Council taxes, water, and other utility bills are increasing, with some broadband and mobile prices also increasing.
A wave of household costs is expected to surge next month. This may place further strain on budgets.
Most major costs tend to increase every April, with this year not being any different. The annual hikes earn the nickname ‘Awful April’.
Council tax
Households are set to experience another year of council tax increases from April. Many local authorities are increasing bills by a maximum 4.99% without a referendum. This may include a 2.99% increase for general services whilst also including a 2% adult social care precept.
Only a handful of councils have proposed higher increases. In England, North Somerset, besides Shropshire, has put forward increases of 8.99%, whereas Worcester is proposing only 8.398%.
Scotland reflects no cap on increases. Residents are expected to witness higher average increases. The largest rise may be in Moray and Aberdeenshire.
Wales reflects rises ranging from 3.75% in Blaenau Gwent to 5.5% in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Northern Ireland tends to opt for a domestic rates system instead of the council tax. Confirmed increases range from 1.96% in Fermanagh and Omagh to 4.5% in Ards and North Down.
Check if you qualify for a discount, such as the 25% single-person reduction or even other support for low-income households, students, or people with disabilities. If struggling to budget, ask the council to spread the bill over 12 months instead of 10. This reduces the monthly payments, making things a little easier to manage.
Energy bills
The annual energy bill for a typical household is set to fall by USD 156.78 (£117) from 1 April ’26. This follows a reduction in the Ofgem price cap. This brings the average annual bill for households on standard variable tariffs to USD 2,198.94 (£1,641), down from a previous USD 2,355.72 (£1,758).
