Thames Water bills will rise by more than a third to an average of £588 over the next five years despite its dismal record on pollution and leaks.

Water regulator Ofwat said the UK’s biggest water company, which supplies London and was recently fined £18 million for breaking share dividends rules, will be allowed to hike its bills by an inflation-busting £152, or 35 per cent - that’s an average £31 a year.

The charges are being hiked to fund a £104 billion spending plan, with other water companies in England and Wales following suit increasing customer bills.

The Standard podcast is joined by Matthew Topham, lead campaigner at We Own It, a pressure group for public ownership.

In part two, patients with sleep apnoea are receiving a choice of two nerve stimulators from University College London Hospitals to combat the condition, and it’s the first UK healthcare provider to offer both therapies without needing bulky equipment.

We’re joined by Mr Ryan Chin Taw Cheong, consultant ENT and sleep surgeon at UCLH’s Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals.

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