Top-up your income before financial year ends by checking for unclaimed benefits or tax breaks

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Households are about to see a whole range of essential bills rise steeply before the end of this month as firms roll out their annual price hikes.

Broadband, mobile phone, vehicle road tax, streaming subscription services, the TV licence fee and water charges are all set to rise across Scotland in April.However, Council Tax will remain frozen north of the border for the 2024/25 financial year after some last-minute negotiations between local councils and the Scottish Government.

However, water charges will rise by an average of 8.8 per cent across all 32 local authority areas.Broadband and mobile phone customers are being urged to shop around on comparison websites for a better deal as most providers are hiking prices by around 8 per cent this month - it’s also worth looking at social tariffs, which could lower monthly bills to as little as £12.But it’s not just about making savings over the next 12 months, it’s also worthwhile checking for unclaimed benefits, discounts on Council Tax bills and claiming tax breaks from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).Below is a handy checklist to make sure you’re not missing out on any money or discounts before the current tax year ends on Friday, April 5.If you’re a full or part-time employee you’re likely to be paying tax via pay-as-you-earn (PAYE).

This means your income tax is deducted at source and goes straight to HMRC.Your tax code is essentially a few numbers and a letter, for example 1257L, and it’s shown on your payslip.