May is here, meaning some of the bill rises ‘awful April’ brought will likely be starting to settle in for UK households. This time of year is always challenging for finances, as bill payers grapple with the higher expenses of the new financial year. Cost of living concerns continue as conflict in the Middle East threatens to hit Britain’s economy. The US-Iran war has severely disrupted the global oil trade, bringing knock-on effects to the price of essentials like energy and food. The situation remains uncertain as it runs on, sparking fears that the impact on households could persist throughout 2026, and possibly beyond. Inflation rose in March to 3.3 per cent, marking only a slight 0.3 point rise but indicating a definite move away from the downward trend of recent months. This is a sign that household costs have started increase more quickly once again, sparking fresh cost of living concerns.…