We regulate and oversee a number of different charges that water companies set. Find out more about ‘Charging’
On this page we set out the history of changes to our rules for water companies in setting charges for:
- retailers (wholesale charging rules)
- household customers (charges scheme rules)
- developers and self-lay providers (new connection charges)
- between incumbents and new appointments and variations (NAVs) (bulk charges)
This page was last updated on 7 November 2025
Retailers (Wholesale Charging Rules)
| Date of Issue of the charging rules | Summary of change to the Wholesale Charging Rules | Link to relevant publication |
| 20 October 2021 | Adding a small number of definitions and clarifying the publication dates of charging document | Statutory consultation on updating Ofwat’s charging rules |
| 27 March 2020 | A new sentence has been added to confirm that these rules apply to the Isles of Scilly from 1 April 2020. | Ofwat’s reasons for varying South West Water’s area of appointment and updating statutory documents to include the Isles of Scilly |
| 20 December 2018 | Amendment to the definition of a small company | Charges Scheme Rules, Wholesale Charging Rules and Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) decision document |
| 16 October 2018 | Amendment focused on making March 2018 changes permanent. | Consultation on changes to the Wholesale Charging Rules in accordance with 66E and 117I of the Water Industry Act 1991 |
| March 2018. Expired September 2018 | Temporary change to ensure that our charging rules for new connection services (English Undertakers) apply to developer services requested through a retailer. | Changes to our wholesale charging rules to include charging rules for new connection services for English water companies |
| November 2016 | First issue of charging rules | Link Wholesale Charging Rules – Decision Document
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Household customers (Charges Scheme Rules)
| Date of Issue of the charging rules | Summary of change to the Charges Scheme Rules | Link to relevant publication |
| 5 December 2022 | Strengthening the role of affordability and other key charging principles, and clarifying our position on charging trials | Charging rules from April 2023 |
| 20 October 2021 | Moving rules relating to infrastructure charges to the Charging rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers). Also, simplifying the publication dates of charging publications. | link Charging rules from April 2022 |
| 27 March 2020 | Insertion of new 2A to confirm that the rules apply on the Isles of Scilly from 1 April 2020 | Ofwat’s reasons for varying South West Water’s area of appointment and updating statutory documents to include the Isles of Scilly |
| 20 December 2018 | Amendment to make the previous temporary amendment permanent. | Charges Scheme Rules, Wholesale Charging Rules and Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) decision document |
| 29 June 2018 | Temporary amendment focused on when infrastructure charges can be levied. | Changes to our Charges Scheme Rules and Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) concerning infrastructure charges made by English water companies |
| 15 December 2016 | Changes made to align with the newly introduced Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) | Charging rules for new connections: decision document |
| 17 November 2015 | First issue of charging rules | Final charges scheme rules and summary of responses to our draft charges scheme rules |
Developers and self-lay providers (Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers))
| Date of Issue of the charging rules | Summary of change to the Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) | Link to relevant publication |
| 20 October 2021 | Moving rules relating to infrastructure charges from the Charges Scheme Rules. Adding a number of standardised terms. Also, simplifying the publication dates of charging publications. | Charging rules from April 2022 |
| 27 March 2020 | Change to paragraph 2 to confirm that from 1 April 2020 these rules will also apply to the Isles of Scilly. | Ofwat’s reasons for varying South West Water’s area of appointment and updating statutory documents to include the Isles of Scilly |
| 15 July 2019 | Moved the income offset from requisition charges to infrastructure charges. Clarified the balance of charges rule. | Charging rules for new connections and new developments for English companies from April 2020 – decision document |
| 20 December 2018 | Amendment to make the June 2018 changes permanent. | Charges Scheme Rules, Wholesale Charging Rules and Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) decision document |
| 29 June 2018 | Temporary urgent amendment to definition of network reinforcement to ensure that infrastructure charges could be levied regardless of the method by which developer services are procured. | Changes to our Charges Scheme Rules and Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) concerning infrastructure charges made by English water companies |
| 8 December 2017 | First issue of charging rules | New Connections Charging |
Between incumbents and new appointees (Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers))
| Date of Issue of the charging rules | Summary of change to the Bulk Charging Rules for New Appointments and Variations (English Undertakers) | Link to relevant publication |
| 7 November 2025 | First issue of bulk charging rules for new appointments and variations (English Undertakers) | Charging rules from April 2026 |