EXCLUSIVE How much do YOU spend on bills each month? Cities with highest - and lowest
Comparison website Money Supermarket's latest Household Money Index found that the average household spends £1,524.37 a month on essentials between January and March 2025.
In a 30-day month this is the equivalent of £50.81 per day.
It accounts for 69 per cent of the average take-home pay of £26,480 after tax, or £2,207 per month. This figure doesn't take into account pension contributions and student loan repayments, meaning many people will have less.
The data shows that higher spending on essentials leaves households with an average disposable income of £682 per month, equivalent to £22.73 a day in a 30-day month.
The monthly cost of bills and essentials is also likely to rise after 'Awful April', when huge increases in water, energy, broadband and council tax took effect.
The data shows that where you live can make a big difference to how much money you'll have left after essential spending.
In Manchester, households spend around 84 per cent of their income (£1,967) per month on essential bills, higher than in London, where people spend 71 per cent of their income (£1,869).
At the other end, Edinburgh residents spend just 63 per cent (£1,276) followed by Nottingham where people spend £1,294, also 63 per cent.
What is driving up bills?
One of the biggest drivers of higher costs has been an increase in gas and electricity bills, which Money Supermarket says increased from £102 to £110 per month, between the last quarter of 2024 and the first of 2025.
The wholesale energy market has been increasingly volatile amid growing geopolitical tensions, which sent the January price cap to £1,738. This increased again in April to £1,849, but it is likely to fall in July when demand on the grid is lower.
Similarly, the average amount spent on rent each month risen from £223 to £235 a month, while mortgages have gone from £236 to £248.
However, this figure includes people who don't have a mortgage or pay rent, for example those who have paid off their mortgage.
At the same time, gross annual income has fallen from £32,246 to £31,889, with monthly income after tax falling by £22 to £2,207.
These higher figures have been partly offset by a fall in grocery spend - from £175 to £164 - and petrol costs - from £50 to £45.
The most recent CPI inflation reading found that food inflation fell from 3.3 per cent to 3 per cent in March 2025 as supermarkets continued to slash prices.
Kara Gammell, personal finance expert at Money Supermarket, said: 'With the cost of living still front of mind for many households, it's never been more important to understand where your money is going - and how it compares to the rest of the UK.
'Our latest data shows just how wide the regional differences are, and highlights the value in regularly reviewing your household bills to make sure you're getting the best deals on essentials like energy, insurance and broadband.'
Can you save money on energy bills? Check the best fixed deals
When energy prices spiked most households slipped energy price cap tariffs, but it is now possible again to switch to fixed rate energy deals that can save you money.
This is Money's recommended partner uSwitch lets you compare the best energy deals for you, based on your home and gas and electricity costs.
> Compare the best energy deals with uSwitch*
By entering your address and energy usage, you can search for energy deals that can cut your costs and suit how you live.
Switching energy provider can also help the planet, if you move to one of the green deals offering electricity from renewable sources and more environmentally-friendly gas.
*
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Britain facing pension poverty 'time bomb' as Rachel Reeves' tax grab helps crater retirement savings by 20 per cent in six months
Britain is facing a pension poverty 'time bomb' after Rachel Reeves ' punishing tax grab helped plunge retirement savings by 20 per cent in six months. Survey figures suggest Britons may have been reducing their pension contributions since Christmas as the economy reacted to Labour's new tax regime. The Chancellor's national insurance hike has been partly blamed for high inflation this year, raising the cost of goods and services. Critics said last night the increased cost of living is 'squeezing' households and preventing people from putting money away for their retirement. As a result, the average monthly pension contribution has slumped to £53.40 this month from £59.10 in April and £65.10 in December. This is the first time in two years contributions have dropped for six months in a row, according to data from the House Money Index compiled by price comparison website MoneySuperMarket. At the same time, average household spending on bills and other outgoings surged by 12 per cent to £1,564 per month. The data showed the average Brit is now shelling out £52.14 per day on essentials, up from £46.40 in December. Kara Gammell, personal finance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: 'People are reducing their private and workplace pension contributions, perhaps to help offset rising costs and stretched household finances.' Last night, Helen Whately MP, shadow pensions secretary, said: 'Britain is facing a pension poverty time bomb of Labour's making. 'By squeezing the public with more taxes and higher bills, people are being forced to make terrible choices – choices we won't see the full consequence of for years. 'The Conservatives will always stand on the side of the makers – those who work hard, do the right thing, and want to get on in life. 'And so we will hold Labour to account for the economic mess they are making.' John O'Connell, chief executive at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'Sky-high taxes and soaring living costs mean hard-pressed households are dipping into their retirement savings just to stay afloat.' This month, the Office for National Statistics said UK inflation jumped higher than economists had expected to 3.6 per cent in June, up from 3.4 per cent in May. It marked the steepest increase since January 2024, with critics blaming Mrs Reeves' 'job tax'. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the Government was reviving New Labour's Pensions Commission to help people save more. She said: 'People deserve to know they will have a decent income in retirement – with all the security, dignity and freedom that brings. 'But the truth is, that is not the reality facing many people, especially if you're low paid, or self-employed.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Kamala Harris' former advisor left flustered after being asked simple question about economy
