Robert Leslie the SNP candidate for Orkney has welcomed the fact that Scots are set to save an average of £107 on their water bills compared to their counterparts in England and Wales in 2026-27, thanks to public ownership.

 “For years, Scotland resisted Westminster pressure to privatise our water – and the consistently better price and quality of Scottish Water has shown this was all worth it. “

The numbers, compiled by Scottish Water and Water UK, show the average water bill in England and Wales in 2026-27 is £639 a year – compared to £532 a year in SNP-run Scotland. 

Scottish Water bills also remain the cheapest of any individual water authority in the UK. 

Robert Leslie said: 

“Unlike in England and Wales, the SNP government kept Scotland’s water in public hands – which is why Scots water bills are the cheapest in the UK, and Scots are saving over £100 a year compared to people in England, thanks to the SNP. 
 
“While England’s water companies are run for profit, Scotland’s are run for public benefit – that’s why bills here are the lowest in the UK, and over £100 a year lower on average than in England. 
 
“This annual saving proves that self-government works for Scotland – and with the fresh start of independence we could go so much further in other sectors like energy, where I’ve been part of groups campaigining for costs to come down for years, but seeing little or no appetite on this from the UK Government or Ofgem.”

Orkney SNP candidate Robert Leslie has said that the figures show the benefit of keeping Scotland’s water in public hands. 

The elections to The Scottish Parliament take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.