British consumers face a raft of price hikes over the coming weeks that in some cases will add hundreds of pounds to gas and electricity, phone, broadband, council tax and water bills. Over recent years, 1 April has become the date that utilities and others target to push through price hikes – and 2019 is no different. This is what you can look forward to.

Phones and broadband – up £150

Sky TV and broadband customers will see their bills rise by up to £96 a year from 1 April. Those with Sky entertainment, fibre broadband and talk anytime packages will see an increase of £2 a month for each service. A customer with multiple products could see a rise of up to £8 a month, although Sky says the average increase is £3.50 a month, or 5.1%. The increases are significantly higher than inflation, meaning many customers will have to be allowed to leave penalty free. Sky will usually agree new better terms if you threaten to depart, so make the call.

The next biggest sufferers are set to be around 250,000 Virgin Mobile pay-monthly customers who will see their bills rise from April as part of a tariff shake-up, with some reporting huge annual hikes of as much as £150 a year. It happens on Sunday 31 March. The company is replacing older pay-monthly and sim-only tariffs, and says customers will be moved on to the closest equivalent deal. Again, if you’re affected, you can leave penalty-free.

On the same day EE monthly mobile customers are being hit with a 2.7% price rise – which is December’s retail prices index inflation figure. The rise also affects sim-only customers, but not pay-as-you-go. O2 and Three have both said their pay-monthly contract customers will see a rise of 2.5% from April. Note, the mobile firms can increase prices mid-contract in line with inflation or below without giving customers the option to leave.

Gas and electricity – up £117

On 1 April, the energy regulator Ofgem’s price cap rises by £117 a year, effectively allowing all the energy firms to increase prices on their most expensive variable tariffs up to the new capped figure of £1,256. The big suppliers have all announced prices will go up, and the new rates will add about £100 to annual bills between April and July. Npower will have the highest variable tariff at £1,230, after it raises prices on 17 June. E.on’s will be the lowest of the big six at £1,153.

Anyone on a standard tariff will be overpaying by around £200 a year after these planned hikes, so act now and switch to a cheaper deal.

It is not just those on variable tariffs that will see price hikes next month. Energyhelpline says that 47 fixed-price deals are coming to an end on 1 April alone, and the average increase faced by affected customers if they do nothing is £153. If you haven’t switched supplier in recent years or were on recently ended deal, you need to take action and find a cheaper deal.

Council tax – up £42

April Fools’ Day will also see council tax bills rise. Three-quarters of local authorities are set to increase tax by more than 2.5%, the Local Government Information Unit has said, although in some cash-strapped areas they will rise by double that.

Owners of average band D homes will typically pay an extra £42 a year. In Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire the rises are 5% and 4.99%, while in Oldham and Cornwall it is 3.99%.

Average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales will also rise on the same day by £8 to £415 a year on average.

The biggest rise is set to hit households in Yorkshire, with an average increase of £16 to £401 a year by Yorkshire Water – a 4% increase on current prices. Thames Water bills will rise 3% to an average of £398. In contrast, bills for South West Water customers will decrease by an average of 2%, albeit to a higher average £491 a year bill.

Lastly the NHS prescription charge in England will increase by 20p to £9 on 1 April. Residents in Wales and Scotland receive free prescriptions.

The cost of going to an NHS dentist in England also rises on 1 April. Band one inspection rises by £1.10 to £22.70. Band two charges, covering procedures such as root canals, rise by £3 to £62.10.

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