Households in England set for £300 bill hike in fresh blow

English households are bracing themselves for a surge in their bills, with a potential increase of £300 on the horizon. Bills covering utilities, council tax, and train fare are expected to rise above inflation rates, putting additional pressure on the government to address the rocketing cost of living.

Inflation sits at 1.7% but is predicted to climb higher, possibly breaching the Bank of England's 2% target. Some analysts anticipate it might even hit 3% following Donald Trump's inauguration as US President, reports the Express.

Householders could face a hike of £278 in their annual expenses. Council tax will still face its 5% cap in 2025, permitting local councils to up their demands by roughly £109 for a band D house.

Projections include a £12 increase in energy bills, water bills rising by £19, broadband costs jumping by £23, and rail season tickets climbing by over £115, as reported by i newspaper. Additionally, those transitioning from fixed-rate low-interest mortgages next year are likely to encounter higher repayments.

Politicians are urging the government to step up and ease the financial strain on the public. Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride was quoted in the i saying: "The evidence is clear – Labour's Budget of broken promises will make working people poorer

"The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has already estimated that the average family will be £770 worse off in real terms by the end of this Parliament, and this new analysis just further underlines the damage this Budget will do to family finances. The British public will not forget Labour's tax hikes and their impact on living standards."

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper has criticised past fiscal policies, saying: "Years of mismanagement and unfair tax hikes by the previous Conservative Government hit people's living standards, and sadly the cost-of-living crisis has not gone away."

She highlighted her concerns about current strategies: "It's worrying that this government seems to be making many of the same mistakes, with a tax on jobs, cuts to winter fuel payments and increases to people's bus fares."

In response, a Treasury spokesperson defended recent actions: "We have taken the tough decisions to deliver economic stability after inheriting a £22bn black hole, and have boosted public investment by over £100bn over the next five years to mend our crumbling public services and drive prosperity in every part of the country."

The spokesperson added, addressing immediate financial pressures: "To support households with the cost of living in the short term, we have increased the national living wage, protected payslips from higher taxes, and for the poorest families, have boosted the household support fund and discretionary housing payments by £1bn to help with essentials such as energy, food bills and rent."