The UK household bills and renewals checklist

The checklist at a glance

Use this table as your master list. The sections below explain what to check for each one.

Home and council bills

Council tax

GOV.UK says the cost is usually split into 10 monthly payments, and if you are struggling to pay, your council may be able to spread it over 12 instead. You get 25% off if you live on your own, or if everyone else in your home is disregarded, for example because they are a full-time student. When the new bill arrives, check the band, the discounts shown and the payment dates. In Northern Ireland, homes pay domestic rates instead, assessed for the year from 1 April to 31 March and payable in one go or over ten months.

Water

In England and Wales your water company bills you directly. If you have a meter, CCW (the water consumer body) says a manually read meter is read at least once a year, and if the company cannot read it, it may estimate, so send your own reading if a bill looks wrong. In Scotland, water and sewerage charges are included in your council tax bill and collected by your council.

Mortgage or rent

If you have a fixed or discount mortgage deal, note the date it ends. Without a new deal you will usually move to your lender's standard variable rate, which is often higher. MoneyHelper suggests starting to shop around at least six months before your deal ends, and checking for early repayment charges before you switch.

If you rent in England, since 1 May 2026 your landlord can raise the rent only once a year, not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy, and must give you at least two months' notice using a form called Form 4A. These rules apply in England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own, so check your tenancy agreement.

Boiler service

The Gas Safe Register recommends an annual gas safety check and servicing in line with the manufacturer's instructions, or once a year if you do not have them. Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you rent, your landlord must arrange an annual gas safety check on each appliance and flue and give you a copy of the record. Our home maintenance calendar covers the rest of the yearly upkeep.

Energy, broadband and TV

Gas and electricity

Ofgem sets the energy price cap every three months. It limits the unit rate and standing charge on standard variable tariffs, not your total bill, and it does not apply to fixed tariffs. If you are on a fixed deal, Citizens Advice says you can switch once you have 49 days or less left; with 50 days or more you might pay an exit fee. When a fixed deal ends you will usually be moved to your supplier's standard variable tariff, so put the end date on your list.

Broadband, landline, mobile and pay TV

• Ofcom requires providers to tell you 10 to 40 days before your contract ends, including what you will pay afterwards and their best deals.
• If you are already out of contract, your provider must remind you every year about its best deals.
• For contracts taken out since 17 January 2025, any price rises must be set out in pounds and pence before you sign up.
• If a provider raises the price by more than your contract allows, it must give you at least 30 days' notice, and you then have 30 days to leave without exit fees.

TV Licence

You need a licence to watch or record live TV on any channel or service, or to use BBC iPlayer. At the time of writing (October 2026) a colour licence costs £180 a year, the fee set from 1 April 2026. If nobody in the home does either any more, contact TV Licensing rather than letting it renew.

Insurance

List every policy with its renewal date: buildings, contents, car, and any life, pet, travel, gadget or breakdown cover. For home and motor insurance, FCA rules since 1 January 2022 mean your insurer must offer you a renewal price no higher than you would pay as a new customer. Renewal notices must also show last year's premium so you can compare. A fair price is not the same as the right cover, so at each renewal check:

• the rebuild figure on buildings cover and the total value on contents cover
• the excess you would pay on a claim
• named drivers, annual mileage and where the car is kept
• whether the policy renews automatically, and how to stop it if you want to

The car: MOT, tax and insurance

• MOT. In Great Britain, a car needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, then every year. You can get it done up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date. Driving without a valid MOT can mean a fine of up to £1,000. GOV.UK offers free text or email reminders a month before it is due. Northern Ireland has different MOT rules and processes.
• Vehicle tax. You can pay yearly, every six months or monthly. Paying monthly or every six months adds a 5% surcharge, and paying yearly does not. A vehicle tax Direct Debit renews automatically, so you will not get the usual reminder letter; the account holder is told by email or letter when payments will be taken.
• Car insurance. You must have motor insurance to drive on UK roads, so never let it lapse.

Subscriptions and personal renewals

Subscriptions are the bills that slip through: streaming, music, apps, cloud storage, gyms and memberships. Once or twice a year, go through your bank and card statements and cancel what nobody uses. Note the renewal date of any yearly subscription.

Two personal renewals are worth adding too. A photocard driving licence must be renewed every 10 years. An adult passport lasts 10 years and a child passport 5 years, so check every expiry date before you book a trip.

How to keep track

1. Keep one list in one place that everyone who pays or manages bills can see.
2. Record the same details for each: provider, account or policy number, amount, how it is paid, the renewal or end date, and who looks after it.
3. Set reminders with enough lead time: six months for a mortgage deal, about seven weeks for a fixed energy deal so you are ready when the 49-day window opens, a month for the MOT, and a few weeks for insurance.
4. Compare like for like when a renewal arrives: the same cover, the same excess, the same contract length.
5. Review the whole list once a year and remove anything you no longer pay for.

If you would rather not keep this in a spreadsheet, Dom's bills and renewals reminders hold council tax, energy, MOT, car tax, insurance and the boiler service in one place the whole household can see. Moving soon? Our moving house checklist covers who to tell.