A charity has warned that more pensioners in Yorkshire and the Humber could soon fall into water poverty.
Independent Age has raised concerns about the rising cost of water bills, which could force more older people to cut back on essential use.
The charity estimates that 13 per cent of pensioner households in Yorkshire and the Humber are already in water poverty, with that figure projected to rise to 16 per cent by 2029/30 without intervention.
Joanna Elson, chief executive of Independent Age, said: "Water bills are continuing to soar, and behind the statistics, there are real people making drastic cutbacks to reduce their costs.
"We have heard from older people washing in sinks, letting dishes pile up over days, and avoiding flushing the toilet.
"This should not be happening.
"The UK Government says that tackling the cost of living is its top priority.
"If that's true, it must take meaningful action to address the growing crisis of water affordability."
The charity defines water poverty as spending more than three per cent of household income on water.
It is calling on the government to introduce a national social tariff to reduce bills for low-income households.
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