These are all the bills set to rise this week as Awful April starts
HOUSEHOLDS are set to see their bills shoot up this week due to the Awful April price hikes.
It’s estimated millions of households will be paying an average of £416 extra per year thanks to the rises.
However the exact amount per household will depend on where you live and your individual circumstances.
The increases are coming into force on Tuesday, April 1.
Here’s all the ways you could be affected…
Water bills
Water companies are set to increase bills for customers in England and Wales by an average of £10 a month.
The increase does vary across different companies, so you should check how much your particular supplier is raising the price by.
As an example, Anglian Water is raising its prices by 19% to £626 a year.
Southern Water customers will see a much bigger increase of 47%, raising the annual cost to £703.
The companies have said the increases are needed to allow them to invest in infrastructure and build more reservoirs.
It’s worth noting that how much water you use and whether you have a water meter will also impact your bills.
Therefore it could be worth trying to cut down on your usage or getting a meter installed.
Council tax
The majority of local authorities will be raising council tax this year.
In England, most councils can only increase the tax by 4.99% unless they hold a referendum or a local vote.
However smaller councils without social care duties can only increase bills by 2.99%.
The Government has allowed Bradford, Newham, Birmingham, Somerset, and Windsor and Maidenhead to raise council tax beyond the 4.99% cap.
Meanwhile in Wales there isn’t a similar limit, so council tax rates could jump by as much as 15%.
Energy bills
The energy price cap is also rising this week, meaning the average energy bill for a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity is going up by £111 a year to £1,849.
Regulator Ofgem sets the energy price cap, which is reviewed every three months and limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity.
The cap is rising this time due to higher wholesale costs and inflation.
Of course, the amount you actually pay will depend on your consumption so it could be worth cutting back where possible and getting a smart meter installed to track your usage more accurately.
Broadband and mobile
Mobile companies tend to increase their prices around now, and BT, EE, O2, Three, Vodafone and Tesco Mobile have all said they will be doing so in April.
New rules introduced by the regulator this year means companies must tell customers “in pounds and pence” about any price rises as well as when they happen.
For example, EE and BT will push up the cost of their Sim-only contracts by £18 a year, while O2 is increasing its charges by £21.60 a year.
Meanwhile broadband deals will also rise on April 1.
Regulator Ofcom has said anyone who signs up for a broadband deal from January 17, 2025, will be given a fixed annual price increase.
Most broadband providers will increase their fixed rates by £36 a year, although Virgin Media is pushing up its prices by £42.
TV licence
Another bill set to rise for households is the TV licence.
It will be going up by £5 to £174.50 this week.
You may be able to get a free TV licence if you are 75 or older and you or your partner who lives at the same address receive Pension Credit.
Car tax
The flat rate cost of car tax is also increasing by £5 to £195 a year.
Of course, the amount you pay will depend on the car you drive – or rather, the year it was registered and whether it’s petrol or diesel.
There’s also a major change for electric car drivers, as these will no longer be exempt from paying next week.
Electric vehicles registered from April 2025 will start paying the lowest rate of £10 in the first year before moving to the standard rate.
The standard rate will also apply to electric vehicles first registered after April 2017.
Stamp duty
Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) is a lump sum payment you have to make when purchasing property over a certain threshold.
The thresholds are being lowered this week, meaning house buyers will have to start paying the tax on properties over £125,000, instead of over £250,000.
First-time buyers currently had paid no stamp duty on homes up to £425,000, but this is dropping to £300,000.