Martin Lewis Shares Expert Tips To Cut Rising Bills Amid April Rise

Millions of people across the UK will face a rise in household bills as of today, in what has been dubbed ‘Awful April’.

The average household’s annual electricity bill is set to rise by £111 a year, while Water UK suggests we can expect to see water bill price rises of about £123 a year.

Off the back of this, Martin Lewis has shared his tips on how people can potentially reduce their water and energy bills.

Joining host Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain, the finance expert outlined the options available to households to reduce bills, as well as support for low-income households and disabled people.

How to save money on water and energy bills following household bill rises

How to save money on water bills

In response to a viewer asking if they should switch to a water meter, Martin offered his rule-of-thumb advice: “If you have more or the same number of bedrooms in your house as people, you will likely be better off with a water meter...

“The bigger your house, the more you pay. A water meter is based on usage and is often cheaper... The savings can be quite substantial.”

He also recommended the website Save Money Save Water to find out if there are any changes you can make in your home to reduce water bills further.

What to do if you can’t get a water meter

Martin advised that if you’re in a flat or otherwise can’t get a water meter, you should ask your supplier for an ‘assessed charge’.

One person got in touch with him to say that their monthly water bills reduced from £95 to £42 as a result of doing this. “This gives you a better idea of your actual costs,” he said, and could result in a reduction.

He also advised against switching between water companies, as there is a ‘monopoly’ in each region.

How to save on water bills if you are low-income or disabled

Martin encouraged low-income households to check their local social tariffs for water bill price caps, as there is likely support available.

Additionally, for some low-income households, the WaterSure Scheme could offer support if you use, or are on a waiting list for, a water meter. Learn more about the scheme here.

According to Citizens Advice: “To apply for the scheme, you must be on benefits and need to use a lot of water either for medical reasons or because your household has a certain number of school-age children.”

Save money on energy bills

If you’re not on a fixed tariff, “now is the time to get on a comparison website”, urged Martin, who added: “You’re certainly going to save substantially, instantly.”

Once you’ve chosen a tariff, he advised locking in a cheaper price, checking that the exit penalties are low in case you need to leave the supplier – and keep in mind that you’ll need to tick a box saying “show me all tariffs”.

Other than this, he recommended cutting your energy usage and ensuring your home is properly insulated.

Before changing tariffs, though, he asked consumers to bear in mind that “just because the price cap is going up, doesn’t mean fixed tariffs are going up”.

Don’t change unless you find a better offer, basically.

To learn more, visit Money Saving Expert.