Your Guide to Student Bills in Newcastle

Quick links:

• Your first steps
• Agree how you’ll pay your bills
• Student energy bills in Newcastle: Gas and electricity
• Newcastle students’ water bills
• Broadband & TV for Newcastle student houses
• Newcastle Council Tax & TV Licence
• The ultimate Newcastle bills and budgeting cheatsheet
• Newcastle student bills? Nee bother!

Newcastle student life is truly unmatched. You’ve got the nightlife, the culture, and even beautiful beaches, a short Metro journey away. Just because the city is cheaper than most, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t budget.

You’ll pay student rent and some bills, so once you work those out, you can start to enjoy what ‘The Toon’ has to offer. 

To live your best Newcastle student life, you’ll need to sort:

• Student housing: For Newcastle and Northumbria Uni students, areas like Jesmond, Sandyford, and Gateshead are all popular choices– each with its own price range. 

• Budget: Work out how much you can afford to pay. This will help narrow down areas and property types. 

• Bills: Once you’ve sorted rent, you’ll need to sort your bills. Usually, this means gas, electricity, water, and broadband. 

Don’t worry if this is your first time paying bills; we’ll cover it all in this guide. Keep reading to learn:

• How to set up your student bills
• Average bill prices for Newcastle
• How to easily split the cost without the hassle

Your first steps 👀

So, you’ve signed for your Newcastle student place… what’s next? Before you invite your mates for a house party, let’s get your bills sorted. 

Don’t be tempted to wait ‘til September to sort everything. Get to grips with your bills now, and avoid hassle later. 

Here’s what to do when you’ve signed the contract:

•  Confirm what’s included in your rent
  • Even before signing the contract, ask the landlord or agent what’s included– some student rentals include a few or even all the bills.
  • Make sure it’s clear in your tenancy agreement who pays what.
• Find out your current utility suppliers: 
  • Find out which suppliers provide your gas, electricity, and broadband. Your agent or landlord should know this.
  • You don’t have to stick with them, but you’ll be legally responsible for bills from your tenancy start date (even if you’re thinking about switching).
• Make an account with Northumbrian Water for your water bill:
  • If it’s not included in your rent, you need to set up an account with the water supplier. 
  • You’re responsible for water bills from day one of your tenancy agreement, even if you’re not officially moving in until September. 

• Sort out your broadband setup: 
  • Broadband can take a few weeks to get set up if you need an engineer appointment, which is common. 
  • Get it sorted ASAP to avoid any downtime when you’re back in September. 
  • Before you choose a new supplier, find out who covers your area on Ofcom’s broadband availability checker.
• TV Licence: 
  • You need a TV Licence if you plan to watch TV shows as they’re broadcast or anything on BBC iPlayer. You can easily set this up online or include it in your Fused bills package.
• Council tax: 
  • Full-time students studying for over a year (for more than 21 hours a week) don’t pay council tax. You’ll still need to tell Newcastle City Council or Gateshead Council you’re exempt, so you don’t get any unexpected bills. 

Agree how you’ll pay your bills 🤝

Agree with housemates how you’ll pay your bills, and who’ll take responsibility for each. Don’t risk it all falling on you. Make sure each housemate takes part and knows exactly what they owe.

Here are some payment strategies to consider:

• Manually split the bills: 
  • A traditional approach to bill paying. Someone works out how much everyone owes, everybody sends their share to one person, and all the bills are paid from their account. This has worked for many, but it’s risky: people might pay late, leaving one person out of pocket and even damaging their credit score.  
• Use a banking app to split bills:
  • Banking apps often let you split bills via a link or another method. This can make it easier, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be paid on time.
  • One person is still responsible for all the direct debits, putting their credit score and finances on the line if people fail to pay their bit. 
• A joint house bank account: 
  • Set up a joint account and have each person send their share. This means no single person is responsible for the direct debits, but you might all end up in debt if someone skips their payment. 
• Create a monthly bills package with Fused: 
  • Combine gas, electricity, broadband, TV Licence and water into one monthly payment with Fused and get Unlimited Energy as standard. 
  • Only worry about paying your share with individual direct debits.

Get this bit out of the way and you can chill out over the summer knowing you’re all sorted for September. 

It’s moving week! 📦

Whether you’re moving from halls, another student house, or it’s your first year studying, moving week can be stressful. Check out our students’ guide to moving for help!

Once you’ve got everything packed (and unpacked!), It’s time to get your housemates together and sort those pesky bills. You don't need to sort any bills that are included in your rent payments!

1. Take a dated photo of your gas, electric and water meters (if you have): 
   • Ask your landlord where your meters are if you can’t find them. They’re usually under the stairs or in a utility cupboard. 
   • Snapping your own photo means you can send the meter readings yourself, and gives you dated evidence in case there are any disputes. 
2. Send your utility provider the readings
   • You can do this online by making an account on their website.
   • Do this even if you’re planning to switch. You’ll still owe your initial supplier for some energy, because you’re legally responsible for bills from your tenancy start date.
3. Let the council know you’re exempt from council tax:
   • Full-time students don’t pay council tax, but you’ll still need to tell Newcastle City Council or Gateshead Council that you’re exempt to avoid any unexpected bills. 
4. Test your internet connection: 
   • If you set up in time your router should be ready to plug in and use on move-in day, or you should have an engineer appointment set up soon.  If not, keep scrolling down to the broadband section for full setup instructions.
   • Bills can feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you’ve never handled them before. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about gas, electricity, and the other bills you’ll be paying in your Newcastle student house.

