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Many household bills are rising from today – ranging from energy prices and council tax to mobile phone contracts and broadband.

Coinciding with the new financial year, from today there will be higher bills for:

  • Energy
  • Broadband, mobile phone and TV licence
  • Car tax
  • Water
  • Stealth taxes
  • Stamp duty
  • Council tax

The Sky News Money blog outlined the hikes – and how you could potentially beat them – in one of its long read features below.

You can read more from the Money blog as well as reactions to today’s increased bills here.

Cost of living calculator: See how much your bills are going up

ENERGY BILLS

The average annual energy bill will rise to £1,849 as industry regulator Ofgem increases the price cap for the third time in a row.

More from Money

The new figure represents a 6.4% a year – or £9.25 per month – increase in the typical sum the vast majority of households face paying for gas and electricity when using direct debit.

You can read more about the changes and why they’re happening here.

Only those on fixed-rate deals – around 11 million homes – will see no change until their current term expires. An extra four million homes have fixed the cost of energy units since November, Ofgem said.

Standing charges – daily fixed fees to connect to a gas and electricity supply which vary by region – are also rising for gas while dropping for electricity, but it depends on where you live.

So should you fix?

Consumer expert Martin Lewis says that, based on where energy prices are currently at: “If you find a fix for up to 3% more than the current (January to March) or 3% less than the new (April to June) price cap, it’s predicted you’ll save over the year compared with staying on the price cap.”

The best deal currently on the market is with Outfox the Market, which is offering a 12-month fix for 7.4% less than January’s cap and 12.9% less than April’s.

EDF is currently offering a no-exit fee fix, and Octopus is doing the same for existing customers – so if the maths work for you, these could be risk-free options.

We spoke to Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor, about switching.

“There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to fixing an energy deal as it will all depend on your individual circumstances,” said Seymour.

“For example, if you have an electric vehicle, you might want to look for a tariff which offers cheaper electricity overnight to charge your car.

“As a rule of thumb, we’d recommend looking for deals close to the current price cap, not longer than 12 months and without significant exit fees.”

Other help

The warm home discount provides a £150 annual reduction on energy bills.

Those wanting to receive the payment must be getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit or be on a low income with high energy costs.

The government advises: “If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.

“You’ll usually get the discount automatically if you’re eligible. You only need to apply if you’re on a low income in Scotland – contact your energy supplier to apply.”

Those on pension credit will also be eligible for the winter fuel allowance later this year – this is worth up to £150.

BROADBAND AND MOBILE

While Ofcom’s new rules banning inflation-linked contracts came into effect in January, many consumers will be on older contracts that will still see a price rise linked to inflation.

This is causing confusion among customers, so for overall clarity: Uswitch says this April’s rises are expected to add an average of £21.99 annually for those on inflation-linked contracts and up to £42 a year for those on newer “pounds and pence” plans that are subject to fixed increases.

How do you know which contract you have?

Many providers started putting customers on fixed increase contracts in 2024 – so if you started a new broadband contract recently, you may be subject to a pounds and pence price hike.

These are the dates the providers started introducing them…

  • BT/EE/Plusnet: Contract started on or after 10 April 2024
  • Vodafone: Contract started on or after 2 July 2024
  • TalkTalk: Contract started on or after 12 August 2024
  • Three Broadband: Contract started on or after 1 September 2024
  • Virgin Media: Contract started on or after 9 January 2025

So if you signed up for a deal on any of the above after those dates, you should be on a fixed annual increase – but you’ll want to check your individual policy.

Here’s an overview of the hikes being implemented by major providers…

Consider switching

You might be able to avoid the rises by switching provider as cheaper deals are often available to new customers.

You should check to see if you’re out of contract first, or what the exit penalty may be.

Research by Which? shows switching providers when you’re out of contract could cut bills by up to £235 annually.

If you don’t want to leave your provider, you could also call them and try to haggle down your monthly cost.

Several broadband providers have social tariffs available, helping those on benefits access an internet connection at a lower monthly price.

According to Uswitch, two-thirds of financially vulnerable households are unaware that low-income broadband tariffs exist.

Bundling?

You may be able to get cheaper prices by bundling your phone, internet and TV services – though you need to read the small print as exit fees can be significant.

