Millions of households face sharp rises in everything from council tax to water from Tuesday, in what has been labeled “Awful April”.
Water, energy and council tax are just some of the bills going up as changing thresholds will cause more people to be liable for other outgoings like stamp duty and car tax.
The average annual energy bill will rise to £1,849 as industry regulator Ofgem increases the price cap for the third time in a row.
Payrise?
The government is hailing the increase in the national minimum and living wages as a “huge” boost to pay packets. But household bills are also rising for millions.
On April 1, 2025, the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage in Britain increased, with the new rates set at £12.21 per hour for those aged 21 and over, £10.00 for those aged 18-20, and £7.55 for those under 18 or apprentices.
This change is part of Labour’s Plan for Change, aimed at putting more money into the pockets of working people.
The prime minister admitted that “for most people, they would say the cost of living crisis is ongoing, and they feel the pressure financially”.
Sir Keir Starmer then continued: “That’s why it’s so important that we make good on our pledge that people would feel better off, and the national living wage going up today by an average of £1,400 is going to affect millions of people.”
The PM also pointed to interest rates coming down, and wages rising more quickly than prices.
“I acknowledge that with bills coming in, people see that rise and that is a pressure,” the PM added. “So we’re bearing down on this.”
The Office for Budget Responsibility has said things will get harder for the public before they get better, and the PM replied: “I am not going to stand here and say people don’t feel the impact of bills. Of course they do. I understand that.
“The question is, are we making them feel better off? And that’s why the national living wage [increase] today is so important.”
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Oh, and here is an April’s fool…
