Another year, another April with a bleak nickname. Last year was “Awful” April, following the Chancellor’s first wave of multi-billion-pound tax hikes. This year, “Anxious” April is doing the rounds – a little more tepid, but still not exactly comforting. A raft of household bills is heading north again. Water, council tax, mobile, broadband, and TV licences are just a few that are rising, with comparison site Uswitch estimating the average household will pay £214 more over the year. But there are ways to trim this figure if you know where to look.

Firstly, a surprising amount of help goes unclaimed every year. Around £24billion of government support wasn’t taken up in the last tax year. It’s up to you to apply for it. Combine that with some smart switching and other bill discounts, and you may even find yourself better off this April.

Let’s start with council tax. In some areas, residents are being battered by annual price hikes of nearly 9%. But plenty of households are entitled to reductions they never claim. If your home has been adapted for a wheelchair, for example, you could qualify for a Disabled Band Reduction. If you live alone, you could nab the 25% single-occupant discount. On Pension Credit? Your bill could be wiped entirely. Yet, an estimated £3.3billion in council tax support went unclaimed last year.

If you’re struggling with food bills, making the most of supermarket loyalty card schemes can noticeably reduce what you pay. Tesco says its Clubcard users save an average £351 a year.

Iceland offers over-60s 10% off every Tuesday with a Bonus Card, while the Lidl Plus card unlocks even lower prices at one of the UK’s cheapest supermarkets.

Moving onto utilities, most broadband and mobile customers are set to see mid-contract rises of around £3 to £4 a month. Check comparison sites such as MoneySuperMarket.com to see if you can do better, as some claim average broadband savings of around £172 a year. If you’re on a lower income, social tariffs must be on your radar. They’re available to people on benefits like Universal Credit and Pension Credit, and they can cut bills dramatically. In some cases, to around £10 a month.

Water companies also offer social tariffs, with discounts of up to 90% for eligible households. Again, more than £2billion of this support went unused last year.

Visit Ofcom’s website for information on broadband and mobile tariffs, or the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) for water bills. Charities like Turn2us or Citizens Advice (0800 144 8848) can also steer you in the right direction.

Premium Bonds: Tips for savers hoping to win big

Three years is the average length of time it takes for Premium Bonds savers to win a first prize. That’s according to wealth manager Quilter, obtained through a Freedom of Information request. Nearly a third (29%) waited more than two years. For a product often pitched as a simple, rewarding place to store cash, it’s a long time to wait for a return.

The odds don’t look much better unless you’ve got some serious money invested. Among all prize winners last year, the average holding was £39,500. Even those winning just £25 held close to £40,000 on average. The more you put in, the better your chances, but there are still no guarantees.

For those unfamiliar, Premium Bonds are a savings account offered by the Government-backed National Savings and Investments (NS&I). Rather than earning interest, each £1 bond is entered into a monthly prize draw, with tax-free winnings ranging from £25 to £1million. Around six million prizes are paid out each month, but with more than 136 billion eligible bond numbers, competition is intense.

NS&I recently hit the headlines after an “operational failure” left 37,500 bereaved families unable to access their relatives’ premium bonds. The Government is investigating the errors, but these are unrelated to the monthly prize draw.

My 90-year-old grandad bought Premium Bonds when they first became available in 1956. They were initially launched to encourage more people to start saving again after World War 2. In 70 years, he has never won a prize.

This doesn’t make them a bad home for savings, though. They’re secure, tax-free, and there’s always a chance of winning – however slim. After all, some people have won six-figure sums from as little as £50. It just means they shouldn’t be your only strategy.

If you’re holding large sums in Premium Bonds and seeing little or no return, it may be worth spreading your savings. Moving some money into a competitive savings account or ISA can help your cash do more heavy lifting, rather than relying on luck. The top easy-access options offer interest rates between 4.5% and 4.75% AER right now. Compare savings accounts on websites like Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, which show top interest rates based on your deposit.

DEAL OF THE WEEK

Uswitch is offering eight hours of free electricity on one day of the May Bank Holiday between 8am and 4pm, up to a value of £10. Open to households with a smart meter via its app. Just sign up for the ‘Power Hours’ scheme.