From water to council tax: How the bill rises (and one drop) affect you

From water to council tax: How the bill rises (and one drop) affect you as preferred on Kevin Peachey Cost of living correspondent Several household bills have gone up in April - although energy costs have fallen for now. At the same time, minimum wage has gone up and and there are upcoming increases in benefits for many lower-income billpayers. Prescription charges in England have also been frozen, and councils will be able to give cash payouts people struggling with the rising cost of living from a Crisis and Resilience Fund. Here's a guide to the bill changes and how they affect you. 1. Household energy bills Typical household energy bills have fallen by 7% between April and July, following a shake-up in charges by the government . Nearly everyone in England, Wales and Scotland is benefiting from the cut irrespective of their tariff, although the amounts will vary between households. For a household on a tariff governed by regulator Ofgem's price cap, and using a typical amount of gas and electricity, the annual bill will drop to £1,641. The bill drop will only be temporary. The impact of the Iran war means that prices will increase sharply in July. The latest forecast by analysts at energy consultancy Cornwall Insight suggests the household with typical energy use will pay £1,929 a year from July, an 18% rise. 2. Council tax Council tax is a compulsory charge on properties in England, Scotland and Wales. It is rising by an average of 4.9% for households in England. …