Oxford News
Energy bills fall but UK households hit with £143 rise
While the new price cap from Ofgem will cut average gas and electricity costs, a wave of increases in other essential bills means most families will still end up paying more overall.
New analysis shows a typical household will be £143 worse off from April – despite the drop in energy prices.
Bills rising faster than savings
The problem isn’t just energy, says the data from Nous.co – it’s everything else too.
- Council tax is rising by around £114 a year for a typical Band D home
- Water bills are increasing by about £33 annually
- Broadband and mobile contracts are also going up
Together, these increases more than wipe out any savings from lower gas and electricity bills.
“For most households, the relief from cheaper energy will be cancelled out elsewhere,” said Greg Marsh, CEO of Nous.co.
A postcode lottery across the UK
Where you live could make a huge difference to how hard you’re hit.
Households in Wandsworth will see one of the smallest increases – around £30 a year – thanks to lower council tax.
But in Shropshire, rising council tax and water charges mean bills could jump by as much as £211 annually.
Warning: energy bills could rise again
Global instability, particularly tensions involving Iran, is already pushing wholesale energy prices higher – raising fears that bills could surge again later this year.
Forecasts suggest the price cap could rise sharply in July, potentially adding hundreds of pounds back onto annual bills.
Even after April’s drop, households are still paying more than £500 a year extra compared to before the 2021 energy crisis.
Urgent warning: submit meter readings now
Consumers are being urged to act before the April price change kicks in.
The charity Advice Direct Scotland is calling on households to submit meter readings before March 31 to avoid being overcharged.
Without an accurate reading, suppliers may estimate usage – meaning some customers could end up paying higher, outdated rates.
Gareth Kloet, energy expert at Go.Compare, adds: “Taking a meter reading on 31 March is one of the simplest ways to make sure you don’t overpay for your energy bills and ensures that you’re charged at the new, lower rate as soon as it kicks in.”
Recommended reading:
What you can do now
- Submit a meter reading before April 1
- Check if your tariff is still competitive
- Review broadband and mobile contracts
- Seek advice if you’re struggling
Experts warn this isn’t a short-term problem.
“This isn’t a one-off hit,” Marsh said. “Households are facing a prolonged squeeze.”
He added that many people could be overpaying by hundreds of pounds simply because keeping track of rising bills is too complex and time-consuming.
UNESCO first adopted March 21 as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.
The heritage organisation said: “World Poetry Day is the occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media.”
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This time on Looking Back, we’ve found a selection of fantastic poetry celebrations in Oxfordshire from the year 2014, now 12 years ago.
Language lovers converged for the day of celebration on bookshops, schools, at recitals and conferences.
Take a look back through this Oxford Mail archive gallery to find pictures from a decade ago of World Poetry Day celebrations in Oxfordshire.
We’ve made a gallery of pictures showing all the Oxfordshire spots which have been used for TV and film sets over the years.
Some of the biggest productions filmed here in Oxfordshire include Spectre in the James Bond franchise, which transformed Blenheim Palace in Woodstock into the Palazzo Cardenza in Rome.
READ MORE: Abandoned Oxfordshire home used as drugs den shut down
Many period dramas were also created in the county, like the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, which was partly filmed at Chastleton House in the Cotswolds.
Cotswolds villages have been repeatedly transformed and used as filming locations for their historical appeal, like the villages of Brill, Broadwell and Castle Combe.
Find all the pictures in this archive gallery of historic Oxfordshire filming locations here.
Three Year 10 pupils from Aureus School in Didcot travelled to London for the Royal Navy International Women’s Day event, held on HMS President during Careers Week and designed to showcase opportunities within the Royal Navy and beyond.
Students Antonia Pop, Ellie Swan and Tilly Mulvey are all taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.
Ellie Swan said: “It was fantastic to see the possible career paths within the Navy.”
Rob Hayden, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award manager at Aureus School, accompanied the students to the event.
He said: “During the day, students had talks from individuals within the Navy and from guest speakers, including Hannah Botterman, who last year won both the Rugby World Cup and the Six Nations with England.”
He said: “Students also had the chance to network with the speakers and other attendees.
“The event showed the students a wide range of inspirational females within the Navy and other careers.”
Aureus School, part of the GLF Schools multi-academy trust, says its vision is focused on ‘cultivating ambition’ and ‘high standards for all’.
Headteacher Kirsty Rogers says the Didcot-based co-educational comprehensive has undergone a ‘transformative journey’, creating a community where students feel a strong sense of belonging. She emphasises inclusivity, high expectations, and a broad curriculum that encourages ambition, resilience and respect, supported by dedicated staff and diverse extra-curricular opportunities.
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