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A range of household invoices, including council tax, water, gas and electricity, have increased today.
The cost of life of the BBC, Kevin Peachey, answered your most posed questions about price increases.
Why do bills are increasing?
Tashi and Chris asked why the bills increased.
This is a very simple question, but I am afraid that the answer is not easy. There are several reasons why bills increase.
On energy, this is the consequence of an increase in wholesale prices paid by suppliers, often due to global events.
The advice and water companies, on the other hand, say that there is a desperate need to raise invoices to pay the investments in the services.
Certain invoice increases are still planned for this period of the year, to correspond to the price increase rate – inflation.
So another question is: what can you do about it?
Consumer groups urge people to go around, claim everything they are entitled to and reduce the measure of the possible.
We have a guide to help you here.
Is money a better budgeting means?
James: I receive £ 150 in cash each week. It’s incredible to see how it helps you budget things. Why don’t more people try it?
There are evidence of people who turn to notes and parts to help them budget.
Although the cash use was affected during the pandemic, it made a little return, many people adopting the same point of view as James.
However, there are areas in which this does not work.
Buying a better offer on essential invoices is often something online and may require a direct debit payment. Rewards, or money, are often also available for those who pay by card.
It may therefore be that the use of a mixture of ways of paying works best – but questions remain on access to cash and internet services among the vulnerable.
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Will my salary increase by tax?
Richard Kendall asked questions about frozen tax thresholds, which means that remuneration increases can see people are inspired to pay higher income tax rates.
This is called tax drag – not a sentence that you will hear a lot about, but it is important.
This means that even if the tax rates are not increased, the income levels to which they are paid have been frozen and will continue to be it until 2028.
There have been rumors that the frost could be extended, but there are not yet concrete plans.
Thus, more people are trained in the payment of higher tax rates or simply a greater proportion of their imposed income.
By examining your remuneration slip more closely, it is worth it, and it must be taken into account when you look at your personal budget. Experts say that the study exactly of the amount of income after tax happens, and looking at it parallel to your expenses is never a waste of time.
And this can force you to reduce some of your expenses. Shopping or canceling unused subscriptions is a good start, say the experts.
Do we just have to accept water bill increases?
Colin Smith: Do we just have to accept water bill increases because we cannot go around?
The water services are different, because the “change for a better deal” simply does not do, AHEM, to have water.
There are a lot of debates on the reasons why water bills are increasing so much (remember that some suppliers wanted greater increases).
But there are things you can do to reduce your costs, even if you can’t go around.
Experts say that obtaining a water meter can reduce invoices if you have relatively low use. Water efficient shower potatoes, or similar, are available for free from certain companies.
Then there is the Watersure program, which means that the bill is capped for people with certain advantages, which have a medical condition or who have a number of children of school age at home. However, you should ask for this help.
Martin Lewis on surprising ways to cut your water bills
Does this strike the government’s growth plans?
Sam Halkyard, 32, from Rotherham: how does the government expect the economy to increase with all these invoices increases?
The ministers push their “growth program” on each occasion, calling for the reduction of administrative formalities to open the way to investments.
There is a delicate balancing act here. The government wants the standard of living of people to increase, and it wants them to spend to encourage businesses.
Remember that all of this is delivered with a salary context increases prices, an increase in the housing market and some signs of hope for the wider economy.
But the ministers will not want to see a return of flight inflation – the annual prices increase – because this would inevitably result in an increase in interest rates and higher loan costs for businesses and individuals.
So, apart from that, you see the government advancing with major long -term investment projects, such as tunnels and tracks.
I am single, where is the help for me?
Jules, 57: I am single. My salary does not arrive in April. Where is the help for us?
C charitable organizations have raised the alarm specifically on people like you, Jules.
Citizens Advice says that single households, including single parents, tend to spend a greater proportion of their income for household invoices.
As a result, there are far fewer financial rocks when invoices are increasing.
A solution is to study all the options open to you. For example, as I am sure you already know if that includes you, there is a 25% discount on the council tax, for those who live alone.
But there is, without a doubt, only one person who arises the cost of living because there is only one income that arrives, so it can be more difficult to face the money that comes out.
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What’s going on with Energy Standing Charge?
David Bosworth and Jeff Rumble asked how the permanent energy burden applies to invoices.
This is a cost of households that many people think they are unfair – especially because you can’t do anything about it.
Standing costs are the fees billed to all facilitants to cover the cost of being connected to a gas and electricity supply. They are not affected by the amount of energy that a household uses.
After having increased sharply in recent years, the standing load on average electricity has actually dropped from today – although it has increased slightly for gas. More importantly, this varies considerably depending on where you live.
The energy regulator, ofgem, is considering a reform that would allow people a choice of ways to pay – but stresses that these costs will always have to be covered.
Advice tax: What do I get?
Ian Griffiths, of Flontshire, on the municipal tax: apart from having my bin emptied once a fortnight, I have nothing for the money I pay.
In Wales, local authorities increase the council tax invoices by 2025-2026 between 5% and more than 9%.
Ian can stretch its point a bit – local authorities provide a range of services such as street lighting, parks and care services.
However, in his heart, his question highlights a common debate.
Should these invoices increases remain at least because people have financial difficulties, or are our local services so desperate investment that the council tax must increase above inflation?
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Are retirees confronted with a more difficult blow?
Lyn Nailer: Will retirees suffer from the most of these bills of invoices?
An important point for stress here is that different people, in different regions of the country, will be affected in different ways.
Water and energy bills vary according to where you live, and the different nations of the United Kingdom have different rules on the council tax and more.
But the state pension is on a UK level, and the good news is that it will increase more than the price rate next week. Triple locking means that it will increase by 4.1%.
Does everyone get the full board of the state? No.
Does the increase mean that the finances of retirees will not be stretched? Of course not.
But when they were asked how people are going to face, ministers inevitably point to this increase as proof of how the government helps.
What about the increase in the minimum wage?
David and Steve stressed that income is increasing, including by an increase in the minimum wage.
Yes, that’s not all the misfortune today.
There is an increase in the minimum wage – up to £ 12.21 per hour for more than 21 s – and there are also increases for young workers and apprentices.
Official figures show that average wages have increased more quickly than prices. The pension and state advantages will also increase next week.
This will certainly help pay some of these invoices, and you will not see the impact directly before looking at your bank balance in the coming weeks.
The Treasury also indicates movements to freeze fuel duties and guarantee the main tax rates – income tax, VAT and national employee insurance – do not improve during this parliament, because proof of support subtrays receives.
Is there a silver lining?
Invoices can increase – but for some people, income also increases.
The state advantages and pension increase in a week. Salaries have also increased at a faster rate than the inflation rate, and the beginning of April also provides an increase in the minimum wage. This means:
The minimum wage of over 21 years, officially known as the national natural salary, increased by 6.7%, from £ 11.44 to £ 12.21 an hour. For someone who works at full time who is equivalent to £ 23,873.60 per year, against £ 22,368.06 for 18 to 20 years, the minimum wage increased from £ £ 10 to £ 10. This means that a full -time worker would earn £ 19,552 per year, against £ 16,815. (Only a minority of people from this age group work full time) Apprentices are now paid £ 7.55 per hour, against £ 6.40. This means that their annual salary amounts to £ 14,762 from £ 12,513
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