Key money dates for April 2026

April is one of the busiest months of the year for your finances. From bill increases to pay rises and new rules, there’s a lot happening, and many of these changes could affect your day-to-day budget.

To help you stay ahead, here are the key money dates for April 2026 and what they mean for you.

1 April - NHS prescription charges to be frozen

Good news to start the month. NHS prescription charges will stay at £9.90. That means no increase for now, helping keep healthcare costs a little more predictable.

1 April – council tax rises

Most households will see council tax go up by nearly 5%.

• councils with social care duties can increase bills by up to 4.99%
• other councils can raise them by up to 2.99%
• bigger increases require a local vote

You can check your band using this tool on the government website. 

If you’re worried about paying council tax, it’s worth checking if you qualify for discounts, exemptions or other support. 

1 April – water bills increase

Water bills are going up across the UK:

• England and Wales: up about £33 a year, bringing the average bill to £639
• Scotland: up about £42 a year to an average £532

If this feels like a stretch, you’re not alone. Millions of households already get help through schemes like social tariffs, and more support is expected this year, so it’s worth checking what you could get.

1 April – TV licence increase  

The cost of a TV licence will rise to £180 a year, that’s an extra £5.50.

You don’t need a TV licence if you only watch programmes that aren’t broadcast live. But if you watch or record live TV, or watch anything on BBC iPlayer, you must have a licence.

1 April – car tax changes

Car tax is increasing slightly.

For most cars registered from April 2017, the standard rate will rise from £195 to £200 a year.

Rates for older vehicles are going up too, depending on the type of car.

Electric vehicles will also start paying car tax.

1 April - energy price cap falls

Despite global uncertainty, there’s some relief here.

The energy price cap is dropping by 7%, bringing the average annual bill to £1,641, about £10 a month less for a typical household.

Of course, we don’t know what will happen after July when the current cap ends, but for now at least, that will be good news for many hard-pressed households.

If you’re struggling to keep up with your energy bills, speak to your supplier as soon as possible. 

They might be able to offer grants, payment plans and advice on managing your account.

1 April - minimum wage increases

From 1 April, your pay could be going up.

The national living wage will increase by 4.1% to £12.71 an hour. This will apply to full-time workers aged over 21 and works out to a pay increase of £900 a year.

The national minimum wage rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will go up by 8.5% to £10.85 an hour.

And workers aged 16 and 17 and those on apprenticeships will see a 6% increase, taking the minimum wage up to £8 an hour.

You can use the minimum wage calculator to find out if you're being paid the right national minimum wage or national living wage.  

5 April – end of tax year 

This is your last chance to use your ISA allowance for the 2025/26 tax year.

If you don’t use it, you lose it, so it’s worth topping up your savings if you can.

6 April – benefits and state pension increase

With the new tax year comes higher payments:

• most benefits rise by 3.8%
• universal credit standard allowance increases by 2.3%
• state pension rises by 4.8% to £12,548 a year

There’s also a big change, the two-child benefit cap has been scrapped, which could make a huge difference for many families.

6 April - making tax digital begins

If you’re a sole trader or landlord, this may affect you.

You’ll need to:

• keep digital records
• submit quarterly updates to HMRC
• use compatible software

If this applies to you, it’s worth getting set up early to avoid stress later.

More information about this can be found on the government website.

6 April – new shopping pricing rules

Shops will now have to show clearer pricing, including unit prices. This should make it easier for you to compare products and find the best value.

6 April - homeworking tax relief ends

If you work from home and don’t get support from your employer to cover homeworking costs, you’ll no longer be able to claim tax relief.

This could cost you:

• £62.40 a year for basic rate taxpayers
• £124.80 a year for higher rate taxpayers

7 April – stamp prices rise  

Royal Mail is increasing stamp price on 7 April:

• first-class stamps will increase by 10p to £1.80
• second-class stamps will rise by 4p to 91p

You can still use old stamps after the change, so stocking up now could save you money.

8 April – passport fees to go up

Passport application fees are going up.

If you apply online:

• the cost of an adult passport will go up from £94.50 to £102
• the cost of a child passport will rise from £61.50 to £66.50

If you apply by post, it’ll cost you even more:

• an adult passport will go up from £107 to £115.50
• a child passport will increase from £74 to £80

If you need your passport urgently, the cost of the one-day premium service will go up from £222 to £239.50.

Applying online is cheaper, so if your passport is due soon, it might be worth sorting it now.

April - broadband and mobile prices rise

Many broadband and mobile providers increase prices in April, often by up to £4 a month.

If you’re out of contract, this is a great time to shop around. You could also check if you qualify for a social tariff, which can cut your bill by up to half.

April - new cost-of-living support scheme

A new support scheme is launching to help households struggling with rising living costs.

The Crisis and Resilience Fund will give councils in England longer-term funding to provide targeted help, so if you’re struggling, more support may be available where you live.

30 April – Bank of England interest rate decision

On 30 April, the Bank of England will announce its latest interest rate decision.

This matters because it affects:

• mortgage payments
• loan costs
• savings rates

If you have a mortgage or are borrowing money, it’s worth keeping an eye on this.

Stay one step ahead

April brings a lot of changes, but knowing what’s coming puts you in control. A few small actions, like checking your bills, reviewing your contracts or claiming support, could make a real difference to your finances.

Try our household bills calculator

When you’re worrying about the impact of rising costs, it can help to see the bigger picture.

Our free and interactive household bills calculator gives you a personalised forecast of how your monthly costs could change.

It only takes a couple of minutes to use and shows how bills may change based on where you live.

Once you’ve done this, you can take the next step by using our handy budget planner to map out your monthly finances. 

It’s free and easy to use.

And if you’re struggling to keep up with household bills, remember that you might be entitled to some support.

We can check you’re getting all the benefits you’re eligible to claim with our benefits calculator.