TIME TO SEARCH AROUND AS AN AVALANCHE OF PRICE RISES ARE ROLLED OUT THIS MONTH
HOUSEHOLDS are about to see a host of essential bills rise steeply as firms roll out their annual April price increases.
The average yearly council tax bill will go up by £106 as local authorities struggle to pay for frontline services.
The bill for a typical Band D property will jump by 5% to £2,171, according to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales will soar by 6% or about £27 to £473 a year from April 1.
But Water UK chief executive David Henderson said: “Next year will see record levels of investment from water companies to secure the security of our water supply in the future and significantly reduce the amount of sewage in rivers and seas.”
Most broadband deals and mobile phone contracts will increase by 7.9%, calculated by inflation plus up to 3.9%.
Uswitch said this amounts to around £27.19 more a year for broadband and £24.23 for mobile bills on average.
Richard Neudegg, at the price comparison site, said Ofcom is weighing up a new ban on such price hikes but he urged people to shop around if out of contract.
Subscription television will also see hikes. EE TV, previously BT TV, is up by 7.9%, Virgin Media’s will rise by 8.8% and Sky 6.7% from the start of this month.
Separately, the annual cost of a TV Licence will be dearer at £169.50, up from £159.
The Government confirmed in the Autumn Statement that vehicle excise duty, or road tax, will rise in line with the Retail Price Index.
For cars registered after April 1 2017, it means a rise from £180 per year to around £190. However, older or dirty vehicles pay more.
First-class stamps rise by 10p to £1.35 and second-class stamps by 10p to 85p.
Natalie Hitchins, at Which?, said: “There are ways to cut costs and keep your household bills as low as possible.
“Switching providers if you’re out of contract can slash broadband, pay TV and mobile bills by up to £187. It’s also worth checking if you are eligible for council tax reductions or exemptions – and you could save by installing a water meter.”