A former senior adviser to Kamala Harris was left visibly flustered during a live television segment after he failed to accurately answer a basic question about the current U.S. inflation rate. During a Friday appearance on Fox News ' America Reports, anchor Sandra Smith pressed Mike Nellis, once a Senior Advisor to former Vice President Harris, on the latest economic data, asking, 'Do you know what the inflation rate is?' 'Yeah, it's like about three or four percent,' Nellis responded. But Smith quickly fired back, correcting him. 'No. It's below three. And it's been a long time since it's gotten there. I mean, you're looking at 2.5 percent inflation now.' According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.7 percent year-over-year in June. While slightly above Smith's figure, the inflation rate has remained below 3 percent for several consecutive months, reflecting a significant cooldown from its 9.1 percent peak in June 2022 - the highest in four decades, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Despite the data, Nellis insisted that inflation continues to rise. 'Inflation is still going up,' he said. 'And it's rising, according to the latest stats.' 'That's not the case,' Smith countered. 'Inflation has come down. Inflation by nature is growth in prices, but the growth has slowed.' Earlier in the segment, Nellis blamed Republicans and President Donald Trump for ongoing economic concerns. 'Right now the president of the United States is Donald Trump. Republicans are in control of Congress,' Nellis said. 'They're currently in recess rather than doing anything about inflation.' He went on to claim that beef and alcohol prices hit record highs over the July 4 weekend and criticized Trump's promises to reduce prices immediately after taking office. 'Donald Trump promised to make grocery prices go down on day one,' Nellis said. 'We're six months in and everything's more expensive.' Smith pushed back, noting that 'prices have definitely come down,' but that 'they can go down more.' Meanwhile, some economic indicators suggest relief for American consumers, according to AAA, average gas prices hit a four-year low in June. The tense exchange came just days after the Democratic Party had its own messaging blunder when its official X account posted a graphic blaming inflation from 2021 to 2024 on 'Trump's America' - even though Joe Biden and Harris were in charge the whole time. The post later deleted. The White House later shared the same graphic again, this time fixing the mistake and crediting the Biden administration. That slip-up highlights the tough spot Democrats are in as they face growing criticism over the party's handling of the economy. A new Wall Street Journal poll this week showed that 63 percent of voters view the Democratic Party unfavorably - the worst rating they've seen in 35 years. Just 33 percent said they view the party favorably, and only 8 percent said they had a 'very favorable' view, according to the poll. In contrast, Republicans, while also viewed more unfavorably than favorably, had stronger numbers - sitting at just 19 percent. President Trump's job approval stands at 46 percent, higher than the 40 percent approval rating he received at the same point in his first term, according to the WSJ. When asked which party they trusted more on major issues such as inflation, tariffs, and immigration, voters consistently favored Republicans. 'The Democratic brand is so bad that they don't have the credibility to be a critic of Trump or the Republican Party,' Democratic pollster John Anzalone, who conducted the WSJ poll with Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, said. 'Until they reconnect with real voters and working people on who they're for and what their economic message is, they're going to have problems.' Republicans currently hold a financial edge as well, with campaign filings showing the Republican National Committee has over $80 million on hand, compared to $15 million held by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the WSJ reported.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Reuters
Core inflation in Japan's capital stays above BOJ target in July
TOKYO, July 25 (Reuters) - Core consumer inflation in Japan's capital stayed well above the central bank's 2% target in July, data showed on Friday, adding to renewed market expectations for another interest rate hike this year. The data will be among factors the Bank of Japan will scrutinise at its next rate review on July 30-31, when the board is expected to revise up this fiscal year's inflation forecast in a quarterly review of its projections. The Tokyo consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food costs, rose 2.9% in July from a year earlier, government data showed, slightly below a median market forecast for a 3.0% increase. It followed a 3.1% rise in June. A separate index for Tokyo that strips away both fresh food and fuel costs - closely watched by the BOJ as a measure of domestic demand-driven prices - rose 3.1% in July from a year earlier after a 3.1% gain in June, the data showed. The BOJ exited a decade-long, radical stimulus programme last year and raised short-term interest rates to 0.5% in January on the view Japan was on the cusp of sustainably hitting its 2% inflation target. While the central bank has signalled readiness to raise rates further, the economic impact of higher U.S. tariffs forced it to cut its growth forecasts in May and complicated decisions around the timing of the next rate increase. But U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement on Wednesday of a trade deal with Japan has diminished uncertainty over the country's economic outlook, prodding some investors to renew their bets on another rate hike by the end of this year. Hours after the announcement, BOJ Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida said the deal would reduce uncertainty and heighten the chance of Japan durably hitting the bank's inflation target. A Reuters poll, taken before the trade deal announcement, showed a majority of economists expect the BOJ to raise its key interest rate again by year-end, though most expect the bank to stand pat at this month's meeting.
