There are so many options to pay your Thames Water bill. From direct debit to payment plans and more, we’ve broken down the Thames Water pay bill options so you can make the best decision on how to pay your Thames Water bill.
Thames Water offers many ways to pay your water bill. We’ve listed all the ways you can pay for your Thames Water bill and have step-by-step instructions for each way to pay Thames Water.
There's more than one way to pay Everyone’s finances are different and some people manage their payments with one method over the other. With water bills, there are a lot of options to pick from and it’s important to find the one that is most comfortable for you. Check out our How To Pay Your Water Bill guide to find out more.
Yes! Paying a Thames Water bill by direct debit is by far the easiest way to pay your Thames Water bill. Thames Water takes the direct debit from your account at the interval you choose when setting up your direct debit.
You can also choose which day of the month you would like the direct debit to be taken, which means you can budget your finances better and the direct debit guarantee which covers you in case Thames Water takes a payment in error.
To set up a direct debit, the quickest way is to login to your Thames Water online account and follow the instructions for setting up a direct debit.
You must download the Thames Water Direct Debit Instruction, fill that out and return it to Thames Water by post if you didn’t register for Thames Water’s online account. The return address is:
Thames Water Utilities Ltd
PO BOX 234
Swindon
SN38 2TX
It takes up to 10 working days for Thames Water to set up a direct debit, so bear this in mind when deciding which day you would like payments to be taken from your bank account.
Just moved in? If you are a new Thames Water customer and you’ve just moved into a property, you’re probably wondering how to get started with your water supplier. Check out our guide on How To Set Up Your Water Bills to find out more.
Yes! You can pay your Thames Water bill monthly. If you pay by direct debit, you can also choose to make payments when it’s convenient for you. There are two options for payments if you have a water meter. If you don’t have a water meter, there are four options.
| If you have a water meter | If you don’t have a water meter |
|---|---|
| 12 monthly payments Twice a year | 12 monthly payments 10 monthly payments Twice a year Once a year |
Many UK water customers do not have a water meter. This means that their water rates are calculated based on rateable value. This is simply a way of calculating your water bill based on your property's size and condition, rather than billing you for your actual water usage.
Curious how your water bill compares? Water customers up and down the country pay different amounts for their water services. If you’re curious to know how much the Thames Water bill compares to the rest of the UK, check out our Average UK Water Bill guide to find out more.
Paying your Thames Water bill over the phone is great for making one-off payments by debit or credit card. It’s an automated system that’s available 24 hours a day and is easy to use.
To pay Thames Water over the phone, you need to call Thames Water on 0800 980 8800 and choose Option 1, next you must enter your Thames Water account number which is 10 or 12 digits long and you can find it at the top of your Thames Water bill or statement.
The system will read back your account number and you should press 1 to confirm that it’s correct, if you need to re-enter it you can press 2. You will then need to confirm you are the account holder or have their authorisation to pay the Thames Water bill by pressing 1.
Next, you will enter the amount you want to pay. First, you enter the pounds and press #, then you enter the pence and press #. The system will repeat the total amount entered and ask you to press 1 to confirm or press 2 to change it.
Now enter your credit or debit card information to pay.
This can be a convenient way to pay your bill if you don’t have access to a computer or didn’t register for Thames Water My Account online. It allows you to manage how much you pay and how often.
A Thames Water payment card lets you split your Thames Water bill into affordable payments. These payments fit around your budget and give you the freedom to pay at PayPoint and PayZone outlets that you can find almost everywhere.
You can choose to pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly according to your budget.
To get a Thames Water payment card, you will need to set up a Thames Water payment plan with Thames Water. The easiest way to get a Thames Water payment card is by visiting the Thames Water website and filling out the form. You can also call Thames Water on 0800 980 8800 .
After you’ve set up your Thames Water payment plan, Thames Water will send you a payment card in the post. If you lose your Thames Water payment card, you can request a new one by filling out a form on the website.
You can also request a new payment card if you’d like to change the amount or frequency of your current Thames Water payment plan. Also, it’s important that you let Thames Water know when you move house, so they can make sure you pay for your water at the right address.
You can only use your Thames Water payment card at PayPoint and PayZone outlets. You cannot use a Thames Water payment card at the Post Office.
Is Thames Water a hard water area? Like most of England, Thames Water supplies hard water to its customers. This is due to the higher concentration of minerals in the drinking water. To find out more about how to handle hard water, check out our Water Hardness guide.
You can, however, the Post Office may levy a surcharge for Thames Water bill payments.you only need to take your latest bill if you want to pay your Thames Water bill at the post office.
The methods of payment available are:
Whilst it’s an easy method of payment for your Thames Water bill, we don’t recommend it because of the additional cost on top of your water bill.
