Utility Bills in London: How to set up your New London Home

Last updated: May 2026 | Written by Corrina Pinsent — London Relocation expert with first-hand experience helping newcomers settle in London.

Moving into a new London flat is exciting, but the paperwork that comes with it — setting up gas, electricity, water, council tax, broadband and a TV licence — can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re arriving from a country where your landlord handles these things.

This guide walks you through every bill you need to set up, who provides what, how much to budget, and the exact steps to follow. Everything is current for 2026, including the new Ofgem price cap, the latest TV licence fee, and the government’s changes to green levies that are reducing energy bills this year.

Why Getting Bills Right Matters in Your First Weeks

Here’s what most newcomers don’t realise: in the UK, you become legally responsible for bills at your new address from the day your tenancy starts, even if you haven’t moved in yet. If you don’t register with the correct suppliers, you’ll still be billed automatically by whichever provider the previous tenant used — usually at higher “deemed contract” rates than you’d pay otherwise.

There are also practical reasons to move fast:

• Broadband can take 10–14 days to install in a new property, so you’ll want to order it before moving in, not after.
• Council tax needs to be registered with your borough within the first month — missing this can result in backdated bills and penalties.
• Utility bills are one of the main documents accepted as proof of address in the UK, which you’ll need for opening bank accounts, getting a mobile contract, or registering with a GP.

What Counts as a Utility Bill in the UK?

In the UK, the term “utility bill” is used more broadly than in some other countries. The main ones are:

• Electricity — charged monthly by your chosen supplier
• Gas — for heating, hot water and cooking in most London flats
• Water — supplied by Thames Water in almost all of London
• Council tax — a local tax, treated as a utility bill for most official purposes
• Broadband and home phone — recognised as utility bills by banks and most official bodies
• TV licence — legally required if you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer

The First Week: What to Set Up and When

Rather than tackling everything at once, work through bills in this order during your first week:

1. Gas and Electricity

Who provides gas and electricity in London?

The UK gas and electricity market is deregulated, which means you can buy your energy from any licensed supplier regardless of where you live. This is different from many countries where one regional utility has a monopoly.

The main suppliers operating across London include:

• Octopus Energy — consistently rated highest for customer service and technology; strong renewable energy credentials
• British Gas — the largest and most established supplier; reliable but often not the cheapest
• EDF Energy — part of the French utility group, competitive rates
• E.ON Next — good customer service, renewable tariffs available
• OVO Energy — independent supplier with strong green focus
• Scottish Power — operates throughout the UK despite the name

When you move in, there will already be a supplier providing energy to your property. You are not obliged to stay with them, but you do need to take action either way.

Step-by-step: setting up your energy

Step 1: Find out who currently supplies your property. Ask your letting agent or landlord before you move in. If they don’t know, call 0870 608 1524 for gas (the Meter Number Helpline) or visit the Energy Networks Association website for electricity. Once you have the MPAN (electricity) and MPRN (gas) reference numbers, the current supplier will be listed.

Step 2: Take meter readings the day you move in. Walk around the flat and note down the readings on your gas meter, electricity meter and (if fitted) water meter. Photograph them if possible. These readings mark the boundary between the previous tenant’s usage and yours — without them, you could end up paying for energy you never used.

Step 3: Contact the existing supplier within 48 hours. Call or use their website to tell them you’re the new occupier. You’ll provide your name, the tenancy start date, the meter readings and your contact details. They will then put you on a “deemed contract” — a standard (but usually not cheap) tariff — and open an account in your name.

Step 4: Decide whether to switch suppliers. Deemed contracts are rarely the best deal available. Once you have an account, you’re free to switch. Use a comparison site (uSwitch, MoneySuperMarket or Compare the Market) to see what’s available in your postcode. Switching typically takes about 5 working days with no interruption to your supply.

Step 5: Set up a direct debit. The cheapest tariffs almost always require payment by monthly direct debit from a UK bank account. If you don’t have one yet, pay on receipt of bill until you’ve opened an account, then switch over.

How much will gas and electricity cost in 2026?

