Understand my bill

We're committed to being simple and easy to do business with and we care about making things straightforward for our customers. That's why, with support from our customers and colleagues, we’ve refreshed our bill design to make it clearer and simpler to understand. We've put together some handy guides to explain the different parts of our different types of bills.

A woman examining her bill and easily understanding it

Easier to understand. Easier to manage.

You'll still find all the important information you need, but now it's presented in a more intuitive and user-friendly format, so you can quickly find and understand what’s most important. 

Independently recognised for clarity

We're proud that our new bill is Plain Numbers certified. This formal seal of approval recognises organisations that present numbers in a way that's clear, accessible and as easy to understand as possible.

Because it's not just about doing numbers - it's about doing them right.

To find out more about Plain Numbers, visit plainnumbers.org.uk. 

Plain Numbers small

Looking for help with a previous bill?

If your bill features our previous layout (from before 21 October 2026), choose the relevant bill explainer below.

Something not right with your bill?

If you feel your bill is unusually high, the best thing to do first is work out why your consumption might be higher than usual. Our handy checklist can help.

Go to checklist

If you think any amount shown on your bill is incorrect, you have the right to raise a formal dispute with us in accordance with your Terms and Conditions of Supply.

It’s best to raise a dispute as soon as you can, ideally before the payment due date on your bill. Bear in mind that if you leave it too long before raising a dispute, the charges may be recorded as due and payable. Unfortunately, this could limit our ability to investigate, amend or resolve your concern. Head to our disputes and complaints page for full details on what to do.

Dispute my bill

What is a recovery charge?

Recovery charges can be added to your account when you don't pay according to our terms and conditions. There are two levels of recovery charge which can be added to your account - £99 and £132.  This could be because you've paid late, failed to pay, or required repeated contact to do so. Recovery charges are in place to cover the additional cost we incur when trying to recover payment in these situations.

If you feel that a recovery charge has been applied to your account in error, we'll be happy to look into that for you. Be aware, you may not receive a refund if your next bill is due within 30 days, or you have any other outstanding balances with Business Stream. 

Do I pay VAT on my water bill?

Most businesses don't pay VAT on their water but some do. Click on the link below to find out what you need to know about VAT on water bills.

Find out here
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Contact us

If you’re still having trouble understanding your bill, you can call one of our friendly and helpful experts Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm.