South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water are two separate customer-facing brands, but they are run by the same parent company and share a single bereavement team. If you need to notify either supplier of a death, this guide covers both – the phone number, email address, and process are identical whichever brand supplied the property.
South Staffordshire plc has operated both brands under one group since Cambridge Water was brought into the group in 2011 and merged with South Staffs Water’s parent structure by 2013. Together the two brands serve around 1.6 million people: roughly 500,000 homes across South Staffordshire and South Worcestershire under South Staffs Water, and around 319,000 people across Cambridge and the surrounding district under Cambridge Water.
Before you start: Tell Us Once – the government service that notifies HMRC, DWP, DVLA, and the Passport Office in a single step – does not cover water companies. South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water must be contacted directly, regardless of whether you have used Tell Us Once. (Source: gov.uk – organisations to contact after a death)
Quick reference (both brands):
- Phone: 0345 60 70 456, then select option 4 for Bereavement Support (Monday–Friday 8am–6pm)
- Email: bereavementsupport@south-staffs-water.co.uk
- Post: Bereavement Support, South Staffs Water, Green Lane, Walsall, WS2 7PD
- Online form: available on each brand’s own website, or via Life Ledger (free, notifies multiple companies at once)
Source: South Staffs Water bereavement page and Cambridge Water bereavement page, both verified July 2026.
Which company do I need to contact?
Water supply is tied to the property address, not to personal choice, so start by checking which brand serves the address in question.
- South Staffs Water serves South Staffordshire and South Worcestershire.
- Cambridge Water serves Cambridge and the surrounding district.
If you are not sure, check a recent water bill – the supplier name and logo will be on it – or use the Water UK postcode tool. Whichever brand it turns out to be, the bereavement team, phone number, and email address are the same.
If the deceased held accounts with both companies – possible if they owned or rented property in both areas – each account must be notified separately, even though you are contacting the same team. The two brands maintain separate account systems despite sharing a bereavement service.
How to notify South Staffs Water or Cambridge Water
There are three routes to notify either brand, and all reach the same bereavement support team.
By phone
Call 0345 60 70 456 and select option 4 for Bereavement Support. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Have the deceased’s name, the property address, and the date of death ready. The team will also want to know whether water will continue to be used at the property – for example, if a partner or family member is remaining there.
By email
Email bereavementsupport@south-staffs-water.co.uk with the deceased’s details, the property address, and your relationship to them. This address serves both South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water customers.
Via the online form or Life Ledger
Each brand has its own bereavement notification form:
- South Staffs Water: south-staffs-water.co.uk/household/notify-us-of-a-bereavement
- Cambridge Water: cambridge-water.co.uk/household/notify-us-of-a-bereavement
The form asks for details about the deceased, the contact person, whether water will continue to be used at the property, and executor information if applicable.
Alternatively, Life Ledger is a free online service that can notify South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water alongside other companies – banks, insurers, and other utilities – in a single process. This is worth using if you are managing several notifications at once.
| Contact method | Details |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0345 60 70 456, option 4 – Mon–Fri 8am–6pm |
| bereavementsupport@south-staffs-water.co.uk | |
| Post | Bereavement Support, South Staffs Water, Green Lane, Walsall, WS2 7PD |
| Online form | Brand-specific form, or via Life Ledger |
Source: South Staffs Water bereavement page and Cambridge Water bereavement page, verified July 2026.
What documents you will need
Neither brand requires everything upfront – you can make an initial notification by phone or online and follow up with documents afterwards.
| Item | Why it’s needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deceased’s full name | To locate the account | As it appears on the account |
| Property address | Primary account identifier | Include postcode |
| Account number | Speeds up the process | Found on any water bill, if available |
| Date of death | Determines the final bill period | Essential for accurate billing |
| Your name and contact details | For correspondence about the account | Include a forwarding address if different from the property |
| Your relationship to the deceased | Establishes your authority to act | Executor, next of kin, or solicitor |
| Whether water will continue to be used at the property | Determines whether the account transfers or closes | Asked directly on both brands’ forms |
| Death certificate | Required before any credit refund is processed | A copy is sufficient |
What happens to the account
Both brands handle accounts in broadly the same way, since they share the same bereavement process.
If someone is continuing to live at the property
Where a partner, family member, or other occupant is remaining, the account is transferred into their name once notified. Meter readings (where the property is metered) are used to set the point at which billing changes over.
If the property is empty
If no one is remaining at the property while the estate is administered, the account is typically transferred into the executor’s or estate’s name, or closed with a final bill sent to the executor. Ask the bereavement team directly about their current policy for unoccupied properties, as this can vary and change over time.
Final bill and refunds
Once notified, both companies issue a final bill for the period up to the date of death. If the account is in credit, the balance is refunded to the estate. Ask specifically about any credit balance when you notify them, and follow up if nothing has arrived within a few weeks.
Direct debits
Do not cancel a direct debit until you have received the final bill and confirmed it shows a zero balance. Cancelling early can leave an outstanding amount to be settled separately. See our guide to what happens to direct debits when someone dies for more detail.
Support during bereavement
Both companies’ bereavement pages note that they can provide information about support organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Support and Citizens Advice, and describe a bereavement policy setting out how they handle these accounts sensitively. Ask the team about this if you would find it helpful.
Probate and water accounts
Probate is not required to close or transfer a South Staffs Water or Cambridge Water account. Water companies are service providers rather than asset holders, so there is no legal requirement to produce a grant of probate before an account can be closed or transferred.
The bereavement team may ask for evidence of your authority to act – such as a grant of probate or letters of administration – before releasing a credit balance to the estate. For a routine notification with no refund involved, this is rarely necessary.
Any outstanding balance is a debt of the estate, not a personal liability of the executor or a family member, unless they held the account jointly with the deceased. For guidance on the probate process itself, see gov.uk/applying-for-probate.
How long does it take?
South Staffs Water states an initial response within five working days of notification. The full process through to a final bill and any refund typically takes one to four weeks, depending on whether the property is occupied or empty and whether there is a credit balance to resolve.
Keep a note of the date you notified the bereavement team and any reference number given. If you have not heard back within the timeframes above, follow up on 0345 60 70 456, option 4.
Things to watch out for
One phone number and one email cover both brands. If you are unsure whether the deceased was a South Staffs Water or Cambridge Water customer, you do not need to identify the exact brand before calling – the same bereavement team handles both.
Contacting one brand does not automatically notify the other. If the deceased held separate accounts with both South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water – for instance, a holiday let or second property in the other brand’s area – each account needs its own notification, even though the team is the same.
Life Ledger can save time if you’re notifying several organisations. Since both brands are partnered with Life Ledger, using it to notify South Staffs Water or Cambridge Water alongside banks and other utilities can reduce the number of separate calls and forms you need to complete.
Keep the direct debit running until the final bill arrives. Cancelling it early can leave a balance to settle separately, creating extra administration during an already difficult time.
Summary
South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water share one bereavement team. Call 0345 60 70 456 and select option 4 (Monday–Friday, 8am–6pm), or email bereavementsupport@south-staffs-water.co.uk. Each brand also has its own online form, or you can use Life Ledger to notify both alongside other organisations.
Have ready the deceased’s name, the property address, the date of death, and your contact details as executor or next of kin. Probate is not required to close or transfer either brand’s account, though evidence of your authority to act may be requested before a credit refund is released.
For guidance on water company notification processes in general – including contact details for all UK suppliers – see our guide to notifying your water company after a death. For direct debit guidance, see what happens to direct debits when someone dies. For a complete list of organisations to notify after a death, see our what to do when someone dies guide.