Energy prices in the UK are regulated by Ofgem through the energy price cap, which sets the maximum amount suppliers can charge on their standard variable tariff. It’s reviewed every three months.

For April to June 2026, Ofgem set the price cap at £1,641 per year for a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit — down £117 from the previous quarter and £208 lower than the same period in 2025.

Here’s what you can expect to pay in a typical London property in 2026:

Under the April 2026 cap, the average price of electricity on a standard variable tariff is around 24.7p per kilowatt-hour, with gas at around 5.7p per kWh. On top of these unit rates, you pay a daily standing charge (roughly 55p for electricity, 35p for gas) regardless of how much energy you use. Fixed-rate tariffs are often available below the cap — worth comparing if you plan to stay in the same property for 12 months or more.

2. Water

Unlike electricity and gas, water in London is not deregulated — there is only one supplier: Thames Water. You cannot shop around, switch providers or compare prices. This makes setting up a water account one of the simpler tasks on your list.

How to set up your water bill

Visit the Thames Water website (thameswater.co.uk) and use the “Moving home” online form. You’ll provide your name, new address, move-in date, and a meter reading if your property has a water meter. You can also call Thames Water on 0800 980 8800.

Thames Water will open an account in your name and send your first bill within a few weeks. Most new customers set up a monthly direct debit rather than paying in lump sums — it’s easier to budget for.

Metered vs unmetered water

London properties are split roughly evenly between metered and unmetered billing:

• Metered water — You pay only for what you use, plus a small standing charge. Usually cheaper for single people and couples. New-build flats are typically metered.
• Unmetered (rateable value) water — You pay a fixed annual amount based on the historic rateable value of the property, regardless of usage. Common in older London properties, especially Victorian conversions.

In a typical London flat in 2026, expect to pay £25–£45 per month for water and sewerage combined. If you’re on an unmetered tariff but use very little water, you can request a meter to be installed free of charge — although it can take a few months to arrange.

3. Council Tax

Council tax is a local tax paid to the borough council where you live. It funds local services like rubbish collection, street cleaning, libraries, social care and schools. Everyone who occupies a property — owner or tenant — is liable to pay it unless specifically exempt.

This is one of the bigger surprises for newcomers, particularly Americans, because in some countries property taxes are paid only by the owner. In the UK, if you rent a flat on a standard tenancy, you pay the council tax, not your landlord.

How much is council tax in London?

Council tax is calculated based on two things: the valuation band of your property (A to H) and the borough you live in. Each borough sets its own rates.

As a rough guide for 2026, a Band D property (the standard reference point) might cost:

• Westminster: ~£1,000 per year
• Wandsworth: ~£1,100 per year
• Camden, Kensington & Chelsea: £1,800–£2,200 per year
• Most outer London boroughs: £2,000–£2,400 per year

Most people pay council tax in 10 monthly instalments (April to January), though you can opt for 12 monthly payments. To find the specific amount for your property and band, search for “[borough name] council tax” on your borough’s website.

How to register for council tax

Go to your local council’s website and find the “Moving in” or “Register for council tax” form. You’ll need your new address, tenancy start date, the names of all adult occupants and your previous address. You’ll receive your first council tax bill by post within a few weeks, at which point you can set up a direct debit.

Discounts and exemptions

Several discounts can reduce your council tax bill significantly:

• Single person discount (25%) — if you’re the only adult in the property
• Full-time students — a household entirely occupied by full-time students is fully exempt
• Empty property discount — may apply in the first few weeks while a property is unfurnished
• Severe mental impairment discount — for households including someone medically certified
• Disabled band reduction — if the property has been adapted for a disabled occupant

You have to apply for most discounts — they aren’t automatic. Contact your borough council as soon as you think you qualify.

4. Broadband and Home Internet

Broadband is the bill most newcomers get wrong, and the reason is simple: people wait until they’ve moved in to order it. By then, they’re facing up to two weeks without internet while installation is arranged.

