Stuart Anderson MP has said that residents and businesses are paying the cost of Labour’s mismanagement of the economy as a range of bills increase this month in what he has called another awful April.
Stuart has added that the government is charging residents a “rural penalty” for living in remote areas like South Shropshire, where essential bills are rising much more steeply.
- Stuart blames government for “another awful April” as bills rise again.
- Average households bills are increasing by more than £200.
- Businesses are hampered by hikes in statutory employment costs.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
“It is another awful April under Labour’s watch, as a range of domestic and commercial bills are set to rise again this month. Residents and businesses across South Shropshire are paying the cost of Labour’s mismanagement of the economy, which has ground growth and productivity to a halt. Average households bills are increasing by more than £200, while businesses are being hampered by yet more hikes in statutory employment costs. Meanwhile, a rural penalty is being imposed on residents for living in more remote areas like South Shropshire, where bills are rising much more steeply than the national average.”
Household Bills:
- Council tax up by £162 in Shropshire - more than national average of £111.
- Water bills up £52 for Severn Trent customers - more than the national average of £32.40.
- The TV Licence fee up by £5.50, while broadband and mobile up by £67.20.
Stuart Anderson MP has said it is “another awful April” as a range of household bills are set to increase this month. Across the country, households face an average increase over £200 in essential bills. The combined impact of increases in water, council tax, broadband and mobile bills, and the TV licence fee represents a £7 billion a year surge in essential bills. However, Stuart has said that many further costs are also set to rise, as inflation remained stuck above the Bank of England’s target of 2.0 per cent every month of 2025. For example, Vehicle Excise Duty is increasing from £110 to £115 while electric vehicle (EV) drivers will see their road tax rise from zero to £200.
Stuart has added bills are rising much more sharply in remote and sparsely populated areas like South Shropshire, which he calls a “rural penalty.” The average Band D council tax bill for 2026–27 will rise to £2,392, an increase of £111 or 4.9 per cent on the previous year. This follows a £109 rise last year, meaning families are facing back-to-back increases. Overall council tax receipts are climbing by £2.7 billion this year. In Shropshire, however, this stands at a much higher increase of £162 for an average Band D property. This takes the overall fee to £1,969. Stuart has consistently criticised the government’s council tax reforms, which deprive Shropshire Council £15 millions over the next three years. At the same time, the government has watered down a formula which promised to factor ‘remoteness’ into funding allocations for local councils. This would have accounted for the extra cost of delivering services in rural, sparsely populated, and remote areas like South Shropshire. It follows the decision to scrap the Rural Services Delivery Grant, which the previous government had introduced in 2013/14 to help with the extra cost of delivering these services.
Meanwhile, average water bills are going up £52 for Severn Trent customers. It is much more than the £32.40 national average. The TV Licence fee is also going up by £5.50, while broadband and mobile bills are increasing by £67.20 a year. While Ofgem’s Energy Price Cap will be cut by £117 from April, it is predicted to rise by a massive £300 from July - up to almost £2,000, as the conflict in the Middle East pushes up costs. At the General Election, Labour promised to cut energy bills by £300. However, Stuart has said that they have gone up by £200. At the same time, wages continue to rise only modestly - with the slowest growth in five years having been recorded in November to January, according to the official data.
Stuart has also said that businesses are being hammered by a range of statutory employment costs. Shops, restaurants, and hotels will see their rates increase by 15 per cent, after more than doubling last year. Business will be forced to pay Sick Leave from an employee’s first day off, costing employers £450 million more each year. This follows last April’s hikes in employer National Insurance Contributions which add £900 to the cost of employing someone. New figures from the OECD show GDP is now expected to expand by just 0.7 per cent this year. The is down 0.5 per cent from the OECD’s previous prediction and puts the UK second lowest in the G7. Meanwhile, inflation is projected to average four per cent this year, which is double the Bank of England’s target. This is on top of there being a decline in consumer confidence under Labour.
