O The cost of living crisis is a widespread problem that affects people from all walks of life.
Even people earning a living wage are noticing the pinch, as various bills — from lifestyle costs like gym memberships to daily essentials, including many staples — are set to get even more expensive.
From phone contracts to city taxes, here are all the bills expected to go up starting in April 2023.
phone bills
Phone bills are going to go up again this year, though that’s nothing new.
Most phone carriers raised their prices each year before the cost of living crisis, however, with inflation currently over 10%, this year’s increase is likely to leave a bigger hole in your wallet than usual.
Providers typically base their price increases on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Retail Price Index (RPI), which are two measures of calculating inflation.
The CPI (which measures how much the cost of goods and services has increased compared to last year) is currently at 10.1% and the RPI (which measures the change in the cost of home prices as well as goods and services) it is currently at 13.4%.
Confirmed increases in phone bill price
- AND IS – customers can expect their phone bills to increase by 14.4% from March 31st. The increase is based on the CPI of 10.5% plus an average increase of 3.9%. EE estimates this to work out to around £1 extra per week on average
- O2 – the company has confirmed that prices will increase by 17.3% (13.4% January RPI rate + 3.9%) if your contract starts after March 25, 2021 or a 13.4% increase if started before this date
- vodafone – customers were informed that prices will increase by 14.4% – the CPI rate + 3.9%
- Three – Customers who joined after Nov 1, 2022 will see prices increase by 14.4%, those who joined or upgraded between Oct 29, 2020 and Oct 31, 2022 will see prices increase by 4.5%
For more information on these increases and to see more phone carriers, check out our complete explanatory guide.
city tax
In his autumn budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that councils can raise rates by up to 5% without a referendum, whereas previously they were only allowed to raise council tax by up to 2%.
So while there is no fixed percentage increase across the country and each local council can choose how much to raise their fees, on average prices can go up by £75.
Confirmed or proposed increases by region
- adur – 1.99%
- ashford – 2.9%
- Barrow-in-Furness – 2.84%
- bassetlaw – 4.0%
- Bath and North East Somerset – 4.99%
- brighton and hove – 4.99%
- bedford – 2.90%
- blaby – 2.99%
- Blackburn and Darwen – 4.99%
- Berkshire (across the region) – 6.76%
- Bolton – 6.5%
- bracknell forest – 4.99%
- bradford – 4.99%
- Breckland – 4.7%
- Bristol – 5%
- buckinghamshire – 4.99%
- calderdale – 4.99%
- Cambridge – 4.99%
- Canterbury – 2.24%
- Chelmsford – 4.0%
- Cheltenham – 2.99%
- east cheshire – 4.99%
- colchester – 3.0%
- Cornwall – 4.99%
- Coventry – 5.0%
- cumberland council – 4.99%
- dacorum – 1.99%
- darlington – 5.0%
- Durham – 5%
- Doubt – 4.99%
- East Devon – 3.3%
- East Suffolk – 2.81%
- East Hertfordshire – 3%
- East Lindsey – 5.42%
- Eden – 4.99%
- gateshead – 4.99%
- Gloucestershire – 2.99%
- Hartlepool – 4.99%
- Harborough – 2.99%
- herefordshire – 4.99%
- hertfordshire – 4.99%
- hertsmere – 2.99%
- horsham – 2.99%
- Lancaster – 2.99%
- Leeds – 4.99%
- lincoln – 2.90%
- luton – 4.99%
- Manchester – 4.99%
- Medway – 5%
- merton – two%
- Vale Mole – 2.99%
- Middlesborough – 3.99%
- Newcastle-upon-Tyne – 1.99%
- Newcastle-upon-Lyme – 1.99%
- northeast of lincolnshire – 4.98%
- North Tyneside – 4.99%
- North Somerset – 4.99%
- north yorkshire – 4.99%
- norwich – 2.99%
- nottinghamshire – 4.84%
- oldham – 3.99%
- oxford – 4.99%
- peterborough – 4.99%
- Plymouth – 4.99%
- Portsmouth – 4.99%
- redcar and cleveland – 3.99%
- rugby – 2.99%
- rutland – 4.99%
- ryedale – 4.99%
- shropshire – 2.27%
- Solihull – 2.99%
- south norfolk – 2.99%
- South Tyneside – 4.95%
- Saint Helen – 5.00%
- Stratford-upon-Avon – 3.2%
- Slough – 4.99%
- staffordshire – 4.99%
- sunderland – 2.99%
- Surrey Heath – 5%
- Suffolk – 2.81%
- sussex – 4.99%
- Teignbridge – 2.78%
- Thanet – 2.99%
- torbay – 4.99%
- wakefield – 4.99%
- walsall – 2.99%
- Welwyn Hatfield – 2.97%
- west oxfordshire – 4.57%
- Wiltshire – 5%
- Windsor and Maidenhead – 4.99%
- Wirral – 4.99%
- Worcestershire – 4.94%
energy bills
From April 2023 there will be another increase in energy prices in the UK when the Energy Price Guarantee ends.
The end of guarantee implemented last year will see the cap rise to £3,000 a year (up from £2,500).
This limit is based on typical home usage – if you use more energy than the average home, you are paying more than this amount.
From April 2023, the Energy Bills Support Scheme will also be reduced and, for many, will end.
The scheme, introduced in October 2022, provided a £400 non-refundable payment to eligible households to help with their energy bills between October 2022 and March 31, 2023.
While the schema will remain in effect, support will no longer be available to everyone. There is currently no further information on whether the Energy Bills Support Scheme will be made available to everyone again next winter when usage is likely to increase.
water bills
The average annual water bill in England and Wales is expected to rise by around £31 a year (7.5%) from April, industry body Water UK announced in early February this year.
Those in Scotland will see bills rise by £19 a year (5%).
An estimated forecast based on data provided by water companies to Water UK indicates how much costs could increase per supplier, but people’s individual bills could be higher or lower depending on factors such as how much you use, whether you have a water meter water and where you live.
Estimated cost of water and sewage bills for 2023/24
- English£492, + £47 year-over-year (YOY)
- Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water£499, + £14 YOY
- Hafren Dyfrdwy£372, + £41 YOY
- Northumbrian£391, + £29 YOY
- Severn Trent£419, + £28 YOY
- South-west£476, + £8 YOY
- Southern£439, + £43 YOY
- Thames£456, + £39 YOY
- United Utilities£443, + £26 YOY
- wessex, £504, + £42 YOY
- yorkshire£446, + £30 YOY.
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