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Life-Ready Society · Teacher and parent pack · Financial dimension

Bills, Utilities and Household Paperwork

Set up utilities, split bills fairly, read them and avoid arrears.

8 lessons, about 1.6 hours of reading. Free lessons, videos and full sources: https://lifereadysociety.com/bills/
How to use this pack. Ask your teen or class to read one lesson online (about ten minutes), talk through the key points together, choose one practice task to try this week, then use the quiz to check what stuck. The answer key is on the last page. Free to print for home and classroom use.

The lessons at a glance

1. What bills does a student home actually pay?

At home, bills often arrive and get paid without you ever seeing them. Once you rent your own room or flat, you need to know which bills exist, who sends them and which ones you might not have to pay at all.

Key points

2. Setting up utilities on move-in day

The first day in a new home sets up months of bills. A few photos and phone calls on move-in day can save you from paying for someone else's electricity or arguing over a wrong bill later.

Key points

3. Splitting bills fairly with flatmates

Money is one of the most common reasons flatmates fall out. A clear system agreed in the first week, with a worked example everyone can see, keeps friendships safe.

Key points

4. Direct debits, standing orders and never missing a due date

Late payments can bring fees, stress and, for some bills, serious consequences. Automating payments the right way, and knowing your protections, means bills get paid even during exams.

Key points

5. Phone contracts, SIM-only plans and switching

Your phone is probably the bill you will have for longest. Understanding contracts, SIM-only deals and switching rules can save real money every year.

Key points

6. Reading a bill and spotting errors

Bills can be wrong: estimated readings, the wrong meter, or a price change you missed. Knowing what each line means helps you catch mistakes before you pay for them.

Key points

7. When you cannot pay a bill

Money can run short, especially when a loan instalment is late or an unexpected cost lands. The worst thing you can do is ignore the bill. Acting early keeps your options open.

Key points

8. Filing, keeping and closing household paperwork

Bills, contracts and receipts are proof: proof of address, proof you paid, proof of what was agreed. A simple filing system, and a clean finish when you move out, saves hours of stress.

Key points

Talk about it, then try it

The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.

  1. What bills does a student home actually pay?
  2. Setting up utilities on move-in day
  3. Splitting bills fairly with flatmates
  4. Direct debits, standing orders and never missing a due date
  5. Phone contracts, SIM-only plans and switching
  6. Reading a bill and spotting errors
  7. When you cannot pay a bill
  8. Filing, keeping and closing household paperwork

Quiz

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.