TV LICENCE

The cost of a TV licence will also go up by £5 to £174.50

The rise comes after a £10.50 rise brought the charge to £169.50 in April last year.

If you’re 75 or over and you get pension credit, or you live with a partner who does, you qualify for a free TV licence.

You can apply for it here or by calling TV Licensing on 0300 790 6071.

Those in residential care or sheltered accommodation can get a licence for £7.50, while those registered blind or living with someone who is can get a 50% discount.

TRAIN FARES

Train fares in England have increased by 4.6% as of 2 March. Railcards are also going to become more expensive, despite the record-low reliability of services.

The Welsh government matched Westminster’s cap, while Transport for Wales is applying various increases to its unregulated fares.

Meanwhile, the Scottish government will increase all ScotRail fares by 3.8% from today.

One of the best ways to beat the price hikes is by getting a railcard – and they’re not just for traditional concession groups. We outlined all the different railcards here…

How can I use a railcard to save money on my train fare?

How to beat the system

Mark Smith, who set up The Man in Seat 61 blog to help people travel cheaper and better, told Money there were various “traps” people fell into.

Tickets are normally released around 12 weeks in advance, but initially you may only see more expensive Off-Peak and Anytime tickets.

There’s often a gap of a week or two before reservations open and the much cheaper Advance fares go on sale.

Smith says you can save money by purchasing any time before your day of travel – a £30 or £40 Advance fare will then turn into an £68.60 Off-Peak one-way or a £184.70 Anytime, for example.

If you are forced to travel at peak times you should consider split ticketing. For example:

If you’re travelling at 5pm on a Monday, instead of getting a peak ticket all the way from London to Manchester, get a peak Anytime ticket to Milton Keynes and then an Off-Peak from Milton Keynes to Manchester.

Read more about split ticketing here

One final trap to avoid was exposed by a Which? investigation last year that found train station ticket machines could be much, much more expensive than buying online.

CAR TAX

Also going up is the standard rate of road tax for cars registered after April 2017.

The flat rate cost of car tax from April 2025 is £195 (so an increase of £5).

Hybrid cars get a small discount (£10) but if your vehicle had a list price of more than £40,000 when it was first sold then you may also be liable for the “luxury car tax” fee, which adds £410 to your annual costs.

You may pay less if your car was first used before 2017 – the exact amount will depend on the year a car was registered and the type of fuel it consumes.

Perhaps a bigger change is that electric vehicles (EVs) will also no longer be exempt from tax – those registered from April 2025 will pay the lowest rate of £10 in the first year, then move to the standard rate.

Feeling confused? Autotrader gives this example…

It’s April 2025 and you’re choosing between Porsche Macans, petrol or electric (lucky you). A basic petrol Macan will mean you pay £4,680 in car tax in the first year, whereas with the electric one, you’ll pay £10. After that, they’ll both go to the standard rate (£195 per year) plus the £410 Expensive Car Supplement for five years.

Vehicle tax reminder. Pic: iStock
Image:
Vehicle tax reminder. Pic: iStock

WATER

Possibly the most controversial of the April changes is the sizeable increase to water bills.

Bills are going up in a development that has been blamed on problems including higher borrowing costs on large levels of debt, creaking infrastructure and record sewage outflows into waterways.

However, it was reported last March that England’s private water firms made £1.7bn in pre-tax profits – up 82% since 2018-19 – prompting renewed calls for the utility to be renationalised.

The average annual water bill will rise by 26% or £123 in the next financial year alone, figures showed.

Water UK said the increases across households would also vary, depending on circumstances such as water use and whether a water meter was installed.

Get the full story here…

Water bills in England and Wales to rise by average of £10 per month

All water companies offer a social tariff for eligible customers that reduces the cost of water bills – check with your provider to see if you are eligible.

Should you get a water meter?

Martin Lewis has some simple advice on this one: if you have more bedrooms than people in the house, a water meter is likely to save you money.

If your water company says it can’t give you a meter, you can asked for an “assessed charge” – which can offer the best of both worlds. Ofwat explains yours rights here.

STAMP DUTY

Changes come into force from today and affect those in England and Northern Ireland.

The current “nil rate” band (at which you start paying) for first-time buyers will reduce from £425,000 to £300,000, while other home-buyers will also see a reduction from £250,000 to £125,000.

