Almost three-fifths of UK households (59%) saw at least one bill increase in the three months to July 2026, according to research published by the comparison service Uswitch on 29 July 20261. Two-fifths (43%) reported two or more increases, 30% reported at least three and 19% reported at least four1.
The research, conducted online by Opinium between 6 and 9 July 2026 among 3,000 UK adults weighted to be nationally representative, found grocery bills rose for 46% of homes, council tax for 34% and energy bills for 30%1. The average household spends £1,535 a month on essential expenses, including £568 on rent or mortgage payments, £265 on groceries, £160 on council tax, £152 on childcare and £120 on gas and electricity1.
When asked where they would cut back over the next three months, two-thirds of households (66%) said they would not reduce spending on streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime, 61% would protect music apps such as Spotify and Audible, and 60% would keep gym membership spending the same1. Households were almost twice as likely to cut back on takeaways (47%) as on streaming (25%) or gym membership (31%)1.
| Spending area | Will not cut back | Will cut back |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming services | 66% | 25% |
| Children's hobbies and activities | 66% | 27% |
| Music or media subscriptions | 61% | 29% |
| Gym or fitness membership | 60% | 31% |
| Takeaway meals | 45% | 47% |
Source: Uswitch Household Budget Tracker1
Sabrina Hoque, a consumer expert at Uswitch, said:
The release states that new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made the cost of living his top priority1. It also reports that 26% of households say their finances are worse than three months ago, against 15% who say they are better, and that households are evenly split on the year ahead, with 27% expecting improvement and 28% expecting deterioration1.
Why it matters for households
Energy sits fifth in the average household's list of monthly essentials at £120, behind housing, food, council tax and childcare1. That position helps explain the pattern in the findings: when budgets tighten, energy is one of the costs households report actively reducing, with 14% saying they spent less on energy in the quarter against 30% who spent more1. Energy is also the area where household behaviour most directly affects the bill, through usage and through the tariff a home is on, which is the subject of the bills price cap hub.
The research does not report how households reduced energy spending, whether through lower consumption, a tariff change or a supplier switch, and no breakdown of that kind has been published1. What it does show is that a majority of homes absorbed at least one bill increase in a single quarter, and that the costs households are least willing to give up are subscriptions and memberships rather than the utility bills themselves1.
What happens next
No dated next steps are set out in the research. Uswitch states it is urging households to compare what they spend on insurance, energy and utility bills, and the release carries no timetable for further findings1.