Moving Out on Your Own: Every Bill to Budget For (UK)

When you move out on your own in the UK, rent is only the first bill. Budget for council tax, gas and electricity, water, broadband, your phone and contents insurance as well, plus a £180 TV licence if you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer. Two things save money straight away: if you live alone you get 25% off council tax, and reading your meters on move-in day keeps your first energy bill accurate.

Here is the full list, with what to do for each bill in your first week.

The moving out bills list

Bill	Who you pay	When to sort it
Rent	Your landlord or agent	Before you move in
Council tax	Your local council	The week you move in
Gas and electricity	The current supplier at the property	Move-in day
Water	The water company for your area	The week you move in
Broadband	A provider you choose	A few weeks before, if you can
Mobile phone	Your network	You probably have it already
TV licence	TV Licensing	Before you watch live TV or BBC iPlayer
Contents insurance	An insurer you choose	Before you move your things in

Check your tenancy agreement first. Some rents include some bills, such as water or broadband, and those you can cross off.

Council tax: claim your 25% off

You usually have to pay council tax if you are 18 or over. A full bill is based on at least two adults living in a home, so if you live on your own you get 25% off. The same applies if everyone else in your home is disregarded, for example because they are full-time students.

Tell your council you have moved in and apply for the single person discount. GOV.UK’s “Apply for a Council Tax discount” service sends you to your own council’s form.

Council tax is usually split into 10 monthly payments. In England you can ask to pay over 12 instead, which makes each payment smaller. Our council tax guide explains how.

Gas and electricity: read the meters on day one

Citizens Advice says to contact the current supplier at your new home to tell them you have moved in. If you do not know who that is, find out first.

Then, on the day you move in:

1. Read every meter.
2. Take a photo of each reading.
3. Give the readings to the current supplier.

That helps them send you an accurate first bill instead of an estimate.

Until you choose a deal, you are automatically put on a “deemed contract”, which means the supplier’s standard variable tariff. You can switch tariff or supplier once you are responsible for the property, and a new supplier should switch you within 5 working days.

The energy price cap limits the price per unit and the daily standing charge on standard variable tariffs. It does not limit your total bill, so the more you use, the more you pay. Our price cap guide explains the current level.

Water

Find out which water company covers your new address and tell them you have moved in. Ask how and when they will bill you, and put that date on your list.

Broadband and phone

Broadband can take time to set up, so order it before you move if you can. Check whether a line or a router is already in the property. Your mobile phone bill moves with you, so just make sure the date it leaves your account still works with your new payday.

TV licence: only if you need one

You need a TV licence if you watch or record live TV on any channel or service, or use BBC iPlayer. A licence costs £180.

You do not need one to watch streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand services such as All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, or DVDs. If that is all you watch, you can leave this bill off your list.

Contents insurance

Contents insurance covers your own belongings, such as your laptop, clothes and furniture. It is your choice whether to take it out. If you do, add it to your list with its renewal date.

What it adds up to: an example

Say your rent is £650. Here is how a month might look once the other bills arrive. These amounts are an example to show the shape of a budget; yours will differ.

Bill	Monthly
Rent	£650
Council tax, after 25% off	£90
Gas and electricity	£85
Water	£38
Broadband	£27
TV licence (£180 a year)	£15
Total	£905

Rent was £650; the real monthly cost of living there is closer to £900 in this example. Knowing that number before you sign the tenancy makes the first month far easier to plan.

Put every bill on one list

In your first month, new bills arrive from five or six places at once. Put each one on a single list with its amount and the date it leaves your account, then set a reminder before each. A bill tracker such as Billo keeps them in one place, reminds you 3 days before each bill and on the day, and shows what is left after bills once you add your pay.