In London, an average first-time buyer could end up paying more than £11,000 extra from April, Santander said.

You can read more about Stamp Duty rules here

COUNCIL TAX

Some 85% of top-tier council authorities in England are set to increase council tax by just under 5%.

Additionally, Bradford, Newham, Birmingham, Somerset, and Windsor and Maidenhead have been given special permission by the government to bypass the 4.99% cap – meaning they could raise council tax by more.

Read more:
The town bracing for UK’s biggest council tax rise of almost 16%

Our data and forensics unit has been taking a look at how council finances have deteriorated here.

With the majority of councils increasing their council tax by the maximum amount this month, some households could see their bills jump significantly.

Are you eligible for a discount?

You may qualify for extra support or a reduction in your council tax bill, for example if you’re on a low income, a student, living alone or are disabled.

Another option is to have your council tax bill spread over 12 months instead of the usual 10 – this won’t save you money but could help you to budget, if your council offers this option.

You could also get your home’s council tax band reviewed, which may entitle you to a refund if you’re in the wrong band. However, you should be aware the review could lead to your property being put in a higher band.

STEALTH TAX

Expecting a pay rise?

You may be surprised to see how little translates to your pay cheque.

That’s because frozen income tax thresholds could mean that some people get pushed into higher tax brackets as their wage goes up.

Others could be pushed into paying tax on their savings by breaching the personal savings allowance – which is £1,000 tax-free interest for basic rate taxpayers.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO PAY BILLS

If you’re having trouble paying your bills, there’s lots of support out there.

Emily Seymour, from Which?, told Money: “If you’re struggling to afford any household bills such as energy, council tax, water and telecoms, the first step is always to speak to your provider and see what help is available.

“It’s important to remember that energy companies are obliged to help you if you tell them you are struggling to pay and will not disconnect you if you miss a bill payment. You could ask for a review of your payments, a reduction in your payments or a payment break, more time to pay, and access to hardship funds.

“For water and broadband, there are cheaper social tariffs available so it’s worth speaking to your provider to see if you qualify.

“If you don’t qualify for a broadband or mobile social tariff, our research shows you could still make big savings by switching providers – especially if you’re with a firm that hikes prices annually – so it’s always a good idea to compare deals at the end of your contract to find the best offer for you.”

You can check your eligibility for benefits on the government website which may allow you to access lower tariffs and contact your local council to see if you’re able to get support with water and energy bills.

There’s also charities offering help, including Citizens Advice and National Debtline, which are on hand to provide free, impartial advice.

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Heathrow bosses were warned about power supply after stolen cables turned off runway lights, MPs told

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Heathrow bosses were warned about power supply after stolen cables turned off runway lights, MPs told

Heathrow bosses were warned its power supply was vulnerable less than a week before a major outage, and a terminal could have got some flights moving by mid-morning rather than being shut for a day, a committee of MPs has heard.

The chief executive of Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee Nigel Wicking told MPs of the Transport Committee he raised issues about resilience on 15 March after cable and wiring theft took out lights on a runway.

Mr Wicking said he believed Heathrow’s Terminal 5 could have been ready to receive repatriation flights by “late morning” on the day of the closure, as “there was opportunity also to get flights out”.

Politics latest: ‘Disastrous’ not to shut Heathrow during outage, airport boss says

A fire at an electricity substation in west London meant the power supply was disrupted to Europe’s largest airport for a day – causing travel chaos for nearly 300,000 passengers, the committee heard.

“I’d actually warned Heathrow of concerns that we had with regard to the substations and my concern was resilience”, said Mr Wicking, the head of a body representing more than 90 airlines using Heathrow Airport.

“So the first occasion was to team Heathrow director on the 15th of the month of March. And then I also spoke to the chief operating officer and chief customer officer two days before regarding this concern.

“And it was following a number of, a couple of incidents of, unfortunately, theft, of wire and cable around some of the power supply that on one of those occasions, took out the lights on the runway for a period of time. That obviously made me concerned.”

Other problems

The biggest challenge was getting information, Mr Wicking said.

The desire for information on the outage and closure was so large that a Teams call on the day of the closure was “maxed out” with “a thousand participants”, he added.

However, Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said keeping the airport open during last month’s power outage would have been “disastrous”.

