- April hikes are set to affect millions of Brits, with household bills to rise by a collective £6.85[1] billion from next week
- While not all increases are avoidable, eight million broadband and 14 million mobile customers can escape the looming price rises if they act now[2]
- As bills rise by as much as 13%[3], and with wages not keeping pace, 62% of Brits, who are expecting increases in their bills, now fear they cannot cover the rising costs on their current income[4]
- Uswitch expert reveals how Brits can beat some of the April bill hikes
UK households are just one week away from an April bill surge that will add a collective £6.85 billion[1] per year to the cost of living overnight.
Confirmed increases to council tax, water, TV licence, mobile and broadband bills are all set to spike on 1 April. The average household faces a total annual cost increase of £214[5] across these essential services.
While not all price rises can be avoided, consumers can fight back against some of the hikes by switching their mobile and broadband providers, potentially saving more than £600[6] per year.
Uswitch, the comparison and switching website, is urging households to take action now and make switches to help offset price rises before the April deadline.
Price hikes breakdown: broadband, mobile, water, council tax and TV license
On average, bills will rise by £39.60 for broadband and £27.60 for mobile customers[7].
For some, these increases could be as high as £4 a month for broadband[8] and £2.50 a month for mobile[3], adding up to a maximum hike of £48 and £30 per year respectively.
These increases follow rules introduced by Ofcom in January 2025, which require price rises to be displayed upfront in pounds and pence. While the change provides more transparency at the point of sale, many providers have set fixed annual rises that are higher than the current rate of inflation.
Eight million broadband customers and 14 million mobile customers[2] are currently out of contract and free to switch providers without paying a penalty fee, meaning they will avoid April price hikes if they change providers within the next seven days.
Households are being stung by other bill rises this year, with the cost of a TV licence increasing by £5.50[9] annually, and water bills going up by an average of £32.40[10].
Council tax is increasing by up to 5%[11] in England, adding £146.90[12] a year to bills for the average household. While consumers can’t necessarily avoid these price rises, they can contact their water provider or council if they think they are paying too much.
Rising household costs: a tough reality for many Brits
While bills are rising by as much as 13% in some cases[3], wages are not keeping pace. 17% of Brits say they have had their wages frozen for 2026[13].
4.6 million Brits received or expect to receive a pay rise of less than 2%, leaving many households facing a financial squeeze as multiple bills increase at the same time[14]. Overall, 62% of Brits who are expecting increases in their bills, are concerned about their ability to pay these new bills with their current income[4].
A significant number of those expecting price increases are planning to adjust their spending habits to counter rising bills, with the most common lifestyle changes including cutting back on outgoings such as the weekly grocery shop (28%), socialising with friends/family (28%), and home heating (24%)[15].
Max Beckett, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, says: “While the shift to 'pounds and pence' pricing has made mobile and broadband bills more transparent, these flat-rate increases are being used by some providers to push through price hikes that, for many customers, are a much higher proportion of the bill than the current rate of inflation.
“With many households seeing their income stall while outgoings increase, it is more important than ever to take action on the bills that you can reduce.
“If you are one of the millions of people currently out of contract, you can choose to move to a different plan or provider and potentially save hundreds of pounds.
“We know that for some, switching broadband providers might sound daunting and many customers put it off because they can't risk losing their connection at home. However, thanks to a new process called One Touch Switch, the move is now taken care of for you. Your new provider manages the transition so you won't be left offline, making it an easy way to help offset the price rises coming from other household bills like council tax and water this April.”
Max’s tips to beat the mobile and broadband price rises
- Switch to save: Check your contract status to see if you can avoid price hikes by switching penalty-free. Switching to a new broadband deal after your initial contract has ended could save you an average of £329[6]. Virgin Media, EE, Plusnet, BT, Hyperoptic and Vodafone are some of the providers freezing prices until April 2027 for those who switch before the April increases
- Think local: Some regional full fibre broadband providers (for example, Trooli and YouFibre) have committed to a fixed price promise for the entire duration of your contract
- Haggle with your provider: If you don’t feel like you are getting good value for money, contact your provider directly to negotiate a reduced bill, or consider a different package for your needs
- Switch to SIM only: Switching from an ending 24-month handset contract to a SIM only mobile contract could save you an average of £304 per year[6]. Providers like Lebara, SMARTY, Asda, VOXI, Talkmobile, giffgaff, spusu, and iD Mobile offer low-cost plans without mid-contract price increases. By texting 85075, mobile customers can check their contract status and see if there are exit fees in the current contract
- Price freezes: Mobile customers can take advantage of price freezes with Three, Vodafone, iD Mobile and Tesco Mobile. By switching to one of these mobile providers in March, you won't see a price increase this April
- Reduce your data plan: If mobile customers have leftover data each month, consider lowering your data plan to save money
- Early switch: For customers still in contract, providers, including Virgin Media, EE, Trooli and Three, are offering early-switching credit to help cover exit fees, with Virgin Media currently offering up to £250 and EE offering up to £300
Visit Uswitch.com to find the best mobile and broadband deals ahead of new price rises taking effect from 31 March.
