



If the Easter weekend is proving expensive, then stand by, because it’s only going to get worse. Sunday 1 April has been dubbed national price-hike day as a host of government bodies and private firms will increase charges, potentially adding at least £100 to family budgets this year.

Council tax bills will rise by an average of 5.1% (on band D properties in England), typically adding an extra £81 a year. The average water bill for England and Wales is to rise by 2%, or £9 a year, while the cost of a colour TV licence goes up from £147 to £150.50 a year.

The NHS charge for a dental check-up will also increase, by £1 to £21.60. And if you need a doctor’s prescription, it will cost £8.80 – up 20p.

The price hikes may appear small, but add them all together and they could cost you around £100 extra a year

Sadly, all this is no April Fools’ Day joke and comes days after a rise in the cost of stamps – from 65p to 67p for a first class stamp – on 26 March.

Those taking long-distance flights of more than 2,000 miles from UK airports will pay £3-£6 more in air passenger duty: taking it to £78 in cattle class or £156 at the front.

Mobile phone firms Three, EE, O2 and Vodafone will hike the cost of monthly contracts for some customers by up to 4% on or around 1 April, depending on billing date.

Sky TV and broadband customers will see their monthly contracts rise by around £30 a year.

Hannah Maundrell of Money.co.uk says: “As you tuck into your Easter eggs this year, your wallet could be hit left, right and centre. These price hikes may appear small and nothing to worry about, but add them all together and they could cost you around £100 extra a year. You won’t be able to avoid some of the increases, but you can certainly take control when it comes to managing the cost of your energy, phone and broadband.”

Energy provider E.ON is removing its dual-fuel and paperless discount on 19 April. The discount is worth around £30 a year to customers who take both gas and electricity from it. In effect, it amounts to a 2.7% price increase for dual-fuel customers.