The main broadband providers in London

• BT (and EE Broadband) — the UK’s largest provider, uses the Openreach network that covers almost all of London. Reliable but rarely the cheapest.
• Sky Broadband — competitive bundled deals, especially with a TV package.
• Virgin Media O2 — uses its own cable network (not Openreach), faster speeds where available but patchier coverage.
• Vodafone Broadband — good value, reasonable customer service.
• TalkTalk — often the cheapest option for basic broadband.
• Hyperoptic, Community Fibre and G.Network — London-specific fibre providers offering ultrafast (1 Gbps+) speeds in the buildings they’ve wired. Typically cheaper per megabit than BT or Virgin.

The first thing to check is which networks reach your specific address. Use a broadband checker site (uSwitch, Broadband Genie) to see what’s available in your postcode — then compare deals and speeds.

Typical broadband costs

• Standard fibre (60–100 Mbps): £25–£30/month on a 12 or 24-month contract
• Ultrafast full-fibre (500 Mbps–1 Gbps): £35–£60/month depending on provider and speed

Watch out for set-up fees and mid-contract price rises — most UK broadband contracts include annual inflation-linked increases.

5. TV Licence

The TV licence is one of the most confusing bills for newcomers because nothing quite like it exists in most countries. It’s a legal requirement if you watch or record live television on any channel (not just the BBC) or if you use BBC iPlayer — even on a laptop, phone or tablet.

When you need a licence (and when you don’t)

You need a TV licence if you:

• Watch or record live TV as it’s being broadcast, on any device or service
• Use BBC iPlayer to watch on-demand or live content
• Watch live TV through streaming services like Sky Go, NOW, Amazon Prime Video (live channels) or YouTube (live streams)

You don’t need a TV licence if you only watch:

• On-demand content on Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ (non-live) or similar services
• YouTube videos that aren’t live streams
• On-demand catch-up on ITVX, Channel 4 or My5 (as long as it’s not live)

If you genuinely don’t need a licence, declare this on the TV Licensing website — otherwise you may receive reminder letters and enforcement visits.

How much does a TV licence cost?

A standard colour TV licence costs £174.50 per year until 31 March 2026, rising to £180 per year from 1 April 2026. You can pay in one lump sum or spread the cost monthly via direct debit.

Concessions: Over-75s on Pension Credit (free), care home residents (£7.50), blind or severely sight-impaired (50% discount).

To buy a licence, go to tvlicensing.co.uk and fill in the online form. Your licence covers everyone living at the property.

Can You Get One Supplier for All Your Bills?

Some providers offer multi-service bundles that combine several bills into one. The best-known is Utility Warehouse, which lets you get energy, broadband, mobile and home phone on a single monthly bill. British Gas also offers combined gas, electricity and broadband packages.

If simplicity matters more to you than finding the absolute best deal for each bill, a bundled provider is worth considering. Just compare carefully — in most cases, picking the cheapest standalone deal for each service will save you more money overall.

Tips for Americans and International Newcomers

After years of helping clients from around the world settle in London, these are the most common surprises — especially for those moving from the US:

• You need a UK bank account for the best deals. Most providers offer their cheapest rates only if you pay by direct debit from a UK bank. Opening a Monzo, Starling or Revolut account online is usually quick and only requires proof of address — which is itself often a utility bill, creating a chicken-and-egg problem. Workaround: use your first month’s paper bill as proof, or start with a digital-only bank that has more flexible ID requirements.
• Credit history doesn’t transfer across borders. Your US credit score is invisible here, which can affect your ability to get a mobile contract or set up a direct debit immediately. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to pay a deposit or use pay-as-you-go until you’ve built a UK credit footprint.
• Utility bills are recognised as proof of address for everything from opening a gym account to registering your children at school. Keep a PDF copy of every bill — you’ll need them surprisingly often in your first year.
• Appliances use less energy than you might expect. UK flats are smaller, and British homes don’t typically run central HVAC continuously. Your energy bills will probably be lower than you’d assume based on US-sized homes.

Five Common Mistakes to Avoid

After years helping people set up bills in London, the same mistakes come up again and again:

Related guides:

• Cost of Living in London
• Renting in London: The Ultimate Guide
• Moving to London from the US