-ENDS-
For more information
Harriet Atkinson | Telecoms PR Manager
harriet.atkinson@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Notes to editors
Table 1: Average bills per household, price increase details and who can escape the price hikes:
| Bill | Price increase details | Cost per household / individually (yearly) | Cost nationwide (yearly) | Can you escape the April bill price hikes? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Average 5.4% increase across England and Wales, with Southern Water seeing an 8% rise, Anglian Water hikes by 7%, and Severn Trent Water facing a near 10% increase [10] | £32.40 per household[10] | £926.6 million per household[16] | No - but if you’re on a metered bill, reducing your usage could bring it down. In recognition of cost-of-living pressures, more households will receive discounted bills than ever before. |
| Council tax | Council tax in England could rise by up to 5%[11], with some areas in Wales facing hikes as high as 7.1%[17]. In Scotland, rates could climb by 10%[18] | £109 per household[11] | £3 billion million per household[19] | No - but if you think you’re in the wrong band, you can have this reviewed (but it could go up or down) |
| TV licence | The annual cost of a TV licence will rise to £180 from 1 April 2026, as required by the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement, in line with inflation.The increase follows the methodology of calculating the licence fee in line with the consumer price index (CPI) until the end of the BBC Charter Period. This means the cost of an annual colour TV licence will rise by £5.50, or the equivalent of an extra 46p a month[9] | £5.50 per household[9] | £157.3 million per household[20] | No - it is a nationwide increase, but support for households in severe financial difficulty is available and free licences for over-75s on Pension Credit |
| Broadband | Households will be hit by broadband price rises in March or April 2026, even if they are mid-contract. This is down to annual price hikes that most UK providers include in their contract terms. | £39.60 per household [7] | £1 billion per household[21] | Yes, most households can switch penalty-free if out of contract. Vodafone, Virgin Media, BT, EE, Plusnet, and Hyperoptic are some of the providers freezing prices until 2027 for those who switch before the April increases. Regional providers such as Trooli, YouFibre don’t increase prices mid-contract. |
| Mobiles | Most mobile providers increase their prices by a small amount each year to combat upgrades and costs. The Retail Prices Index (RPI) rate of inflation is set to be announced in February 2026, and the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) was announced at 3.4% in January 2026. This determines the price rise amount for the majority of mobile networks. For any new customer joining a mobile provider from the start of 2025, Ofcom has banned price rises from being linked to the inflation rate. Instead, you'll likely be notified of a fixed yearly price increase when you sign up for the new deal | £27.60 per adult individual[7] | £1.5 billion per adult individual[22] | Yes, most customers can switch penalty-free if out of contract.Lebara, SMARTY, Asda, VOXI, Talkmobile, giffgaff, spusu, iD Mobile are providers with no price increases available on Uswitch. For those still in contract, providers, including Virgin Media, EE and Three, are offering early-switching credit to help cover exit fees |
1) £1,132,560,000 [broadband per household] + £1,518,614,183 [mobile per individuals] + £157,300,000 [tv license per household] + £926,640,000 [water per household] + £3,117,400,000 [council tax per household] = £6,852,514,183
2) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 20th - 24th February 2026. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents were asked “When does your current mobile phone contract end?” and “When does your current home broadband contract end?” 18% responded that their mobile phone contract has already ended and they are out of contract, 7% responded that their mobile phone contract will end before the 1st April 2026, 8% responded that their broadband contract has already ended and they are out of contract, 7% responded that their broadband contract will end before the 1st April 2026. 644 people were out of contract for either mobile or broadband, 644/2000=32.2%, 32.2% * 55,022,253=17,717,165 people out of contract by April 1st for mobile and broadband
3) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 23rd - 29th December 2025. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents were asked: “How much do you currently pay for your primary monthly mobile plan?” Responses show the average monthly mobile bill is £18.60 (NB: this is an average of all mobile contracts, including SIM only, handset, and split), with a 13.4% price increase based on the £2.50 price rise.
4) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 3rd - 6th March. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents who are expecting some of their bills to increase were asked “You mentioned you are expecting your bills to increase. How concerned are you, if at all, about being able to pay for these with your current income?” 62% responded with concerned
5) £109 council tax cost + £32.40 water bill cost + £5.50 TV license + £39.60 broadband cost + £27.60 mobile cost = £214.10
6) Total average savings = £633, using the following calculations:
Broadband customers can save an average of £329: Switching to a new broadband deal after your initial contract has ended could save you ¬£329 (¬£329.15) a year.* We calculated the average yearly cost of staying out-of-contract (¬£657.60) across the five most popular deals on Uswitch: Vodafone Full Fibre (500, 150, and 910) and Virgin Media (Gig1 and M125). We compared this to the average yearly cost for new customers switching to those same five deals (¬£295.15). This figure includes mid-contract price rises, calculated using the average price increase across these five deals (¬£3.70 per month) applied to the 9 months of the year following the April price hike (April to January).
Mobile customers can save an average of £304 for SIM-only mobile contracts: Switching from an ending 24-month handset contract to a SIM-only contract (and keeping your existing handset) could save you £304 (£304.54) per year, or £25.38 per month. This calculation is based on the price of the top selling 24 month handset package in Jan 2024 (Apple iPhone 15 with Unlimited data) against the cheapest equivalent SIM only deal on the Uswitch site as of Jan 2026 (iD Mobile Unlimited Data £15.00 per month, 24 month contract). Correct as of Jan 22 2026.
7) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 20th - 24th February 2026. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents with a mobile phone contract were asked “Many mobile phone providers are expected to raise their contract prices in April, either based on inflation or a set amount that should have been told to you at the start of your contract. How much are you expecting your mobile bill to rise by in April?” The average was £2.30 a month. £2.30 * 12=£27.60
Respondents with a broadband contract were asked “Many broadband providers are expected to raise their contract prices in April, either based on inflation or a set amount that should have been told to you at the start of your contract. How much are you expecting your mobile bill to rise by in April?” The average was £3.30 a month. £3.30 * 12=£39.60
8) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 23rd - 29th December 2025. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents were asked: “How much is your monthly bill for your home broadband?” Responses show the average monthly broadband bill is £35.90, representing a 11.1% increase based on the £4 price rise.
9) Current TV licence rises according to Gov.UK. The cost of an annual colour TV licence will rise by £5.50, or the equivalent of an extra 46p a month
10) Current water rises according to Water. Average £2.70 a month increase x 12 = £32.40.
11) Council tax increases according to Gov.UK.The average Band D council tax set by local authorities in England for 2025-26 will be £2,280, which is an increase of £109 or 5.0%.
12) Current water rises according to Water. £2.70 a month increase x 12 = £32.40. The average Band D council tax in England will see an increase of £109 according to Gov.UK. £109 council tax + £32.40 water bill + cost of an annual colour TV licence will rise by £5.50 = £146.90
13) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 3rd - 6th March. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents were asked “Considering your pay in 2026, which of the following best describes the pay rise you have received, or expect to receive?” 17% responded with No pay rise / My pay is frozen
14) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 3rd - 6th March. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents were asked “Considering your pay in 2026, which of the following best describes the pay rise you have received, or expect to receive?” 8% responded with "Below Inflation" rise (Less than 2%). On a nat rep survey of 2000 UK adults, 167 (8%) are receiving a below inflation rise. 167 / 2000 * 55022253 (UK adult population) = 4,594,358 (shorthand 4.6 million)
15) Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 3rd - 6th March. Results are weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents who are expecting some of their bills to increase were asked “ If your monthly bills increase as expected on April 1st which, if any, of the following will you need to cut back on to meet the increase?” 28% responded with weekly grocery shop, 28% responded with socialising with friends and family and 24% responded with home heating
16) According to ONS, there were 28.6 million households in 2024. £32.40 water bill cost X 28,600,000 = £926,640,000
17) Council tax increases according to Gov.wales.The average Band D council tax set by local authorities in Wales for 2025-26 will be £2,170, which is an increase of £119 or 7.1%.
18) Council tax increases in Scotland will be up to 10% according to the BBC.
19) According to ONS, there were 28.6 million households in 2024. £109 council bill cost X 28,600,000 = £3,117,400,000
20) According to ONS, there were 28.6 million households in 2024. £5.50 TV licence cost X 28,600,000 = £157,300,000
21) According to ONS, there were 28.6 million households in 2024. £39.60 average broadband X 28,600,000 = £1,132,560,000
22) Average mobile (£27.60) x UK adult population (55,022,253) = £1,518,614,163