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Published 27 Mar 2025
9 min read
Key money dates in April
Hot on the heels of the chancellor’s spring statement and we’re gearing up for the money changes that are coming in April.
Written by: Gabrielle Pickard Whitehead
Lead financial content writer
Published: 27 March 2025
And there are quite a few.
Here are the key money dates in April, the busiest month in the financial calendar.
1 April – national living wage increase
The national living wage will increase on 1 April.
The minimum wage is the least an employer can legally pay you if you work in the UK, depending on your age. For those over 21, this is called the national living wage. If you’re under 21, you receive the national minimum wage.
The living wage for those aged over 21 will rise by 77p to £12.21 an hour from April 1.
The rate for 18-20-year-olds will increase by £1.40 to £10.
Apprentices will get £7.55 an hour, a £1.15 increase.
You can use the minimum wage calculator to find out if you're being paid the correct national minimum wage or national living wage.
1 April – council tax rise
Most households are set to see their council tax bills go up by almost 5%.
The exact amount your bill will increase by will depend on where you live and what band your property is in.
You can check your band using this tool on the government website.
1 April – water bills increase
The water regulator Ofwat has forecast that bills will rise by £27.40, pushing up the average household water bill to £473.
Use the Consumer Council for Water’s free calculator to see if you’d be better off with a water meter.
Take advantage of any water-saving devices from your supplier – check out Save Water Save Money to see what’s on offer.
If you’re struggling to pay your water bill, here are the schemes you need to know about.
1 April – TV licence increase
In December, the government announced that the cost of a TV licence will increase by £5 to £174.50.
See if you can get a discount
Some people qualify for a TV licence discount:
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If you’re over 75 and get pension credit, you can get a free TV licence.
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If you live in a care home because you’re either disabled or retired and over 60, a TV licence will cost you just £7.50.
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If you’re registered blind, you’ll get a 50% saving.
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Black and white licences are cheaper but you'll need to have a black and white TV.
1 April – car tax increase
Road tax is set to rise by an average of £30 a year, but the exact increase will depend on your vehicle. Car tax on electric vehicles also comes into effect.
5 April – end of tax year
If you contribute to an individual savings account (ISAs) or junior version, use up your annual allowance before 5 April to avoid losing it.
5 April – state pension top-up deadline
If you have gaps in your national insurance record, you can buy back years to go towards your state pension from 2006. But do so before 5 April, after which only six years can be topped up.
Your national insurance record determines how much state pension you get and you need 35 years of contributions or credits to get the full amount.
5 April – tax credits end
If you receive tax credits, you only have until this date to move to universal credit before the benefit ends.
Those affected are being sent a ‘migration notice’ by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), who are urging people to respond so they continue to receive support.
If you’re worried you might be missing out on benefits, we can check you’re claiming everything you’re entitled to. Get in touch, or try our benefits calculator.
6 April – employer national insurance increase
Employer national insurance rates rise from 13.8% to 15% and the threshold for payments lowers from £9,100 to £5,000.
6 April – state pension rise
After the 4.1% increase on 6 April, millions will see a rise of £472 in their state pension, as part of the triple lock guarantee.
This guarantees payments rise in line with wages, inflation or 2.5% - whichever is highest.
6 April – help to save scheme expanded
From this date, anyone earning at least £1 per month and claiming universal credit can apply for the government’s ‘help to save’ scheme, which gives you a bonus of 50p for every £1 saved.
Currently, those who get universal credit must earn £793.17 or more each month to qualify.
But from 6 April, eligibility for the scheme will be extended to all universal credit claimants who are in work.
The government believes the changes will make the scheme accessible to more households in need and put them in a better position to cope with financial shocks.
The help to save scheme is backed by the government, so all money is protected.
7 April – benefits rise
Benefits and universal credit will rise by 1.7%. The increase was confirmed by the chancellor Rachel Reeves in the autumn budget.
The 1.7% increase will be automatically applied to benefits.
Are you getting all the benefits you’re entitled to?
Check if you’re missing out on any other benefits.
Get in touch to find out what support you could be able to get, or you can try our benefits calculator.
Use our household bills calculator
To help you stay on top of rising costs, we've launched a free, interactive household bills calculator.
This tool gives you a personalised forecast of how much more you can expect to pay each month.
And, to help you plan ahead and avoid any nasty surprises, check out the key money dates for the whole of 2025.
Written by: Gabrielle Pickard Whitehead
Lead financial content writer
Gabrielle is an experienced journalist, who has been writing about personal finance and the economy for over 17 years. She specialises in social and economic equality, welfare and government policy, with a strong focus on helping readers stay informed about the most important issues affecting financial security.
Published: 27 March 2025
The information in this post was correct at the time of publishing. Please check when it was written, as information can go out of date over time.
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Written by: Gabrielle Pickard Whitehead
Lead financial content writer
Published: 27 March 2025