1. According to GOV.UK, what happens with council tax if everyone in a UK household is a full-time student?
  1. The charge is added to each student's tuition fee account
  2. Only the oldest student pays, at the single-person rate
  3. The household gets a 25% discount, since all of the adults are students
  4. No council tax is payable, but you may need to apply for an exemption
2. You live in UK halls and want to watch BBC iPlayer on your laptop plugged into the wall in your room. What does nidirect say?
  1. Your parents' licence at home covers you
  2. You need your own TV licence
  3. A licence is only needed for a TV set
  4. No licence is needed when using a laptop
3. What does Citizens Advice say you should do with your meters on move-in day?
  1. Leave them until the first bill arrives, then check it
  2. Ask the previous tenant to send their final readings later
  3. Read them and give the readings to the current supplier
  4. Read them, but only send readings if the first bill looks wrong
4. In the UK, what kind of contract are you usually placed on when you contact the supplier at a new home?
  1. A deemed contract, usually the standard variable tariff
  2. A prepayment plan until you have a UK credit history
  3. A two-year fixed contract at the cheapest available rate
  4. A trial tariff that ends automatically after one month
5. According to Shelter, who is usually responsible for paying a household bill?
  1. The person or people named on the bill
  2. Whoever uses the most energy in the home
  3. The landlord, as owner of the property
  4. The flatmate who moved in most recently
6. Four flatmates share bills totalling 192 pounds a month equally. What does each pay?
  1. 38 pounds
  2. 64 pounds
  3. 96 pounds
  4. 48 pounds
7. Under the Direct Debit Guarantee, what happens if a payment is taken in error?
  1. You get a full and immediate refund from your bank
  2. You must take the company to court to get it back
  3. You must contact the company and wait for it to agree to refund you
  4. You get a partial refund after a 12-month review
8. Which payment method does Which? say leaves you unprotected if a payment goes out in error?
  1. Direct debit
  2. Cash
  3. Standing order
  4. Recurring card payment
9. In the UK, what text do you send to get a code to switch mobile provider and keep your number?
  1. STAC to 75075
  2. INFO to 85075
  3. PAC to 65075
  4. PAC to 85075
10. When must UK providers send an end-of-contract alert?
  1. Between 1 and 5 days before the contract ends
  2. Between 60 and 90 days before the contract ends
  3. Between 10 and 40 days before the contract ends
  4. Only on the day the contract ends
11. Your UK energy bill shows an 'E' next to the reading. What does Citizens Advice suggest?
  1. Send your supplier an actual meter reading
  2. Wait for the next bill, when the estimate is corrected for you
  3. Pay double this month to cover any shortfall later
  4. Pay it as shown, since an estimate is the final amount owed
12. What has Ofgem banned energy suppliers from doing for domestic customers?
  1. Charging any standing charge to students in shared homes
  2. Billing customers for energy used in the last 3 months
  3. Backbilling for energy used more than 12 months earlier
  4. Sending bills by email instead of by post
13. According to Citizens Advice, which of these is a priority debt in the UK?
  1. Rent arrears
  2. Money owed to a friend
  3. A store card balance
  4. A catalogue debt
14. What does Ofgem say you can ask your energy supplier for if you cannot afford your bills?
  1. Permission to stop paying until your student loan arrives, with no plan
  2. A full write-off of the debt, as long as you can show you are a full-time student
  3. A lower unit rate than other customers because you are a student
  4. A payment plan, payment break or reduction, or access to hardship funds
15. According to Monzo, how recent does a bill usually need to be to use as proof of address?
  1. Dated within the last 12 months
  2. Any date, as long as it shows your name
  3. Dated within the last week only
  4. Dated within the last 5 years
16. After you tell a UK energy company you are moving out, how long can it usually charge you for, according to Shelter?
  1. Up to 2 weeks
  2. Up to 2 months
  3. Until the next tenant moves in
  4. Up to 2 days

Answer key

  1. D: GOV.UK: if everyone in the household is a full-time student, no council tax is payable; if you still get a bill, you can apply for an exemption.
  2. B: nidirect: students in halls who watch live TV or BBC iPlayer in their room need their own licence; parents' licence only covers battery-powered devices not plugged into the mains.
  3. C: Citizens Advice: read your meters on the day you move in and give the readings to the current supplier for an accurate first bill.
  4. A: Citizens Advice: you are automatically placed on a deemed contract, usually the supplier's default or standard variable tariff.
  5. A: Shelter: the person or people named on a bill are usually responsible for paying it.
  6. D: Worked example: 192 divided by 4 is 48 pounds each.
  7. A: Direct Debit Guarantee: if an error is made, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund from your bank or building society.
  8. C: Which?: you are not protected if a standing order payment goes out in error, so check the details carefully.
  9. C: Ofcom: text PAC to 65075 to keep your number; STAC to 75075 is for a new number; INFO to 85075 checks your contract.
  10. C: Ofcom: providers must alert customers between 10 and 40 days before a contract ends.
  11. A: Citizens Advice: if the bill is estimated, send your supplier a meter reading to get an accurate bill.
  12. C: Ofgem: suppliers are banned from backbilling for energy used more than 12 months ago, except where the customer behaved obstructively.
  13. A: Citizens Advice lists rent arrears as a priority debt because the landlord can seek eviction; store cards, catalogues and money owed to friends are non-priority.
  14. D: Ofgem: contact your supplier early to ask for a payment plan, payment break or reduction, a review of payments or hardship funds.
  15. A: Monzo: if you use a bill as proof of address, it usually needs to be dated within the last 12 months.
  16. D: Shelter: energy companies can usually charge you for up to 2 days after you notify them.

General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/bills/