There was a risk of having “literally tens of thousands of people stranded in the airport, where we have nowhere to put them”, Mr Woldbye told MPs.

Fire surveillance and CCTV systems were down as a result of having limited electricity, he added, meaning it would not have been safe to reopen.

‘The most expensive airport in the world’

Heathrow should have top quality infrastructure and service, Mr Wicking said.

“It is the most expensive airport in the world with regard to passenger challenges. So from our perspective, that means we should actually have the best service. We should have the best infrastructure,” he added.

Aerials show burned substation which shut Heathrow Airport
Image:
Aerials show burned substation which shut Heathrow Airport

A review on resilience at Heathrow was done in 2018, he told MPs, but was told it was “not for sharing” with airlines.

“I think it is for sharing now because frankly, we’re paying enough”, Mr Wickling said he told Mr Woldbye.

“I don’t feel that we should be paying more attention for further resilience. The resilience should have been there in the first place.”

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What are Donald Trump’s tariffs, what is ‘liberation day’ and how does it all affect the UK?

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What are Donald Trump's tariffs, what is 'liberation day' and how does it all affect the UK?

If there is a word that has dominated Donald Trump’s second term, it’s tariffs. 

Aluminium, steel, cars and champagne have all been in his firing line, while China, Canada and Mexico are the countries targeted with the heaviest costs.

Along the way, there have been threats, pauses and postponements.

So what are tariffs, what is in the pipeline – and what could all this mean for the UK?

What are tariffs and why is Trump threatening to use them?

Tariffs are taxes on goods imported into the US.

It is the importers buying the goods who pay the tariffs – therefore, American companies.

Ultimately, the intent is to protect US manufacturing and bolster jobs by making foreign-made products less attractive.

However, there is a knock-on effect: to compensate for tariffs, companies put up their prices, so customers end up paying more for goods.

Tariffs can also damage foreign countries as they make their products pricier and harder to sell.

In his second term, Mr Trump has frequently used them – or the threat of them – as a trade weapon.

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Trump’s tariffs: What can we expect?

They are a key part of Mr Trump’s efforts to reshape global trade relations, and he plans to impose a swathe of what he calls “reciprocal” taxes that would match tariffs levied by other nations.

Tariffs were also part of his playbook in his first term, when he imposed taxes on most goods coming from China and used them as a bargaining chip to force Canada and Mexico to renegotiate a North American trade pact.

On his first day back in office, the US president promised 25% tariffs on all products coming into the US from its nearest neighbours Mexico and Canada – ostensibly to force the countries to tackle illegal migration and fentanyl crossing the border.

What is liberation day?

Mr Trump has branded 2 April “liberation day”, when he could unveil the reciprocal tariffs on countries deemed to be giving the US a bad deal on trade.

The extent of potential tariffs and countries affected remains unclear, with Mr Trump at times sending mixed messages.

On 30 March, he said “all countries” could expect to be hit by tariffs.

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What is Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’?

Speaking from Air Force One, the US president rubbished a question from a reporter who asked whether it was true he was planning on targeting between 10 and 15 countries.

“Who told you 10-15 countries? You didn’t hear it from me,” he said.

When pressed on how many he was planning to hit, he said: “You’d start with all countries, let’s see what happens.”

Two days prior, he said he was open to carving out deals with countries seeking to avoid US tariffs, but that those agreements would be negotiated after 2 April.

He had previously said he “may give a lot of countries breaks, but it’s reciprocal”, adding: “We might be even nicer than that.”

How could the UK be affected?

The UK hopes an economic deal with the US will spare the country from some of the tariffs.

Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Trump have had “productive negotiations” towards a UK-US “economic prosperity deal”, Downing Street has said.

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‘Everything on table over US tariffs’

The two leaders discussed a possible deal in a phone call on Sunday and agreed negotiations will “continue at pace”, according to a statement released on Sunday 30 March.

The day before the so-called “liberation day”, Sir Keir told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby the UK was “working hard on an economic deal” with the US and said “rapid progress” has been made.

But, he admitted: “Look, the likelihood is there will be tariffs. Nobody welcomes that, nobody wants a trade war.

“But I have to act in the national interest and that means all options have to remain on the table.”

Sir Keir added: “We are discussing economic deals. We’re well advanced.

