Household bills hit a three-year high | Money | The Guardian

Household bills hit a three-year high | Money | The Guardian

The cost of owning and running a home in the UK has hit a three-year high of just over £9,000 a year, according to research by Halifax.

Despite rock-bottom interest rates, average annual costs for homeowners rose £127 (1.4%) from £8,956 in March 2010 to £9,083 in March 2011, driven by higher gas and electricity bills.

The figures follow worrying inflation data this week, with prices rising at their fastest rate for two and a half years, owing to soaring petrol costs and higher duty on alcohol and tobacco.

Halifax said that in nine out of 11 household expenditure categories, costs had risen. Electricity and gas bills, which rose by an average of £67, and maintenance and repair costs, up by £45, were the biggest contributors to the overall rise in housing expenses.