A SERIES of household bills and taxes are increasing from Tuesday across the UK and in Scotland.
It has been dubbed “Awful April” as no one looks set to be unaffected.
The National have compiled a list of what is increasing and who is affected.
Council tax
With the council tax freeze imposed last year to come to an end this April, Scots across the country are facing various tax increases.A Scotland-wide council tax freeze ends in April, and local authorities across Scotland have announced the biggest rate hikes in decades.
The inflation-busting increases will see bills for some go up by as much as 15.6% if you’re in Falkirk.
Twelve other councils across Scotland have announced rises of 10% or more.
Water bills
Scottish Water announced in January that water bills are set to rise by 9.9%.
It said this means the average monthly household bills for water and wastewater services will increase by £3.68 per month or £44 per year from April 1.
Energy bills
Ofgem’s latest increase to the energy price cap will add £9.25 a month or £111 to the annual bill of an average household which pays by direct debit, which already currently stands at £1,738.
The unit price of gas is increasing from 6.34p per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 6.99p per kWh, and electricity is going up from 24.86p/kWh to 27.03p/kWh.
Households are urged to send an accurate meter reading to ensure that all energy they use before the higher prices come into effect is billed at the lower rate.
It is also sensible to check if it would be worth switching to a fixed tariff, which works by locking in a set rate for gas and electricity for a specific period such as 12 months.
These deals are becoming increasingly common across energy firms, but consumers need to check for exit fees.
To find the right tariff, households should consider all options, including cheaper variable tariffs – a tracker product that changes daily based on wholesale cost – or time-of-use tariffs that can benefit those charging electric vehicles overnight or who want to take better advantage of off-peak rates.
Mobile and broadband
Some customers will see rises in line with inflation, while others may face fixed hikes depending on when they signed up or upgraded.
For those on inflation-linked contracts, broadband prices will rise by an average of £21.99 annually, with some newer plans seeing increases of up to £42 a year, according to Uswitch.
Mobile users face similar increases, with an average increase of £15.90 for inflation-linked contracts, and up to £48 for newer deals.
Broadband customers should check their contract status to see if it is possible to switch without incurring a penalty. Switching to a new broadband deal after the initial contract has ended could save up to £180 a year.
Vodafone, Virgin Media and Community Fibre are some of the providers freezing prices until 2026 for those who switch before the April increases.
Mobile customers can text INFO to 85075 to check the status of their contract and any exit fees, or consider lowering their data plan to save money.
TV licence
April’s increases will see the price of a standard colour TV licence rise by £5 to £174.50 a year. The price of a black and white licence will also go up from £57 to £58.50.
You can claim a free TV licence if you are 75 or older and claim pension credit, or live with a partner who receives the benefit, by calling 0300 790 6071.
Car tax
The standard rate of tax for cars registered after April 2017 will rise to £195 from the start of April, an increase of £5. Some owners may pay more, or less, if their car was first registered before 2017.
The rate is dependent on when a car was first registered and the type of fuel it consumes.
Owners of electric vehicles (EVs) will be subject to car tax for the first time. Any EVs registered since April 2025 will be subject to the lowest rate of tax of £10 in the first year, before moving to the standard rate of £195.
Train fares
Transport Scotland has announced that fares would rise across the ScotRail network by 3.8%.
They confirmed that the current 20% discount on season tickets would continue until September 2025.
