How to beat the April price hikes
It’s 1 April 2025 and today’s price hikes are no April Fool’s joke. With all the utilities and other bills set to increase today, many more households will be struggling financially than ever before.
What’s gone up?
From 1 April 2025, bills will increase for:
Energy – Gas and electricity will rise by an average of 6.4%
Water – will increase by an average of £123 per year
Road Tax – the standard rate is now £195, up from £190
Council Tax – increasing by up to 5% for most of England and around 7% in Wales and Scotland
TV Licence – goes up from £169.50 to £174.50
In reality, there is very little you can do to reduce those hikes but here are some steps you can take to help ease the impact on your household budget.
Check your entitlements
£19 billion of support goes unclaimed each year, according to Policy in Practice research. Use their calculator (it’s anonymous) to check if you are entitled to any benefits.
You may be able to claim Pension Credit if you are not already doing so. Check the Government pension calculator to see if you are eligible.
These benefits will then give you access to reductions in other bills.
How to save money on energy
See: How to get help with paying for energy bills
Seek help if you think you will fall into debt
If you’re having difficulty paying your energy bills, it is important to keep communicating with your supplier. There may be access to hardship funds and grants from various organisations, including from your energy supplier. You may also be able to get 60 days’ space from creditors to focus on getting debt advice and setting up a debt repayment solution.
You can also get debt advice from Citizens Advice, StepChange and National Debtline.
Visit the website of Turn2Us, who provide information and advice on what assistance is available, including charities that can help you to pay your bills.
Sara Williams from DebtCamel talks to me about the help you can get if you think you will fall into debt or are in debt: Sara Williams talks debt – The Complaining Cow Consumer Show.
Using Apps and websites to save money
See The best apps and websites for saving money
Saving money on food and shopping
See the following posts:
How to save money on the grocery shop. Listen to The Complaining Cow Consumer Show on East London Radio.
How you can save money on your supermarket shop
Helen Dewdney talks to Kate Hall food waste expert on The Complaining Cow Consumer Show for ways to save money on food
Free my Meal initiative for giving and receiving home cooked meals.
@thecomplainingcow Various ways to save money on your food shop. #SupermarketSavings #Tesco #Sainsburys #marksandspencer #moneysavingtips
How to save money with mobile, broadband, TV
Think before you sign – top 10 tips to save on subscriptions
14 top tips for saving money on your landline, mobile & broadband
Streaming services: How to cut subscriptions and save money
@thecomplainingcow How to reduce your board band and phone bills #MoneyTipsAndTricks #SavingMoney #broadband #phones #SaveMoney
BBC Breakfast 26/07/22 saving on streaming services
How to save money on travel
How to save money on train travel
Ways to save money on insurance
How to save money on your car insurance
@thecomplainingcow How to reduce the cost of your car insurance. What do you do? #MoneyTipsAndTricks #CarInsurance #Insurance #SavingMoney #moneysaving
Saving money on property
How to keep rent rises under control
Other ways to save money
How to haggle to save the most money
How to haggle masterclass
Think before you sign – top 10 tips to save on subscriptions
13 false economies exposed & 13 ways to not fall foul!
How to look after your mental health without spending a fortune
Hiring instead of buying can save you money
Discounts for the over 60s Steph's Packed Lunch 26/09/22
@thecomplainingcow Getting cash from retailers #moneysaving #moneysavingtips #moneysavingtipsuk #moneytipsandtricks #recycleyourstyle #recyclefashion
How to make sure you aren’t fobbed off when things go wrong
If you don’t know your consumer rights or how to complain effectively and be assertive if a company tries to not give you refunds and redress when you are entitled to them you are losing money. So here’s some help!
Top 20 Tips on how to complain effectively
Laws & regulations to make a complaint about almost anything
Further help with complaining
20 Tips for effective complaining
101 Habits of an Effective Complainer provides you with more tips.
Purchase and download templates to gain redress swiftly.
