Everything you actually need to know about setting up bills as a student in the UK.
Before you get started, here are the terms that'll come up again and again.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Standing charge | A fixed daily fee you pay regardless of how much energy or water you use. It covers the cost of keeping you connected to the network, and applies from your tenancy start date even if nobody has moved in yet. |
| Direct debit | An agreement that lets a supplier automatically take a payment from your bank account each month. Most suppliers prefer this and it can get you a small discount over paying by other methods. |
| Standing order | Similar to a direct debit, but you set it up yourself to send a fixed amount to someone else on a regular date. Useful for getting flatmates to automatically pay their share of bills. |
| Ofgem price cap | The government limit on what energy suppliers can charge per unit of gas and electricity. Updated every quarter, it protects households on standard variable tariffs from extreme price spikes. |
| Standard variable tariff (SVT) | The default tariff you land on when a fixed deal ends. It moves with the Ofgem price cap. For students, this is usually the safest option as it has no exit fees and no long-term commitment. |
| Meter reading | The number shown on your gas or electricity meter, measured in kWh. Submit these regularly so you're billed for what you actually use rather than an estimate. Suppliers guess high when they don't have a reading. |
| Exit fee | A penalty charged if you leave a fixed-term energy or broadband contract early. Always check for these before signing up — as a student, avoid them where possible. |
| Rolling contract | A contract with no fixed end date, usually renewed monthly. You can cancel with 30 days notice and no exit fee. More flexible than a fixed term, though often slightly more expensive per month. |
Out of all the utilities, water is the easiest one to set up, as you'll only have one provider.
Your provider depends entirely on where your property is, and your letting agent should let you know who your supplier is. If they haven't been in touch, this link is the easiest way to find out: water.org.uk/find-your-supplier
The number won't split perfectly between flatmates because of standing charges, which is a daily charge you'll pay regardless of whether you use any water.
I'd recommend setting your direct debit up as a standing order or monthly direct debit, so you're not left with a nasty bill when you move out. It'll be much harder for you and your flatmates to gather all the money at the end of the year.
There are loads of ways to reduce your water bill, ranging from having showers instead of baths to using the quick wash or eco modes on your washing machine. Here's a link that could help: watersworthsaving.org.uk
Everyone hates slow WiFi.
You'll commonly have two types available to you: broadband or fibre. When possible, I strongly recommend going with fibre, as it's significantly faster for a very small increase in price.
There are two types of contract that actually make sense for students: rolling monthly or 12-month. The right one depends on how long you're actually at the property.
Best if you're at the property for less than 10 months, or if you're unsure of your end date. Higher monthly cost, but zero exit fees and no faff chasing flatmates across a summer break. Providers like Hyperoptic, 4th Utility, and Three offer these from around £26-39/month.
If you're at the property for a full 10-12 months, a 12-month contract works out cheaper and means you only have to set it up once. Virgin Media, Community Fibre and Hyperoptic all offer 12-month deals. Always check the exit fee before you sign up.
To avoid any future pain, it's worth checking what other people on your street are using, as reliability is very often down to your local area's infrastructure, not the company itself. If your neighbours swear against a particular company, it's best to just avoid it.
A good rule of thumb is to allocate around 40-50Mb/s to each person.
| Household size | Recommended speed | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 people | 100Mb/s | Comfortable for everyday use |
| 3-4 people | 200-350Mb/s | Multiple streams, gaming, video calls |
| 5-6+ people | 500Mb/s+ | Heavy multi-device households |
If you and your flatmates are heavy internet users (gaming, streaming, video editing, content creation), it's worth bumping up your speed a notch. If you're unable to get a fibre package, aim to get the fastest speed you can at a reasonable price.
Use MoneySavingExpert's broadband comparison to filter by contract length and postcode. It's the most up-to-date resource for what's actually available at your address.
Drop me a message if you'd like help setting this up.
First things first: find out who your supplier is and set up an account and direct debit. You can do that here: findmysupplier.energy
One of the good things about gas and energy suppliers is you only need to look out for three things:
Energy prices are still high. If you're inheriting a standard variable tariff, you're currently protected by the Ofgem Energy Price Cap. Most homes will be better off staying with their current energy supplier right now. If your fixed term is coming to an end, don't choose a new tariff or switch suppliers. Instead, let your supplier automatically move you to their default tariff, so your prices are protected by the Government's Energy Price Cap.
Remember that you are liable as the tenant to pay the gas and electric bills from the start of your tenancy. That means if your tenancy starts on June 1st but you don't move in until September, you're still liable to pay for those months you weren't there. It is not the landlord or letting agent's responsibility. Even if you don't use any gas or electricity till later in your tenancy, standing charges do still apply.
If you are looking to switch your supplier, I've personally had a good experience with (in no particular order). All ratings sourced from independent surveys:
Students won't pay any council tax, but you do still need to apply for your exemption.
Let's use a 3-bed flat as an example, and compare FusedBills and TheBunch to setting up the bills yourself. All prices are for the whole property, per month.
| The Bunch | FusedBills | Setting up yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas & Electricity | ~£280 | ~£310 | ~£153 |
| WiFi (100Mb/s) | ~£70 | ~£45 | ~£32 |
| Water | ~£55 | ~£55 | ~£50 |
| Total (whole property, per month) | ~£405 | ~£410 | ~£235 |
| Per person, per month | ~£135 | ~£137 | ~£78 |
DIY figures based on Ofgem price cap averages (MoneyHelper, 2025) and current broadband market rates (MSE, May 2025). Bills company figures are estimates and may vary. Always check current rates directly with providers.
Providers such as TheBunch and FusedBills offer "unlimited" usage, which sounds great until you compare the costs to the national average. Realistically, you'd have to go out of your way to use enough extra utilities to justify the premium. Imagine what else you could do with that money!
I do benefit when people set up their accounts through the links below. That said, the suppliers I've listed are the ones I've used over my time as a student, and I've found them to be the best. As a thank you for setting up through me, you'll get a free voucher too.
Sign up to Octopus Energy through my referral link and you'll get £50 free credit added to your account.
Get £50 credit →Get a discount on MyProtein orders using my referral code at checkout.
Shop MyProtein →As a thank you for setting up a bill using one of my referral links, fill in the form and I'll send you a £10 voucher of your choice.
Claim your voucher →Refer a friend to this guide and they set something up through one of the links? You'll get a £10 voucher too. Spread the love.
Enter the rates you've been quoted and see your estimated monthly costs split by household and per person.
Enter the rates from your supplier quote or energy bill. Your supplier must provide these.
Check your bill or contact your supplier. Find yours at water.org.uk.
Enter your monthly broadband cost. Compare deals at MoneySavingExpert.
Every term you'll come across when setting up your student bills, explained plainly.