Student energy bills in Newcastle: Gas and electricity ⚡

There are a few different energy bill setups for student houses and flats:

1. Energy bills included in your rent: You won’t get to choose your supplier, contract type, or tariff, but the good news is you don’t have to sort them out yourself.
2. Electricity only: More common in flats with storage heaters or electric boilers, so there’s no gas bill to worry about. Gas and electricity: The most common combination. You’ll need to find a supplier and choose a tariff that works for your budget.

Not sure which setup you’ve got? Ask your landlord or check your tenancy agreement so you know exactly who’s responsible for sorting (and paying) what.

How to set up your gas and electricity

1. Set up an online account with your current supplier. You need to do this even if you’re switching because you’re legally responsible from your tenancy start date. 
2. Snap a photo of the meter readings on move-in day, and send them to your supplier and landlord. This marks the day you’re responsible for your gas and electricity. 
3. Choose a tariff: The first tariff your supplier assigns you is the most expensive, so shop around to find one that fits your budget. Find out which utility companies cover your area with this Ofgem tool, or skip the hassle with a Fused bills package. 
4. Set up a direct debit with your chosen supplier. This is the cheapest option and means you’ll never miss a payment.
5. Settle up with your old supplier. They’ll send a final bill to cover the period between moving in and your tariff switch. 

Now you’re all set up, so your student house will be cosy and warm for those famous northern winters. Before we move on to the new bill, let’s quickly jump into how to read your bill.

How to read your energy bill

Putting aside the jargon, all energy bills are basically the same. 

Your bill is made up of:

1. Cost per kWh (kilowatt hour): This is the price per unit (kilowatt hour) of gas and electricity you’ve used
2. Daily standing charges: A fixed daily fee to cover the supplier’s costs.

Both of these are subject to The Energy Price Cap. 

What’s The Energy Price Cap?

The Energy Price Cap limits how much suppliers can charge per unit (kWh) of gas and electricity, as well as the daily standing charge.

It doesn’t limit your total bill, just the cost per unit. So, the more energy you use, the higher your bill will be.

Check out our Energy Price Gap guide for the latest rates, and read our guide to saving energy and keep your costs down.

The average gas and electric bill for a student house in Newcastle

There are many factors that can affect your bills, so take any averages as rough guides. The size of your student house in Newcastle, how many people you live with, and your energy use will all make a difference.

If you’d prefer not to worry about your usage, you could always go for a bills package with Unlimited Energy.

Here’s what you can expect to pay on average each month by Direct Debit:

Low usage (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1–2 people)

• Gas: 8,000 kWh
• Electricity: 1,800 kWh
• Average cost: £102.88 per month

Medium usage (3-bedroom house / 2–3 people)

• Gas: 12,000 kWh
• Electricity: 2,700 kWh
• Average cost: £143.29 per month

High usage (5-bedroom house / 4–5 people)

• Gas: 17,000 kWh
• Electricity: 4,100 kWh
• Average cost: £202.33 per month

Newcastle students’ water bills 💧

Some landlords include water in your tenancy, so you don’t need to worry about it. But if it’s not included, you’ll need to set up an account with Northumbrian Water. The average water bill in Newcastle is £42 per month, that’s £504 a year.

Paying by Direct Debit is the easiest way to cover your water bill, so you don’t have to think about it. Want to make things even simpler? Roll all your utilities into one monthly payment with a Fused bills package, including unlimited water.

Broadband & TV for Newcastle student houses 🛜

If broadband is included in your rent, you should be online and ready to go when you move in. Any problems? Ask your landlord if they pay; it’s their responsibility.

But if you need to sort your broadband, make it a priority because an engineer appointment can take a few weeks to book in! Find out who covers your area on the Ofcom website, then head to their website or a comparison tool to find the best option for your budget. 

Avoid long (24-month+) contracts; they may have cheaper monthly payments, but you’ll have to pay an exit fee when your year is up. Instead, look for student deals that work for your timeframe and budget.

In Newcastle, the most common providers are Virgin Media, Sky, TalkTalk and BT. Check each one for speeds, tariffs, and perks. Take a look at our student broadband guide for more info.

Newcastle Council Tax & TV Licence 🏡 

The last two bills on our list are legal requirements,  but there are exemptions. 

Here’s the lowdown:

Council tax for students

Good news, you’re exempt from council tax if you’re a full-time student (on a course that’s at least 1 year and 21+ hours/week). You do still need to tell Newcastle City Council, so you don’t get any bills.

You’re not fully exempt if one of your housemates is part-time or not studying. If it’s just one tenant, this would be classed as a ‘single occupant’, so they’d get a 25% discount.

TV Licence

If you watch live TV (that’s anything as it’s being broadcast) or stream on BBC iPlayer, you’ll need a TV Licence.

If you only use other streaming services (like Netflix or Disney+), you don’t need one, but you’ll need to claim an exemption.

A TV Licence costs £174.50 per year, and you can pay quarterly (£44.89) or by monthly direct debit, which is £29.10 for the first 6 months, then £14.54 a month after that.

Tick another job off your list and roll your TV Licence into your Fused bills package and pay it all together.

The ultimate Newcastle bills and budgeting cheatsheet 👈

✨ Here are the bills to expect as a Newcastle student:

Download your free cheatsheet for student bills and budgeting. 

Newcastle student bills? Nee bother! ✅

Before you head out to meet your mates at the students’ union bar, make sure your bills are sorted first. That way, you’ll know exactly how much cash you’ve got left to spend.

Getting your bills organised early doesn’t just help you budget; it also saves you from those awkward money chats with your housemates later. 

With Fused’s all-in-one student bills packages, you can bundle your energy, water, broadband, and TV Licence into one simple monthly payment, split evenly between everyone in the house. No chasing, no worries. 

Want to make your student bills simple? Get a quote with Fused.