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Cost of Living

Council tax

All domestic households in the UK, whether owned or rented, are required to pay council tax to cover the cost of public services, for example, policing.

You will need to let your local council know when you move into a property and how many people live there.

How much council tax you pay will depend on the valuation band of the property you are living in; if you live alone there is usually a discount.

Further information can be sound on the Council’s webpages, rates of council tax in Leeds.

Home insurance

The type of insurance you should buy depends partly on whether you rent or you own your home.  There are three main home insurance policies:

• Buildings insurance;
• Contents insurance;
• Combined building and contents insurance.

Buildings insurance protects the structure, the fixtures, and fittings in your home, whilst content insurance covers your belongings.

Homeowners usually need both buildings and contents insurance, while those who rent typically only need contents insurance.  It can be a condition of the lease or mortgage, that you have both building and/or house contents insurance.

In the UK there is a wide variety of insurance providers, with widely varying policies, cover options, and costs.  Advice and comparison websites can help you find the best deal and cover to suit your needs, for example:

• Moneysavingexpert;
• Comparethemarket.

If you need to make a claim on your property insurance policy you will need to inform the police before your claim can be processed.

Utility bills

A utility bill is a request for payment for a public service, including:

• Energy (Gas and Electricity);
• Water;
• Television (TV) licence.

Some utility bills are fixed nationally, by property type or are dependent on usage, and others vary depending upon the selected supplier.

When you’ve moved into your new home, you should:

• Contact the current supplier at your new property to tell them you’ve moved in so they can transfer the accounts into your name;
• Read the meters on the day you take ownership or responsibility for the property.  Give these readings to the current supplier to make sure you get an accurate first bill;
• If a prepayment meter is installed try not to use a key or card, or put any money on the meter until you have contacted the current supplier;
• If you are renting check your tenancy agreement to see if utility bills are included in your rent;
• Shop around for the best deal.  You do not have to use the supplier that the previous owner / tenant of your property was using.

Energy

Gas and electric are billed on usage, it is calculated by your supplier once you’ve provided meter readings. Suppliers are competitive, you can find the best deal by searching the market.  Comparison websites can help, for example:

• Moneysavingexpert;
• Switch2Save;
• UKPower.

Water

Water can be charged either by a standard annual charge or by exact usage if you have a water meter installed.  Further information can be found on the Yorkshire Water’s website.

Television (TV) licence

In the UK if you watch the BBC or any other TV live, as it is being broadcast, then you must have a TV licence.  This currently costs £147.00 per year, per household (2017); if you don’t pay you could face a £1,000 fine.  

Home phone line rental and broadband

Line rental is the charge you pay for an active phone landline into your home.

When finding a landline deal consider the following:

• When do I make most of my telephone calls?
• If there is a free call allowance?
• Do I mostly call landlines, mobiles or international numbers?
• What add-ons are available and how much do they cost?
• Do I want to bundle my services?

You can opt for a standalone line rental or a ‘bundle’ which includes both line rental and broadband.  If you intend to have broadband a ‘bundle’ is often cheaper as the two services are often interlinked.

Vonage, which works via a box you plug into your landline, is a good option if you call abroad often.  It offers unlimited calls to over 60 countries from £12 per month (2016), low-cost international rates to worldwide destinations, and unlimited calls to mobiles in 34 countries.

Broadband is the standard way of connecting to the internet; broadband internet requires a landline fee unless you are with BT or have Virgin Media fibre optic broadband.

When finding a broadband deal consider:

• your actual usage;
• required speed;
• downloads;
• installation and set-up fees;
• contract length.

You can usually buy a line rental and broadband ‘bundle’ from around £17 a month (2017). Often, these bundles are cheaper than buying line rental and broadband separately, but you are still able to do so if you wish. Most providers allow you to pay monthly or annually.

Comparison websites such as moneysupermarket, uswitch and comparethemarket will help you find the best deal for you.