Paying your Thames Water bill at your bank is like paying at the Post Office, however, some banks offer this service for free whilst other banks may charge you for the service. We recommend you check with your bank before you pay for your Thames Water bill at the bank.
You can pay your bill in full or by instalments if paying your Thames Water bill at the bank.
By paying your Thames Water bill online with a credit or debit card, you can pay your bill in full, make a one-off payment, or pay one of your scheduled payments if you have a Thames Water payment plan set up with Thames Water.
It’s as easy as going to the Thames Water website, entering your details and paying your bill. It’s also much faster than paying your Thames Water bill by phone.
However, your card must be registered to a UK address. You must pay by bank transfer if you don’t have a bank account registered to a UK address.
The quickest way to set up an account is with Wise (formally TransferWise). Read our review of Wise to see if it’s something that works for you.
There are two options available to pay your Thames Water bill by bank transfer.
You can transfer using an account number and sort code or with an IBAN and BIC, which is most common if you want to pay your account from an overseas bank account.
| Account Number & Sort Code in the UK | IBAN from Abroad | Account Number & Sort Code from Abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Account number: 0028 6125 Sort code: 57-27-53 | IBAN: GB55NWBK60000100286125 BIC: NWBKGB2L | Account number: 0028 6125 Sort code: 60-00-01 |
When you pay by bank transfer, it’s very important to include your Thames Water account number as the payment reference/concept. Your payment may get delayed or lost if you do not provide your Thames Water account number.
To pay by cheque, you must make your cheque payable to Thames Water Utilities Ltd and send it in the post to Thames Water at:
Thames Water
Customer Services
PO Box 234
Swindon
SN38 3TW
Payment by cheque for a Thames Water bill should include your Thames Water account number on the back of the cheque and include the payment slip which is on the bottom of your bill.
Thames Water does not accept post-dated cheques. You should only include a cheque dated from the date you are sending the cheque or earlier.
Unlike most water suppliers, Thames Water obligates its customers to have a water meter fitted in their properties. The water meter measures the amount of water you use per cubic metre, meaning that you will pay for what you use on a daily basis.
Thames Water has also been pioneering smart water meters in their supply areas. A smart water meter sends an automatic water meter reading to Thames Water to make sure you are paying the right amount every month.
Water meters can help in a number of ways. They can reduce your water bill since you pay for your usage and they help water-stressed regions manage leakages better.
If you want to read more, check out our Thames Water Meter guide.
No water at home? Thames water will not shut your water off due to late payments, however it might be the case that it has been turned off at the stop tap or due to maintenance in your area. Consult our No Water in House guide to find out how to get your supply back on.
Thames Water will not disconnect your water supply under any circumstances if you don’t pay your Thames Water bill. However, failure to pay Thames Water will cause them to start collection proceedings that could increase the amount you owe and affect your credit rating. Thames Water may request debt collection agents to collect the debt owed or take court action.
To avoid this, we recommend you speak to Thames Water the moment you know you won’t be able to pay your water bill. Their trained advisors can help you set up a Thames Water payment plan or other means of payment that will suit your circumstances.
Some options available if you’re struggling to pay Thames Water bill are:
| Type of Support | Scheme Name | How to qualify |
|---|---|---|
| Payment holiday | Flexible Payment Plan that allows you to suspend or reduce your payments for up to three months. | You must have an outstanding balance of £50 or less from a previous year and be financially impacted by a loss of income. |
| Bill discount | WaterHelp and WaterSure are two options available to customers who are on low-income or need large amounts of water due to a medical need. | You should be on a permanent low income of less than £16,105, or £19,565 if you’re in London. |
| Help with paying your bill | You can request that your water bill is deducted directly from your benefits with Water Direct or if you qualify for Customer Assistance Fund (CAF). | You need to have less than £120 or more from a previous year and be able to demonstrate your financial hardship. |
Unfortunately you can't switch water supplier so if you have a complaint about Thames Water bills, you should first lodge a formal complaint with Thames Water themselves. If you are unsatisfied with their response or they have not responded within 8 weeks, you should contact the Consumer Council for Water (CCW). Do not take your complaint to the water regulator Ofwat as they will not deal with your issue.
Don’t take your complaint to Ofwat! If you have a complaint, do not take it to the water regulator Ofwat as they will be unable to help you. Ofwat only deals with anti-competitive behaviour in the water industry and does not deal with the individual complaints against water suppliers. The CCW is the correct body.
If you do any help with your water bill and you need to use more than normal due to a medical condition or a large household, you may be eligible for extra help. Check out our guide on the WaterSure Scheme to find out more.
The services and products mentioned on this website may only represent a small selection of the options available to you. Selectra encourages you to carry out your own research and seek advice if necessary before making any decisions. We may receive commission from selected partner providers on sales of some products and/or services mentioned within this website. Our website is free to use, and the commission we receive does not affect our opinion or the information we provide.
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