Experts share how you can still beat ‘awful April' bill spikes

Yahoo

02-04-2025

Bills went up across the board for households in the UK at the beginning of April. Water, energy, council tax and more are now all demanding higher costs, as increases in wages struggle to keep up for many.
It looks set to be a challenging year for households nationwide, as the sudden impact of fresh rises will be felt by millions. The exact amount that bill payers can expect to see costs increase by will depend on things like their area, size of their household, and how often they use certain utilities.
However, there are some immediate ways to soften the blow of rising bills, often in just a few easy steps. Here's what you need to know:
The annual household energy bill now sits at £1,849 for the average household under Ofgem's energy price cap. The figure rose by 6.4 per cent on 1 April from £1,738 – an increase of £111 a year.
This marked the third consecutive rise in gas and electricity costs, with the average cost of energy now up nearly £300 since September. Experts at the respected Cornwall Insight research group predict it will finally fall again in July by just over £100. However, an uncertain global and economic picture means any early prediction is liable to change.
The most highly recommended way to combat rising energy bills is to consider switching to a fixed tariff deal, which will lock the cost of your energy in at a certain price for a period usually set between 12 and 18 months.
Several popular firms are currently offering a fixed deal far below the price cap. E.on's 'Next' deal comes in at 12.4 per cent lower than the current price cap for 14 months. Meanwhile, EDF offers a fix at 12.2 per cent less for 16 months, and with no £50 exit fee for early termination.
Even Ofgem CEO Jonathan Brearley advised households to consider making a switch to a fixed deal in the face of what he called an 'unwelcome' spike. His comments echoed calls long made by money expert Martin Lewis, who offers a comparison service on his Money Saving Expert website.
The average water bill rose by an annual average of £123 on 1 April following regulator Ofwat's price review. However, this greatly varies depending on a household's region, which dictates its water provider.
An annual Southern Water bill will jump from £224 to £703, for example, while Anglian Water customers will pay £99 more at £626.
This marks the first stage of a 36 per cent increase in bills over the next five years. Ofwat said the increase would pay for a £104 billion upgrade of the water sector to deliver 'substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment'.
Because bill payers cannot select their water providers like they can with gas and electricity, it is harder to lower water bills. However, many experts say it is worth installing a water meter in your home to ensure accurate billing.
Kevin Mountford, savings expert and co-founder of Raisin UK, said: 'A useful rule of thumb is that it's often cost-effective if the number of people in your home is fewer than the number of bedrooms. Installing one of these devices could save you around £100, according to the Consumer Council for Water.
'Additionally, the WaterSure scheme caps bills for households with high essential water use, such as those with medical needs or large families. Check with your provider to see if you qualify.'
Where possible, reducing water usage will also always result in lower bills.
Council tax rose by £108 on average in April after Labour confirmed bills will be allowed to increase again by a maximum of 4.99 per cent. Many local authorities have opted to raise council tax by this maximum in 2025, as 95 per cent of eligible councils did the year before.
This means the occupier of average band D property will now need to pay £2,280 in council tax for 2025.
Council tax is charged based on the band that your property is in, but there is a possible way to change this. Households in lower bands will pay less in council tax, so it might be worth asking the council to revaluate your property and find out if it is in a lower band than when it was last assessed.
For many, this will have been in 1991, when the banding system was introduced. Many campaigners have called out this system as being in dire need of an update.
Around 40,000 people challenged the council tax band of their property in 2024, data recently obtained by The i shows, with 1,000 of these securing a lower level. Households need to be aware though that a revaluation could also result in the property being placed into a higher band.
There are also several discounts and exemptions that bill payers should be aware of. There is the single person discount, which cuts 25 per cent off the bill for a solo occupier, and student-only households should not be paying any council tax.
Councils also offer a council tax reduction for households that qualify on grounds like low-income or disability, so it's worth enquiring with your local authority.
TV licence fees went up by £5 in April, meaning the cost of a standard colour licence went from £169.50 to £174.50.
For those who want to watch or record live TV or use BBC iPlayer, this fee is unavoidable and not paying it is a criminal offence, which usually carries a hefty fine.
However, a TV licence is not required for those who want to watch non-live television on streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+. Any household with a member aged 75 or over and in receipt of pension credit can also apply for a free licence.