“These would normally take months or years, and in a matter of weeks, we’ve got well advanced in those discussions, so I think that a calm approach, a collected approach, not a knee-jerk approach, is what’s needed in the best interests of our country.”

Mr Trump has not explicitly said the UK is in his sights for further tariffs, though he has described VAT – a tax added on all goods and services in the UK – as unfair.

In deciding what is a reciprocal tariff for the UK, it’s possible Mr Trump could use the tax, typically 20%, to decide.

Data shows no great trade imbalances – the gap between what you import and export from a certain country – and UK figures show no trade deficit with the United States.

UK ministers have previously suggested this could be good news for avoiding new levies.

But the tariffs Mr Trump has already announced would have a big impact on the UK – particularly the car tariff.

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Business secretary hopes Trump tariffs will be ‘reversed in weeks or months’

Jonathan Reynolds, the business and trade secretary, told Sky News he is “hopeful” the tariffs can be reversed soon.

He warned: “The longer we don’t have a potential resolution, the more we will have to consider our own position in relation to [tariffs], precluding retaliatory tariffs.”

He added the government was taking a “calm-headed” approach in the hope a deal can be agreed, but said it is only “reasonable” that retaliatory tariffs are an option, echoing Sir Keir’s sentiments over the weekend.

What tariffs have already been announced?

Some tariffs have already come into effect, while Mr Trump has confirmed some that will come in on 2 April.

He has said a 25% tariff on all cars imported to the US will come into effect, with a similar tariff on car parts expected to follow in May.

This could prove even more complicated for American car makers, who source components from around the world even if the vehicle is made in the US.

Trump tariffs teaser for SEO liberation day explainer

But Mr Trump has insisted the move will “continue to spur growth”, pointing to plans from Hyundai – the South Korean car maker – to build a $5.8bn (£4.5bn) steel plant in Louisiana.

The tariff could have a huge impact on the UK’s car industry, including on manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce.

Official data shows the US is the UK car sector’s largest single market by country, accounting for £6.4bn worth of car exports in 2023 – 18.4% of the total.

Trump has also said he will place a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela, which includes the US itself – in addition to imposing new tariffs on the South American country.

On 12 March, a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminium imports to the US came into effect, affecting UK products worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

The move came after he placed a 10% tax on all imports from China, which he later doubled to 20%.

He placed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but paused them for a month two days after they came into effect, meaning they are set to resume on 2 April.

The pause did not fully cover a tariff of 10% on Canadian energy products.

What has been the global response to tariffs?

There has widely been condemnation of the tariffs, especially from countries worst affected like Mexico and Canada.

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Canadian PM: ‘Tariffs are an attack’

Some have imposed, or threatened to impose, retaliatory tariffs.

China has already hit back with retaliatory tariffs covering a range of US goods, including a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas products, a 10% tariff on US crude oil and tariffs of up to 15% on key US farm exports.

Canada imposed tariffs of its own on US products, including a 25% reciprocal tariff on US steel and aluminium products and tariffs worth an estimated C$29.8bn (£16bn) on a wide range of US products including orange juice, peanut butter, alcohol, coffee and clothing.

Read more on tariffs:
It may be harder for the UK to trump metals tariffs
Stock markets tumble as Trump tariffs loom

The European Union has said it will impose retaliatory tariffs on the US, but when they will come into force is unknown.

The European Commission initially threatened to impose “countermeasures” affecting €26bn (£21.9bn) of US goods from 1 April, but later delayed this until the middle of April.

The bloc said the delay was because it wanted “additional time for discussions” with the US after Mr Trump threatened a 200% tariff on EU alcohol – including wine and champagne – if the bloc imposed duties on US whiskey.

Any tariffs imposed by the bloc would not only impact US steel and aluminium products, but also textiles, home appliances, agricultural goods and whiskey.

Why tariffs could cost you – even if Trump spares UK

Even if no tariffs are put on all UK exports to the US, consumers globally will still be impacted by the wider trade war, particularly in the US.

Economists believe that tariffs will raise costs in the US, sparking a wave of inflation that will keep interest rates higher for longer. The US central bank, the Federal Reserve, is mandated to act to bring inflation down.

More expensive borrowing and costlier goods and services could bring about an economic downturn in the US and have knock-on effects in the UK.

