Dealing with a water account after a bereavement is rarely top of the list, but it is worth doing within the first week or two. Getting the account updated from the date of death means billing is correctly dated, standing charges are not accumulating in the wrong name, and the final bill can be issued. Anglian Water serves around 6 million customers across East England – Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, Rutland, Leighton Linslade, and Hertfordshire – and has a dedicated bereavement service you can reach by freephone or online form.
Quick reference:
- Bereavement line: 0800 141 2944 (Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 8am–4pm, freephone)
- Online form: anglianwater.co.uk/help-and-advice/water-care/bereavement-support/notify-us-of-a-bereavement
- Response commitment: Anglian Water responds within 72 hours of form submission
- Document upload: Death certificate can be uploaded directly through the online form (up to 5MB)
- Do not cancel the direct debit until you have received and confirmed the final bill
Water supply in the UK is tied to a property address, not to the customer’s personal choice. Unlike an energy supplier, you cannot move a water account to a different provider. This means the account must either transfer to a new occupier or be held in the name of the estate while the property is being administered.
How to notify Anglian Water
Anglian Water offers two main routes for bereavement notification, and recognises that calling after a loss can feel overwhelming.
By phone: Call 0800 141 2944, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm. This is a freephone number. Ask to speak to the bereavement support team. The team will take the relevant details and guide you through what happens next.
Online form: The online form at anglianwater.co.uk/help-and-advice/water-care/bereavement-support/notify-us-of-a-bereavement takes approximately six minutes to complete and allows you to upload a copy of the death certificate directly (maximum file size 5MB). Anglian Water has said they will respond within 72 hours of submission.
Via a third-party notification service: Free services such as Life Ledger and Settld allow you to notify Anglian Water alongside banks, insurers, and other utilities in a single process. Both services are free to bereaved families.
| Contact method | Details |
|---|---|
| Phone (bereavement team) | 0800 141 2944 – Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 8am–4pm, freephone |
| Online form | anglianwater.co.uk – notify-us-of-a-bereavement |
| Post | Bereavement Support, Anglian Water, PO Box 4994, Lancing BN11 9AL |
| Third-party notification | Life Ledger, Settld (notify multiple companies at once) |
Source: Anglian Water bereavement support page, verified June 2026.
Documents and information you will need
The online form collects the following. Having these ready before you start makes the process quicker.
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Deceased’s full name | As it appears on the account |
| Deceased’s address | The property address the account covers |
| Date of death | Used to date the final bill correctly |
| Account number | 9-digit number from any water bill; the postcode is usually accepted if you do not have this |
| Meter reading | Taken on or close to the date of death – a timestamped photo is the most reliable approach |
| Your name and contact details | As executor, solicitor, or next of kin |
| Relationship to the deceased | The form asks how you are connected to the account holder |
| Property status | Whether someone will continue living there or the property is now empty |
| Death certificate | A copy is sufficient; upload through the online form (up to 5MB) |
You do not need to have all of this ready before you call or begin the form. Anglian Water will accept an initial notification and follow up for supporting documents.
If you need extra copies of the death certificate, each certified copy costs £12.50 in England and Wales – order them through the register office when you register the death or order more later via gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate.
What happens to the account
Anglian Water accounts are tied to the property, which shapes what happens after a death.
If someone is continuing to live at the property
When a spouse, partner, family member, or other occupant will continue living at the address, Anglian Water will close the deceased’s account and transfer it to the continuing occupant’s name. The meter reading from the date of death (or the date of notification) becomes the closing reading for the old account and the opening reading for the new one.
Any credit balance on the deceased’s account is refunded to the estate. Any outstanding balance becomes a debt of the estate.
If the property is empty during estate administration
This is the situation most executors face. Once you notify Anglian Water, the account can be transferred into the name of the estate or the executor while the property is being wound up. Charges continue to accrue during this period until one of the following happens: the property is sold and the new owner takes over, a tenant moves in and takes responsibility, or the account is formally closed.
Anglian Water’s policy on empty properties: charges continue on furnished or part-furnished properties, but if the property is unoccupied and unfurnished, you should contact Anglian Water to notify them of that status – charges may not apply in that case. Source: Anglian Water empty property FAQ, verified June 2026.
The practical consequence: if the estate is being administered over several months and the property is still furnished, standing charges will be an ongoing cost from estate assets. Notify Anglian Water promptly that the property is empty and ask them to note the status on the account.
Metered vs unmetered accounts
Metered properties are charged based on actual water use. The meter reading at the date of death establishes the final bill for the deceased’s account. Take this reading as soon as possible and photograph the meter display with a timestamp.
Unmetered properties are charged based on a fixed assessed rate. If the deceased was the sole occupier on an unmetered tariff, charges continue until the account is closed or transferred. Unmetered customers can request a free meter at any time – this may be worth considering if the estate expects a long administration period, particularly if the property will be empty.
Final bill
After notification, Anglian Water will issue a final bill covering the period up to the date of death. If there was a direct debit running and the account is in credit, any balance will be refunded to the estate. Chase specifically for this after four weeks if you have not heard.
Do not cancel the direct debit until you have received the final bill and confirmed the balance is zero. Cancelling early leaves any outstanding amount needing to be paid separately. For broader guidance on handling direct debits after a death, see our guide to what happens to direct debits when someone dies.
Debt recovery: Philips & Cohen Associates
For accounts in the deceased’s sole name with outstanding balances, Anglian Water may involve Philips & Cohen Associates, who describe themselves as the UK’s dedicated deceased account management specialists. If you receive communication from them, this is a legitimate Anglian Water process – respond directly to them to resolve the balance.
