Many of us are facing another bill rise – time to share our best money-saving tips and hacks
We’re probably already aware that rent rises that are coming into play from April.
The government told landlords in England not to hike rents by more than 7 per cent. They’re allowed to raise them by inflation plus one percentage point – which would have been more than 10 per cent.
But landlords and government realised they had to strike a balance between protecting tenants and keeping landlords’ heads above water.
In Northern Ireland, rents are also due to rise by 7 per cent. In Wales the cap on the rise is slightly lower, at 6.5 per cent. And in Scotland rent rises are likely to be around 6 per cent.
Landlords in England don’t have to raise rents by as much as 7 per cent. But many will because like the rest of us they’re struggling with rising costs.
Supported housing isn’t included in the 7 per cent cap so rents could rise by more than this.
What if we can’t pay our rent?
It’s yet another rising bill for us to budget for. If we’re struggling with the new amount, we should speak to our housing officer as soon as possible. They may be able to help us work out a way to pay any arrears in a way that we can manage.
And as the cost of living remains high, the Quids in! advice is to take a 360-degree look at our finances. There might be some small wins there that could really help us out.
One quick and easy thing to try is the Quids in! Future-Proof Finance Quiz. It’s a free and easy money quiz and the answers can show us ways to make ourselves a bit better off.
There’s also the Quids in! Budget Planner to help us keep track of our spending and see if there’s anything we can trim back.
And of course we should make sure we’re getting everything we’re entitled to from the state. A benefits checker can help with this, and there’s also lots of advice on the Quids in! website.
And did you know that Quids in! now has a TikTok account? It’s where we can share money-saving tips and hacks, plus any news about rising bills and living costs.
Quids in! always loves to hear tips for money-saving as rents and other costs rise. We can share our favourite nuggets of advice by emailing editor@quidsinmagazine.com, or check out the Quids in! Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels.
