariff enrollment.
Key findings
- 44,000 people sought Citizens Advice help with water debt in 2025; 38% of debt clients are in water arrears, with average arrears increasing 8% from £732 to £790 between 2021–2025
- Citizens Advice supported nearly 4,700 people with water debt court claims and bailiff enforcement issues in 2025; 3 in 4 people reporting enforcement said poor bailiff behaviour damaged their mental health
- Water companies pursue customers on means-tested benefits for arrears including court action, but do not consistently explore affordable alternatives such as repayment plans, social tariffs, or benefit deductions
- High Court Enforcement Officer action adds significant statutory fees to original debt and harms credit ratings; bailiffs breach professional standards by refusing reasonable repayment plans and failing to account for customer vulnerability
- Citizens Advice supports targeted data sharing between government and utilities for social tariff enrollment but opposes broader data sharing with Credit Reference Agencies, citing privacy risks and reduced uptake of support due to credit score concerns
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Citizens Advice, Alistair Carmichael MP, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Ofwat, High Court Enforcement Officers, Water companies, Credit Reference Agencies, Government
Notable line
“Three years after our report into rule-breaking baili ff s , we continue to see enforcement practices from water companies that breach national standards of professional conduct.”
Key Quotes
“In 2025, 44,000 people sought help with water supply and sewerage debt, making it one of the top 5 debt issues we deal with.”
“Ofwat's Paying Fair Guidelines are clear that enforcement action should only be used as a last resort.”
“3 in 4 people who experienced enforcement reported that poor baili ff behaviour took a toll on their mental health, while half said it impacted their long-term fi nancial situation.”
“We've long been calling for all baili ff fi rms to be subject to independent regulation through a statutory regulatory body.”
“Without clear parameters on the explicit use of data, enhanced data sharing agreements could create a precedent for unnecessary data sharing, which creates real risks for privacy and reduces overall trust in services.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