WaterSure social tariff
WaterSure is a national scheme that caps the metered water bills of eligible customers. Anglian Water’s WaterSure caps for 2026–27 are:
- Water supply only: £335.00 per year
- Sewerage (with surface water drainage): £346.00 per year
- Sewerage (without surface water drainage): £294.00 per year
Once the bill reaches the cap, there is no further charge for water or wastewater use during the year regardless of how much is consumed.
To qualify, the household must:
- Have a water meter installed
- Receive at least one qualifying means-tested benefit – including Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Pension Credit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, or Income-based Jobseekers’ Allowance
- Meet at least one further condition:
- Receive Child Benefit for three or more children under 19 living at the property, or
- Have a medical condition that requires significantly above-average water use – such as incontinence, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, abdominal stoma, home dialysis, desquamation, or a weeping skin condition (eczema, psoriasis, varicose ulceration)
Source: Anglian Water WaterSure page and WaterSure eligibility page, verified June 2026.
On death: WaterSure eligibility ends with the account. It is a personal entitlement of the account holder. A surviving occupant who takes over the account can apply in their own right if they meet the criteria – call 03457 919 155 or apply online through the Anglian Water website.
Priority Services Register
Anglian Water’s Priority Services Register (PSR) provides additional support for customers in vulnerable circumstances – such as those with a disability, serious illness, or who are elderly. Services include:
- Meter readings for those who find it difficult to read their own
- Bills in alternative formats (large print, Braille, or audio)
- Priority notification of planned water supply interruptions for customers dependent on medical equipment
- Dedicated contact options
PSR registration is linked to the individual account holder. When the registered customer dies, their PSR status does not transfer automatically to anyone else.
If a surviving occupant takes over the account and would benefit from Priority Services, they should ask to be added to the register when the account is transferred into their name. To register, call 03457 919 155. Source: Anglian Water Priority Services page, verified June 2026.
Probate and water bills
Probate is not required to close or transfer an Anglian Water account. Water companies are service providers and potentially creditors of the estate – they are not holding an asset in the way a bank does, so there is no need to prove authority to deal with the account before closing it.
However, if there is a credit balance to be refunded to the estate, Anglian Water may ask for evidence of authority to act – such as a grant of probate or letters of administration – before releasing the funds. For routine account closure with no credit refund, this is rarely necessary.
Water debt is a debt of the estate. It must be paid from the estate’s assets before the residue is distributed to beneficiaries. Family members are not personally liable for the deceased’s water bill unless they were joint account holders. For guidance on the overall process of dealing with a person’s affairs after death, see the gov.uk probate guidance or our what to do when someone dies guide.
How long does it take?
Anglian Water commits to responding to online form submissions within 72 hours. The full process – from notification to final bill – typically takes one to three weeks once all required information has been provided.
The main variables are:
- Whether the property is occupied or empty
- Whether there is a credit or outstanding balance to resolve
- How quickly the death certificate and supporting information are submitted
Keep a record of when you made contact, the reference number given (if calling) or the confirmation email (if using the online form). If you have not received a final bill within four weeks of submitting all documents, follow up.
Things to watch out for
Take a meter reading on or close to the date of death. The meter reading at the date of death is the closing point for the deceased’s account. If you delay, Anglian Water will estimate based on average usage – which may not reflect what was used. A timestamped photograph of the meter display is the most reliable record.
Do not cancel the direct debit before the final bill arrives. This is one of the most common administrative mistakes with utility accounts. The direct debit should stay active until the final bill has been received and confirmed as zero. Cancelling it early leaves any outstanding amount to be chased separately.
Standing charges continue on furnished empty properties. If the property is unoccupied but still contains furniture and belongings, Anglian Water’s standing charges continue to accrue daily throughout estate administration. If the property has been fully cleared and is both unoccupied and unfurnished, notify Anglian Water of that status – charges may not apply in that case.
Automated letters may arrive after you have notified them. It is common for executors to receive a routine payment reminder even after contacting the bereavement team, while the notification is still being processed through internal systems. If this happens, call back with your reference number to confirm the bereavement has been logged.
Tell Us Once does not cover water companies. Tell Us Once – the government service that notifies HMRC, DWP, DVLA, the Passport Office, and your local council when someone dies – does not include water companies. Every household must contact their water supplier directly, regardless of whether they have used Tell Us Once. This is a common misconception worth knowing before you start.
Anglian Water covers water and wastewater together across most of its region. One notification to Anglian Water will generally cover both services. Confirm this when you make contact, as billing arrangements for sewerage vary in some parts of the region.
Summary
To notify Anglian Water after a bereavement, call 0800 141 2944 (Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 8am–4pm, freephone) or use the online form at anglianwater.co.uk/help-and-advice/water-care/bereavement-support/notify-us-of-a-bereavement.
Anglian Water responds to online submissions within 72 hours and you can upload the death certificate directly through the form. The full process through to final bill typically takes one to three weeks.
Have ready: the account number, the property address, the date of death, a meter reading if the property is metered, and your contact details as executor or next of kin. The account will either transfer to a new occupier or be held in the estate’s name during administration. Standing charges continue on furnished empty properties, so notify Anglian Water early and keep the direct debit active until the final bill is settled.
For broader context on what to do after a death, see our what to do when someone dies guide. For guidance on water companies in general, including a contact list of all UK suppliers, see our guide to notifying your water company after a death. For guidance on direct debits, see what happens to direct debits when someone dies.