Interim Management Statement

United Utilities Group PLC

30 January 2013

                 UNITED UTILITIES INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT                 

United Utilities today issues an interim management statement covering the
period from 1 October 2012.

Trading update

Current trading is in line with the group's expectations.

Revenue has continued to increase at a rate slightly below the allowed
regulated price rise for 2012/13, as expected, reflecting the on-going impact
of a tough economic climate on commercial volumes. Depreciation, power and
other costs have also increased as expected, largely offsetting the increase in
revenue. The company continues to make good progress on its regulatory capital
investment programme and remains on track to invest around £750 million in its
asset base in 2012/13.

Improving operational performance and customer service continue to be top
priorities for United Utilities Water (UUW).

The business met its regulatory leakage target for the sixth consecutive year
in 2011/12 and remains on course to meet its target for 2012/13. Water
resources in the region are robust, with reservoirs currently around 90% full.

UUW's significant progress on Ofwat's customer service measure, the service
incentive mechanism (SIM), in 2011/12 has continued into 2012/13.
Encouragingly, our qualitative SIM results for quarter three 2012/13 have
helped improve our ranking. Building on the performance achieved in the first
half of 2012/13, UUW has now moved up to 12th position out of 21 water
companies on this qualitative measure for the financial year to date. UUW was
16th in 2011/12. Overall SIM performance for 2012/13, including our
quantitative SIM score, will be published, along with the industry's results,
after the financial year end.

In addition, the number of customer complaints UUW received via the Consumer
Council for Water (CCW) has reduced further in the three months to December
2012 and, importantly, there have been no customer complaints requiring
investigation by the CCW in the first nine months of the 2012/13 financial
year. This improved performance will positively contribute to Ofwat's
quantitative SIM assessment.

Financial position

United Utilities' financial position remains robust and its regulatory capital
asset base continues to grow, reflecting continued high levels of capital
investment and positive RPI inflation. Group net debt is similar to the
position at 30 September 2012. This principally reflects expenditure on the
regulatory capital investment programme and payments in relation to interest
and tax, offset by operational cash flows. Gearing remains in the middle of
Ofwat's assumed range (55% to 65% net debt to regulatory capital value),
supporting a solid A3 credit rating for UUW.

Regulatory developments

We were pleased to play an active role in constructive discussions with Ofwat,
which led to the publication of revised `Section 13' licence modification
proposals on 21 December 2012. These revised proposals focused more
specifically on the changes required to facilitate the forthcoming price review
in 2014 and reduced uncertainty for investors and customers, compared with the
earlier proposals issued on 26 October 2012. UUW confirmed its acceptance of
these revised proposals on 18 January 2013.

On 28 January 2013, Ofwat published an industry consultation paper in respect
of the framework and approach for the 2015-20 price control period, with
responses required by 26 March 2013. UUW is currently assessing this
consultation and will provide its response to Ofwat in due course.

Inflation

Concluding a consultation initiated in October 2012, the UK Office for National
Statistics published its recommendation on 10 January 2013 to continue with the
existing methodology for calculating RPI inflation, which has reduced
uncertainty for investors.

Outlook

United Utilities is confident of delivering a good underlying financial
performance for the year ending 31 March 2013 and continues to be on track to
meet its 2010-15 regulatory outperformance targets. The company remains
strongly focused on building on its recent operational and customer service
progress and sees plenty of scope to deliver further improvements.

In line with its usual practice, United Utilities intends to issue a pre-close
trading update on 21 March 2013.

United Utilities contacts:

Gaynor Kenyon, Corporate Affairs Director             [phone]  
                                                                           
Darren Jameson, Head of Investor Relations            [phone]  
                                                                           
Ed Orlebar / Michelle Clarke, Tulchan Communications  [phone] 

This announcement is also available at: 
http://corporate.unitedutilities.com/investors.aspx