All the bills going up in April as households face over £200 in extra costs
April is just a week away, which means the start of a new financial year and a rising list of bills for households to prepare for.
The annual bill rise, often dubbed “terrible April” by money experts, is likely to be perceived as particularly ill-timed by many, as conflicts in the Middle East threaten to increase the UK’s cost of living in the near future.
Households face an average increase of £214 on essential bills in 2026/27, while council tax and water bills will rise more than usual in 2026, according to data from Uswitch.
The better news is that most benefits, state pensions and the minimum wage will also increase in April, helping millions of households. Meanwhile, wages continue to rise moderately, recording the slowest increase in five years in the November-January period, according to official data.
At a time when household incomes are struggling to keep up with the size of price rises, around 62 per cent of Brits fear their current income won’t be able to cover the rising costs, Uswitch researchers found.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the major household bills that have increased this year:
Council tax – up to £109
The majority of councils in England have announced that council tax will increase by 4.99 per cent; This is the maximum amount allowed without government permission. Uswitch analysis found that the average increase would equate to £109 per household.
Seven councils in England were allowed to raise interest rates by more than this in April. Shropshire, Worcestershire and North Somerset were allowed the highest rates at 8.99 per cent each.
Warring, Trafford and Windsor and Maidenhead increased their rates by 7.49 per cent, while Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council were allowed 6.74 per cent.
Water bills – up to £32.40
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Average household water bills are predicted to rise by £33 per year; This is an increase of two percentage points above inflation and has reignited public anger over persistent sewage pollution.
Customers of United Utilities serving the north-west are seeing the biggest increase in cash terms, with an average of £57. This is followed by Southern Water (up £55), Hafren Dyfrdwy (up £54) and Severn Trent Water (up £52).
Water UK said the increase would fund a £20bn investment between 2026/27 aimed at securing supplies and stopping discharges into rivers and seas.
License fee – up to £5.50
From April the TV license fee will rise by £5.50 from £174.50 to £180. The change will add an extra 46p a month to the license fee, bigger than last year’s increase of £5.
A TV license is a legal permit that must be obtained to watch or record live programs on any device. This can be by purchase, or it can be given free of charge to people aged 75 and over who receive pension credit.
Broadband and mobile – up to £67.20
Most broadband and mobile providers will increase monthly bills by up to £4 in some cases from April. Uswitch estimates that in total the increases will cost households an average of £67.20 extra per year.
But unlike many other household expenses, many households can act now to avoid the steepest increases. An estimated 14 million people have had their mobile contracts expire and an estimated 7 million people are expiring their broadband subscriptions. This means they won’t face any penalties for leaving their provider or getting a better deal with them, and in most cases it’s fine to do so.
For those happy with their mobile devices, Sim-only deals can be found for as little as £4 per month. Money expert Martin Lewis also advised that out-of-contract broadband customers could “double the speed and halve the price” of their contract to save up to £500 a year.
Energy bills – down £117 (for now)
Ofgem’s energy price cap will fall to £1,641 from 1 April to 31 June 2026; this will reduce by around 7 per cent or £117. The cut coincides with Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ recent promise to cut £150 from the average household bill.
The energy price cap is the maximum amount that energy suppliers can charge a standard variable tariff for each unit of energy that covers most households. It is expressed as the annual bill of an average house.
The energy regulator’s decision will come as welcome news for bill payers and will be one of the few reductions amid bill increases. As spring weather warms, energy costs will become less of a concern in the short term.
In the long term, the outlook is less positive.
Respected energy consultancy Cornwall Insight has predicted the July price cap will rise by £332 from July to £1,973 as conflict in the Middle East threatens to drive up costs.
This would raise the price cap to the highest rate since July 2023, following record increases in the first year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The independent forecast was called “highly speculative” by a spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
For the latest cost of living advice visit The Independent’s regularly updated guide
