A raft of changes affecting the money in your pocket are coming into force in April, with many starting tomorrow.
Council tax and water are just two of the household bills which will rise, while mobile phone and broadband contracts are also going up, along with the price of a pint.
And a change to Premium Bonds means your chances of winning a prize will fall.
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It’s not bad news for everyone, though. Pensions and benefits are increasing, and your energy bill might fall.
Here we break down all the changes that are coming…
Water
Water bills will rise by an average of 5.4% or £33 a year in England and Wales. Bills in Scotland will rise by an average of 8.7%.
The biggest percentage increase will be seen by some Affinity Water customers, with bills rising by more than double the average at 13% or £31.
In cash terms, United Utilities customers will be the worst off, with annual bills rising by £57 (9%) to an average of £660.
At the other end of the scale, Thames Water customers will pay just £3 (0.4%) more.
See how much your water company is hiking bills below…
The increases will help to fund a £104bn investment programme by water companies to upgrade the country’s water infrastructure.
Eligible households will still receive support with their bills, with an extra 300,000 homes in line to get financial support this year, taking the total to around 2.5 million.
Council tax
Local authorities in England have been allowed to increase council tax by up to 4.99% each year since April 2023, having previously only been able to increase charges by a maximum of 2.99%.
Predictably, the majority of councils have announced another hike close to the 4.99% cap for their 2026/27 budgets.
Pic: iStock
Seven councils in England are allowed to raise their council tax by more than the top cap this April. They’ve been handed special permission due to financial…
