From today, almost every bill you pay is likely to be more expensive and no, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke.
From council tax and prescription charges to energy bills and your TV licence, you can expect to see hikes from as high as 5% across the board.
Although a new tax year will mean a salary increase for some people, with the National Living Wage for adults over 25 increasing from £7.83 per hour to £8.21, many may still feel the pinch.
Here are some of the ways you may be affected:
Council Tax
Council tax is rising by an average of 4.7% in England, with bills going up by an average of £78 per year. Rises are expected in Scotland and Wales too, according to moneysavingexpert.com.
“You could be eligible for a reduction depending on your circumstances,” the site advises. “If you live alone, you could get a single person discount of 25%, and if you have a severe mental impairment such as dementia or learning difficulties, or live with someone who does, you could be eligible for a 25% or even a 100% reduction.” Apply for council tax reductions here.
Prescription Charges
Prescription charges have gone up by 2.27% in England, from £8.80 to £9 per prescription (an increase of 20p). They remain free in the rest of the UK.
Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and policy at Asthma UK, called the rise in prescription charges “another blow to people with asthma” after 19-year-old Holly Worboys died after struggling with prescription costs.
“Our research shows that three quarters of people with asthma are already struggling to afford prescription charges and we estimate that more than a million people with asthma have skipped their medication because of the cost,” she said.
If you’re struggling with prescription costs and pay for multiple medications, it may be worth purchasing an NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate, which gives you unlimited prescription for £104 for 12 months (or 10 Direct Debit instalments of £10.40).
You can also check if you’re eligible for low income prescription support or other exemptions here.
NHS Dental Charges
NHS dental charges have been frozen in Wales and check-ups remain free in Scotland, but people in England will now face higher costs.
Charges are going up by 5% in England, meaning the cost of a routine check-up will go from £21.60 to £22.70. The Oral Health Foundation said increased NHS dental charges will hit the poorest areas of society the hardest and will lead to more people avoiding routine dental visits.
“A significant U-turn needs to happen to make NHS dentistry more affordable,” chief executive Dr Nigel Carter said.
Household Bills
You can expect your energy bills to cost an average of £117 more per year as of today. That’s because The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has raised the cap on default tariffs.
Companies including British Gas, SSE, Eon, Npower and Scottish Power are all raising their prices, so it’s more important than ever to shop around for good deals – read our advice on how to do it.
Water bills have also gone up by an average of 2%, costing most British households £8 extra per year.
Mobile Phones
Almost all the major mobile phone networks have put their prices up. For example, EE customers can expect their bill to increase by an average of 2.7% while Three, Vodaphone and O2 customers will face an average increase of 2.5%. Virgin mobile has reportedly confirmed it’ll be increasing its prices in the summer.
Unfortunately you can’t up and leave mid-phone contract in most circumstances without paying a penalty fee, because warnings about price rises in line with inflation are detailed in most contracts when you sign up.
TV Licenece
The annual TV licence fee has increase by £4 to £154.50 per year. If you want to watch Fleabag, Derry Girls and all the other awesome TV on offer this year live, you’ll need to cough up. Even if you only watch your favourite shows on catch-up, you’ll still need a licence if they’re on BBC iPlayer.