Be prepared, household bills in 2024 are set to change from April 1st.
Across the UK, Council Tax, broadband services and utilities will see price increases for millions of customers. We’ve broken down the price change to bills you can expect in our table below, as well as more information on why bills are changing.
How much will my bills be? Find out with our Utility Bill Calculator ›
How will bills change in April 2024?
|
Service |
Price Change |
Who for? |
|
Council Tax |
+4.8% to +10% |
4.99% for residents of England except in Thurrock, Slough, Working and Birmingham, where the rise will be 10%. In Wales rises vary from county to county but will be between 4.8% and 10%. No Council Tax rise in Scotland. Read more here. |
|
Water |
-0.4% to +20% |
An average 8.8% increase for Scottish Water customers. Otherwise, increases vary by supplier across England and Wales by an average of 6.2%. Read more here. |
|
Energy |
-12.3% avg. |
Customers on variable energy tariffs will see energy bills fall by an average of 12.3% under the new April 2024 energy price cap. Prices for fixed tariff customers will not change. Read more here. |
|
Broadband, TV and Mobile |
+3% to +8% |
BT, EE, Sky, Virgin Media and Vodafone customers, among other providers. Most suppliers have excluded customers on their Basics or Essentials plans from the price rise. Read more here. |
|
Television Licence |
+6.6% |
Anyone who watches live TV in the UK. The annual price is increasing from £159 to £169.50. Read more here. |
Changes to the energy price cap
The energy price cap is the maximum amount that energy companies can charge per unit for gas and electricity.
While there are some fixed-rate tariffs available on the market, most UK households are still on a variable tariff that’s controlled by the price cap. The energy price cap is adjusted every three months in January, April, July and October, with the new price cap announced around six weeks before.
From April the price cap will drop by an average of 12.3% across regions, cutting energy bills for millions. Experts now predict another fall in prices in July before a rise in October, with prices remaining higher than before the UK energy crisis.
Will water bills rise in 2024?
Your water tariff is recalculated in April of each year, with the new cost largely based on inflation from the year before.
However, for customers of some suppliers, water bills will be rising less than expected. 12 underperforming water companies identified by Ofwat have been asked to repay a total of £114 million to customers in the form of bill reductions. In real terms, these customers will still see a rise in their bill, although it will be lower than initially thought. You can see more, including which suppliers have been asked to repay customers, here.
This jump in household bills in 2024 is, unfortunately, a prelude to bigger price rises to come. Provided Ofwat approve the proposal, the average customer will see their bill rise by £156 a year between 2025 and 2030. Read more about the proposal, and what the bill increase will be paying for, here.
Council Tax in 2024
Just like water, Council Tax bills are updated in April at the beginning of the new tax year. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that local authorities will be allowed to raise their bills by up to 5% in 2024, with those facing exceptional financial hardship permitted to raise bills by 10%.
It’s expected that the majority of Band D properties will pay more than £2,000 a year in Council Tax in April. Properties in higher bands could see their bills rise by up to £120 a year.
A council tax jump is one of the rises you can expect for household bills in 20224.
Broadband price rises in 2024
Most UK broadband suppliers also include an inflation-based price increase in their contracts, even for customers on a fixed plan. 12 major broadband suppliers raised their prices mid-contract in April 2023: BT, Community Fibre, EE, Gigaclear, KCOM, Now Broadband, Plusnet, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Vodafone.
You can check your current broadband contract to see if you can expect a price rise in April. Most suppliers will raise prices again, aside from those who guarantee their in-contract prices. These providers tend to be smaller companies such as Hyperoptic.
Your broadband supplier will also reach out to you before a price rise to confirm what your new bill will be. If you’re unhappy with the new price you can consider switching providers – but be aware that if you’re still under contract you may have to pay an exit fee. Read more about how to cancel your broadband contract without an exit fee here.
The TV licence fee is increasing
Ofcom and the BBC have confirmed the new TV licence fee will be £169.50 from April. This is a rise of 6.6%, based on the rate of inflation in September rather than an average through the year.
Read more about changes to the TV licence in 2024 – and in 2027 – here.
Estimate your household bills in 2024
If you’re unsure how much to budget for household bills in a new home, or if you want to see how your energy bill compares to the average for your property, try our free utility bill calculator.
We keep the calculator updated with the latest unit rates for energy and water, so you can accurately estimate your bills. Check back throughout the year to see how you’ll be affected by changes to the energy price cap and new water rates.
