Unlike with gas and electricity, you cannot choose your water provider. Any property offered for sale needs an energy performance certificate and most landlords offering a property for rent also need to provide one. For example, a flat with good wall insulation and double-glazing will need less energy to heat it than a large house with single glazing. The more energy efficient a property is the easier it is to reduce your energy consumption. Your property’s energy performance certificate will let you know how energy efficient it is. How do I know when my house is wasting energy? Your energy provider will adjust this amount if you use more or less energy than predicted. This spreads the cost over a year rather than bills increasing substantially over the winter. It depends how much you use! Your energy provider will estimate how much gas and electricity you will use over a year and charge you a set amount each month. You can often receive a discounted rate by paying by direct debit. Your energy provider may send you a bill for the exact amount of energy you use which you can then pay online, by cheque or in some shops. If you do not have a prepayment meter you can choose to pay your bills in a variety of ways. How do I pay my utility bills if not on a meter? If your property runs on a prepayment meter you need to top the money up by taking your gas and electricity card to a shop or topping it up online. Some meters require a pay-as-you-go, or prepayment system. Properties have different meters which determine how you pay, but it is possible to change these by contacting your landlord and/or energy company. I'm on a pay-as-you-go meter, what does this mean? It is worth checking to see if you are getting the best deal for your gas and electric through comparison sites like Uswitch and switching provider if you find a cheaper deal. How do I get the best deal for my utility bills? Utility bills include gas, electricity and water. The Mix website has lots of information about Council Tax reductions and what to do if you are a student Utility bills Failure to pay your Council Tax bill can result in legal action, bailiffs taking your possessions, and even prison. If you miss a payment you may have to pay the whole year’s bill in one go, rather than monthly instalments. If you are on Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support, you may also get a reduced bill. This may mean that you receive a reduced Council Tax bill. You can also apply for Council Tax Benefit if you are on a low-income. Check if you qualify for a council tax discount. If you live in a larger property because someone in the home is disabled, you may be entitled to have your council tax reduced by one band. Check to see if your council has exempted care leavers. Recently, as a result of our campaigning, many councils across the UK have also exempted care leavers from needing to pay council tax. People with severe mental impairments are also exempt, as are live-in carers who look after someone who is not their partner, spouse or child. No, you may be exempt from paying council tax if you're a student, care leaver, or looking after someone not in the family.įull-time students are exempt from paying Council Tax if sharing a house with other full-time students, and people who live on their own have a 25% reduction. You can check your property’s Council Tax band through the government website. So, properties in band A pay less Council Tax than properties in band H. Council Tax ‘bands’ range from A to H with the rates increasing along the alphabet. Where you live and the type of property you live in determine the Council Tax rate. It funds a range of local services, including rubbish collection, parks, libraries, transport, police and fire services. Council Tax is money paid to your local authority.

Bills to pay list