All of the payments going up in April as households face over £200 in further prices

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Your help makes all of the distinction. Learn extra April 2026 has begun, that means the beginning of a brand new monetary 12 months and the annual a slate of invoice rises for households to grapple with.

Typically dubbed “terrible April” by cash specialists, the yearly invoice rise is prone to really feel notably ill-timed for a lot of, as battle within the Center East threatens to push up the UK’s price of dwelling within the close to future.

Council tax and water payments will each be rising by greater than ordinary in 2026, as households face a median £214 enhance in important payments this 12 months, information from Uswitch has revealed.

In higher information, most advantages, the state pension and the minimal wage may also be rising in April, serving to thousands and thousands of households. In the meantime, wages proceed to rise solely modestly, recording the slowest development in 5 years within the November to January interval, in line with official information.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/01/28/19/17/01KG2M9V40K0EE0BH9SPM01X9J.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/01/28/19/17/01KG2M9V40K0EE0BH9SPM01X9J.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&trim=0%2C42%2C0%2C40&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/01/28/19/17/01KG2M9V40K0EE0BH9SPM01X9J.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&trim=0%2C42%2C0%2C40&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Council tax and water bills will both be rising by more than usual in 2026" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> Council tax and water payments will each be rising by greater than ordinary in 2026 (PA) Round 62 per cent of Brits now concern they can't cowl the rising prices on their present revenue, Uswitch researchers discovered, as family incomes wrestle to maintain tempo with the dimensions of value rises.

Right here’s a breakdown of a number of the key family payments rising this 12 months:

Council tax – up £109

Nearly all of councils in England have introduced a council tax enhance of 4.99 per cent – the utmost allowed with out authorities permission. The common rise will equate to £109 per family, Uswitch evaluation has discovered.

Seven councils in England have been allowed to lift their charge by greater than this in April. Shropshire, Worcestershire, and North Somerset have been permitted the very best, every at 8.99 per cent.

Warring, Trafford, and Windsor and Maidenhead will elevate theirs by 7.49 per cent, whereas Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council have been permitted 6.74 per cent.

Water payments – up £32.40

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Common family water payments are set to rise by £33 yearly, a hike two share factors above inflation, sparking renewed public anger over persistent sewage air pollution.

Seeing the most important enhance in money phrases are prospects of United Utilities, which serves the northwest, at a median £57. That is adopted by Southern Water (up £55), Hafren Dyfrdwy (up £54) and Severn Trent Water (up £52).

Water UK says the rise will fund a £20bn funding between 2026/27, aimed toward securing provides and halting discharges into rivers and seas.

Licence payment – up £5.50

From April, the TV licence payment will rise from £174.50 to £180 – a rise of £5.50. The change will add an additional 46p a month onto the licence payment, and is bigger than final 12 months’s rise of £5.

The TV licence is a authorized allow that have to be acquired to observe or file dwell programmes on any machine. This will both be by means of buy or given free to these receiving pension credit score and 75 years or older.

Broadband and cell – up £67.20

Most broadband and cell suppliers will probably be growing month-to-month payments from April, in some instances by as a lot as £4. Mixed, rises will price households a median of £67.20 further a 12 months, Uswitch estimates.

Nonetheless, not like many different family bills, many households can take motion now to keep away from the steepest rises. An estimated 14 million individuals are out of contract on their cell deal, and an estimated 7 million on their broadband. This implies they gained’t face a penalty for leaving their supplier, or looking for a greater take care of them – and typically it will pay to take action.

For many who are proud of their cell machine, Sim-only offers will be discovered for as little as £4 a month. Cash skilled Martin Lewis has additionally suggested that out-of-contract broadband prospects may “double the pace and halve the value” of their contracts for financial savings of as much as £500 a 12 months.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/03/12/14/14/rtyjthregfwregtrhgf.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/03/12/14/14/rtyjthregfwregtrhgf.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/03/12/14/14/rtyjthregfwregtrhgf.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Money expert Martin Lewis has also advised that out-of-contract broadband customers could ‘double the speed and halve the price’ of their contracts for savings of up to £500 a year" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> Cash skilled Martin Lewis has additionally suggested that out-of-contract broadband prospects may ‘double the pace and halve the value’ of their contracts for financial savings of as much as £500 a 12 months (BBC) Power payments – down £117 (for now)

Ofgem’s vitality value cap will drop to £1,641 for 1 April to 31 June 2026 – lowering by round 7 per cent, or £117. The discount aligns with chancellor Rachel Reeves’ current pledge that £150 could be reduce from the typical family invoice.

The vitality value cap is the utmost quantity vitality suppliers can cost these on a normal variable tariff for every unit of vitality, which incorporates most households. It's expressed as an annual invoice for a median residence.

The vitality regulator’s determination will come as welcome information to invoice payers, marking one of many few reductions amongst a slate of invoice rises. Mixed with hotter spring climate, vitality prices needs to be much less of a priority within the brief time period.

In the long term, the outlook is much less optimistic.

Revered vitality consultancy Cornwall Perception has predicted the July value cap will rise by almost £300 from July as battle within the Center East threatens to push up prices.

This might carry the value cap to the very best charge since July 2023, which got here after the file rises seen within the first 12 months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.