Forecasts from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) predict lower UK economic growth due to higher global interest rates.

It estimated that UK GDP (a measure of everything produced in the economy) could be between 2.5% and 3% lower over five years and 0.7% lower this year.

The Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy thinktank said a 20% across-the-board tariff, impacting the UK, could lead to a £22bn reduction in the UK’s US exports, with the hardest-hit sectors including fishing and mining.

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‘Liberation day is here’: But what will it mean for global trade?

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'Liberation day is here': But what will it mean for global trade?

“Liberation day” was due to be on 1 April. But Donald Trump decided to shift it by a day because he didn’t want anyone to think it was an April fool.

It is no joke for him and it is no joke for governments globally as they brace for his tariff announcements.

It is stunning how little we know about the plans to be announced in the Rose Garden of the White House later today.

It was telling that we didn’t see the President at all on Tuesday. He and all his advisers were huddled in the West Wing, away from the cameras, finalising the tariff plans.

Follow the events of Liberation Day live as they unfold

Three key figures are central to it all.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is the so-called ‘measured voice’. A former hedge fund manager, he has argued for targeted not blanket tariffs.

Peter Navarro is Trump’s senior counsellor for trade and manufacturing. A long-time aide and confidante of the president, he is a true loyalist and a firm believer in the merits of tariffs.

More on Donald Trump

His economic views are well beyond mainstream economic thought – precisely why he appeals to Trump.

‘Stop that crap’: Trump adviser Peter Navarro reacts to Sky News correspondent’s question over tariffs

The third key character is Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary and the biggest proponent of the full-throttle liberation day tariff juggernaut.

The businessman, philanthropist, Trump fundraiser and billionaire (net worth ranging between $1bn and $2bn) has been among the closest to Trump over the past 73 days of this presidency – frequently in and out of the West Wing.

If anything goes wrong, observers here in Washington suspect Trump will make Lutnick the fall guy.

What are Donald Trump’s tariffs, what is ‘liberation day’ and how does it all affect the UK?

And what if it does all go wrong? What if Trump is actually the April fool?

“It’s going to work…” his press secretary said when asked if it could all be a disaster, driving up the cost of living for Americans and creating global economic chaos.

“The president has a brilliant team who have been studying these issues for decades and we are focussed on restoring the global age of America…” Karoline Leavitt said.

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‘Days of US being ripped off are over’

Dancing to the president’s tune

My sense is that we should see “liberation day” not as the moment it’s all over in terms of negotiations for countries globally as they try to carve out deals with the White House. Rather it should be seen as the start.

Trump, as always, wants to be seen as the one calling the shots, taking control, seizing the limelight. He wants the world to dance to his tune. Today is his moment.

But beyond today, alongside the inevitable tit-for-tat retaliation, expect to see efforts by nations to seek carve-outs and to throw bones to Trump; to identify areas where trade policies can be tweaked to placate the president.

Even small offerings which change little in a material sense could give Trump the chance to spin and present himself as the winning deal maker he craves to be.

One significant challenge for foreign governments and their diplomats in Washington has been engaging the president himself with proposals he might like.

Negotiations take place with a White House team who are themselves unsure where the president will ultimately land. It’s resulted in unsatisfactory speculative negotiations.

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Treasury minister: ‘We’ll do everything to secure a deal’

Too much faith placed in the ‘special relationship’?

The UK believes it’s in a better position than most other countries globally. It sits outside the EU giving it autonomy in its trade policy, its deficit with the US is small, and Trump loves Britain.

It’s true too that the UK government has managed to accelerate trade conversations with the White House on a tariff-free trade partnership. Trump’s threats have forced conversations that would normally sit in the long grass for months.

Yet, for now, the conversations have yielded nothing firm. That’s a worry for sure. Did Keir Starmer have too much faith in the ‘special relationship’?

Downing Street will have identified areas where they can tweak trade policy to placate Trump. Cars maybe? Currently US cars into the UK carry a 10% tariff. Digital services perhaps?

US food? Unlikely – there are non-tariff barriers on US food because the consensus seems to be that chlorinated chicken and the like isn’t something UK consumers want.

Easier access to UK financial services maybe? More visas for Americans?

For now though, everyone is waiting to see what Trump does before they either retaliate or relent and lower their own market barriers.

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