Six household expenses that will increase in ‘terrible’ April as financially struggling Brits deal with more difficulties from utilities and council tax

Six household bills are set to rise in the coming months – with Britons already feeling the pinch expected to face sky-high costs.

Dubbed as ‘awful April’, households in difficulties should prepare to pay potentially hundreds more on utility bills. Three of the UK’s major water companies are pushing for approval from regulators to increase charges beyond the previously set amounts.

It comes as Ofgem increased its price cap for a third consecutive quarter.

1.  Water bills 

Water bills will go up for an average of £123 or 26 per cent annual rise from April, confirmed by industry body Water UK

The increase will take the average bill from £480 to £603 for the next year alone – a rise of around £10 a month, from £40 to £50.

Customers of Southern Water are predicted to be the most affected, facing a 47% rise which would bring the average annual bill with the company to £703.

Hafren Dyfrdwy and South West Water bills are rising by 32 per cent, while Thames Water customers will implement a 31 per cent hike. 

Six household bills are set to rise in ‘awful April’ as Brits feeling the pinch will have to face sky-high costs (stock)

Almost nine in 10 local authorities in England are planning to hike council tax by at least 4.99 per cent from April (stock)

Yorkshire Water is raising bills by 29 per cent, and Bournemouth Water customers will see a 32 per cent increase.

Various aspects, like whether a customer has a water meter and their water consumption, will cause billing differences among customers, making the impact vary based on individual circumstances.

While in Scotland, water bills are expected to rise on the lower end at 10 per cent. Scottish Water, which is a public body, said spending was needed to cope with periods of ‘drought and intense rainfall’ brought on by climate change.

Water companies in England and Wales have said the increases are needed to invest in infrastructure, including sewage, and to build more reservoirs. 

2. Energy bills

The average energy bill for a dual-fuel home paying by direct debit will increase from £1,738-a-year to £1,849 from April 1 after a 6.4 per cent increase in Ofgem’s energy price cap.

The rise will equate to £111 for an average household per year, or around £9.25 a month, over the three-month period of the price cap from April 1 to June 30.

It follows a previous 1.2 per cent rise of £21 for the January 1 to March 31 period. 

Regulator Ofgem increased the energy price cap because of higher wholesale costs and inflation. 

Greg Marsh, CEO and co-founder of AI household money-saver Nous.co told MailOnline that households should take a meter reading before March 31 so your supplier doesn’t charge you for any extra energy under the new higher rates.

He added another way to save costs is to take manual reads as estimates from the supplier could be wrong, forcing you to fork out more.

The energy price cap sets a maximum price that energy companies can charge people in England, Scotland and Wales for each unit of energy they use.

Ofgem changes the price cap for households every three months.

3. Council tax

Almost nine in 10 local authorities in England are planning to hike council tax by at least 4.99 per cent from April.

Many councils were recently granted permission to increase council tax beyond the established annual 4.99 per cent cap without having to hold a local vote.

They are Windsor & Maidenhead, Newham, Bradford, Birmingham, Somerset, and Trafford.

Among the six councils permitted increases beyond normal thresholds, Windsor & Maidenhead Borough Council had a request to be allowed a 25 per cent increase rejected – but will be able to impose a 8.99 per cent rise. 

Newham Council in east London has been granted the same dispensation, while Bradford Council is being permitted 9.99 per cent.

Birmingham City Council, Somerset Council and Trafford Council can increase the levy by 7.49 per cent.

Just 15 councils are planning increases below 4.99 per cent, with levels ranging from 4.98 per cent in Barnet and Warrington, to 2 per cent

Council tax rates in Scotland have been frozen or had limited increases since 2007, but they are expected to go up in April by as much as 10 per cent.

In Wales, council tax rates could jump by as much 15 per cent.

4. Car tax 

Millions of drivers will be slapped with a massive car tax coming into force in April that will see some motorists stung an additional £2,745, new research has suggested.

The standard rate of tax for cars registered after April 2017 will rise from £5 to £195 a year.

Almost nine in 10 local authorities in England are planning to hike council tax by at least 4.99 per cent from April

Car tax changes introduced in April will see the cost of first-year Vehicle Excise Duty for all new petrol and diesel models double, stinging the most polluting cars with an annual charge as high as £5,490.

The tax raid on new combustion engine motors was confirmed in Rachel Reeves’ Budget in October.

The Chancellor said VED first-year rates for cars registered after 1 April 2025 will be adjusted to ‘strengthen incentives to purchase zero emission and electric cars,

However, electric vehicle owners will no longer be exempt from taxes. registered from April 2025 will pay the lowest rate of £10 in the first year, then move to the standard rate.

Not only will all EV owners face first-year showroom tax on new models and a standard rate thereafter, any new battery-powered model registered after 1 April that is priced above £40,000 will also be subject to the ‘expensive car supplement’.

It has been referred to as the ‘Tesla tax’ because no vehicles sold by the American EV-maker are priced below the supplement’s threshold.

5. Broadband, phone and TV license 

The BBC TV licence fee will increase by £5 or 2.9 per cent from £169.50 to £174.50 next April.

The BBC TV licence fee will increase by £5 or 2.9 per cent from £169.50 to £174.50 next April.

The second consecutive annual rise follows a 6.6 per cent or £10.50 increase from £159 which came in this April, based on the inflation figure for September 2023.

The annual cost of a black and white TV licence will rise to £58.50, up 2.6 per cent from £57. 

Telecoms regulator introduced new rules this year that mean mobile and broadband providers must tell customers the exact price of any hikes.

Under the new rule change, someone with a mobile Sim only contract with EE will see their bill go up by £1.50 a month, or £18 a year.

But for those who took their contract out before 10 April 2024, they will face an increase of 6.4 per cent, plus an additional charge.

Most Virgin Media broadband customers will face a 7.5 per cent rise in bills, but for customers who took out a contract after 9 January this year, their monthly bill will go up by £3.50.

6. Stamp duty 

Buyers have only two months until they will need to stump up potentially thousands of pounds extra in stamp duty as Labour enforces another tax hike.

Stamp duty is not payable on the first £250,000 of a property, but house buyers will have to start paying the tax on £125,000 in April. 

For first-time buyers, the threshold will be lowered from £425,000 to £300,000. 

While first-time buyers in London face paying an extra £6,250 in stamp duty, property experts have warned.

It comes as house prices grew by 0.7 per cent last month to a record £299,138 – a three per cent rise year-on-year – according to Halifax’s house price index.

The lowered stamp duty will likely see house hunters scramble to purchase before it kicks in with less than two months left.