Wessex Water CEO gets above-inflation pay rise despite bonus ban over sewage spills
8 reported
A single-source report from The Guardian states that Wessex Water awarded its chief executive an above-inflation pay increase even as the company was banned from paying bonuses because of sewage spills. Ruth Jefferson received a 14% base salary increase in October, from £590,000 to £670,000, before other benefits, according to accounts published this month. The raise was far above the 3.5% given to workers and put her pay at 18 times that of the company’s median employee. The report notes that water industry executive pay has come under scrutiny amid public outrage over sewage spills, prompting the government to introduce a bonus ban in 2025 for companies responsible for serious pollution or which failed financial tests. Wessex Water, which supplies 2.9 million customers in south-west England, revealed in its report that it expected to fall foul of the bonus ban “particularly in relation to environmental and operational metrics.” Jefferson’s full pay packet for the year reached £791,000 once pension and unspecified other benefits were included, compared to £440,000 the previous year for six months while serving as chief compliance officer and then chief executive. The article also mentions that another water company, Anglian Water, awarded its chief executive a £500,000 “retention payment” despite being banned from paying bonuses.
What’s reported
Ruth Jefferson received a 14% base salary increase from £590,000 to £670,000 in October, according to accounts published this month.
The raise was above the 3.5% given to workers and put her pay at 18 times the company’s median employee.
The government introduced a bonus ban in 2025 for water companies responsible for serious pollution or which failed financial tests.
Wessex Water supplies 2.9 million customers in south-west England, including Bristol, Bath and Bournemouth.
Jefferson’s full pay packet for the year reached £791,000 including pension and unspecified benefits; she received £440,000 the previous year for six months.
Anglian Water awarded its chief executive Mark Thurston a £500,000 “retention payment” despite the bonus ban, paid by its parent company from funds that would otherwise have gone to shareholders.
Wessex said no payments were made in the most recent year to executive directors from other group companies, after The Guardian in January revealed £51,000 in previously undisclosed payments to Jefferson and CFO Andy Pymer.
Wessex was granted permission to increase bills by 21% over five years to pay for infrastructure upgrades.
Key figures
Ruth Jefferson, chief executive of Wessex Water
Mark Thurston, chief executive of Anglian Water
Andy Pymer, chief financial officer of Wessex Water
Gary Carter, national officer at the GMB union
Nicola Shaw, chief executive of Yorkshire Water
Sources: The Guardian
