All bills included means your energy, water and internet are in your rent, and most big student accommodation providers work this way, including Unite Students, iQ, Student Roost, Scape, Chapter and Vita Student. On our worked example, separate bills in a house of four come to about £13 a week each. So paying much more than that for bills-included is paying for convenience, or for extras like insurance and a gym.
What is usually covered, and what is not
Bills included usually means utilities and Wi-Fi. It does not mean everything.
The wording varies, so read the list for your building. Energy, water and Wi-Fi are nearly always in. Contents insurance is often in as well, which is worth knowing if you are comparing with a house where you would have to arrange it yourself.
| Item | In a bills-included hall? | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity, heating, water | Yes | Unite, iQ, Student Roost, Scape |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Unite, iQ, Student Roost, Scape, Chapter |
| Contents insurance | Often, check the cover | Unite, iQ, Student Roost |
| Gym | Sometimes | Scape and Vita Student include it. Others vary by building |
| Cleaning of your room | Sometimes | Chapter bi-weekly, Vita Student housekeeping, Scape optional |
| Laundry | Often extra | iQ charges separately through its machine provider |
| Bedding and kitchen kit | Often not | iQ says bring your own |
| Food | Rarely | Vita Student includes weekday breakfast |
Worked example: all-inclusive vs paying separately
A shared house in England or Wales, using current published figures.
We used Ofgem's price cap of £1,723 a year for a typical household paying by direct debit, from 1 October to 31 December 2026. It limits rates and standing charges, so a house using more pays more. Water UK's average 2026/27 water and sewerage bill for England and Wales is £639, so this water figure does not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland. For broadband we used £23 a month, close to the equivalent monthly cost of the 500Mb deals on MoneySavingExpert's comparison in November 2026.
That adds up to £2,638 a year for the house. In a house of four, each person pays about £660 a year, or about £13 a week. These are averages for a typical household, not a student house, so your real bill depends on your building and how much you use. The higher-use line adds 25% to energy, which is our own assumption to test the sums.
| Bill | Per year, whole house | Each, house of four | Per week each |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy (Ofgem cap) | £1,723 | £431 | £8.28 |
| Water (England and Wales average) | £639 | £160 | £3.07 |
| Broadband at £23 a month | £276 | £69 | £1.33 |
| Total | £2,638 | £660 | £12.68 |
| Total with 25% more energy | £3,069 | £767 | £14.75 |
Our break-even rule
Compare the extra rent with the bills you would otherwise share.
Fewer housemates means a bigger share, so the point at which all-inclusive stops making sense moves with the size of your house. If the bills-included room costs more per week than the figure below for an equivalent room, you are paying for convenience, not saving money. That is not always a bad deal. You also skip setting up accounts, chasing housemates and being on the hook for a shared bill.
We would pay a few pounds a week over this line for a first year in a new city, and we would run the sums harder for a house in second or third year.
Separate bills per person per week, by house size
Our calculation from Ofgem's cap, Water UK's England and Wales average and £23 a month broadband, spread over 52 weeks. Typical household use, not a student survey.
Top all bills included student accommodation options in the UK
These providers state that bills are in the rent. Prices are the lowest we saw in November 2026, not a promise.
This is a list of real options, not a ranking. Because all of them include bills, compare the total rent and what extras you actually get. For the deeper comparison of the three largest, see our Unite, iQ and Student Roost reviews linked below.
| Provider | Bills wording | Extras named | Example from price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unite Students | All bills included | Contents insurance | £109 in Sheffield, 2027/28 |
| iQ | Rent and all bills | Wi-Fi, contents insurance | £77 at Brocco, Sheffield, 2027/28 |
| Student Roost | All bills, no energy limits | Internet, contents insurance | £79 at Central Place, Sheffield, 2026/27 |
| Scape | All utilities and bills | Wi-Fi, gym membership | £316 at Wembley, year not stated |
| Chapter | Wi-Fi and all bills | Bi-weekly cleaning, Chapter Club | £337 at Islington, 2026/27 |
| Vita Student | Utility bills | Weekday breakfast, gym, housekeeping | £332 at Lewisham Exchange, London |
| Fifty One London | All utilities and Wi-Fi | Daily cleaning, linen, concierge | £949 in South Kensington, 2026/27 |
If you pay bills separately in a shared house
Two things catch people out. First, the broadband deals we saw on MoneySavingExpert in November 2026 were all on 24-month contracts, which is awkward if your tenancy runs for a year. Check the cost of a shorter contract or who takes over the contract before you sign. Second, Ofgem updates its cap every three months, so a fixed all-inclusive rent is easier to budget for.
Council tax is a separate question. Gov.uk says no Council Tax is due if everyone in the household is a full-time student, and you can apply for an exemption if a bill arrives. If someone in the house is not a full-time student, a bill is issued, though a discount may apply. Check with your council, especially in Scotland or Northern Ireland, where the rules we quote may not apply. For how to divide the costs fairly, we have a separate guide to splitting bills with housemates.
Checks before you sign an all-inclusive contract
- Ask for the list in writingGet electricity, heating, water, Wi-Fi and insurance confirmed for your exact building.
- Ask about usage limitsStudent Roost says it has no energy limits. If a landlord has a fair-use cap, find out the limit and who pays above it.
- Work out total rentWeekly rent multiplied by contract weeks. A cheaper week on a longer contract can cost more overall.
- Price the extrasBudget for laundry, bedding and kitchen kit, plus parking if you drive. Check whether you need a TV Licence with TV Licensing.
- Compare like with likeUse the break-even figure for your house size against the same room type and location.
of the 500 UK students in our 2026 Student Experience Survey had hit at least one housing issue. Housemates (34%), the property itself (32%) and Wi-Fi (29%) came up most.
Keep planning
FAQs
What are the top all bills included student accommodation options in the UK?
Big providers that say bills are in the rent include Unite Students, iQ, Student Roost, Scape, Chapter and Vita Student, with Fifty One London at the very top end. They differ mainly on city, rent and extras like gym access or cleaning. We would shortlist by city first, then compare total rent for the same room type.
What does all bills included usually cover?
Usually electricity, heating, water and Wi-Fi. Many providers add contents insurance. Some add gym access or cleaning, and Vita Student adds weekday breakfast. It normally does not cover laundry, bedding, kitchen kit or food, and iQ for example charges for laundry separately. Always ask for the list for your exact building, because the wording varies between operators.
Is all bills included cheaper than paying separately?
It depends on the extra rent. On our worked example using Ofgem, Water UK and broadband figures, separate bills in a house of four in England or Wales cost about £13 a week each. If the bills-included option costs much more than that for an equivalent room, you are paying for convenience, not saving money.
How much are student bills per person?
On our example, about £660 a year each in a house of four, or £12.68 a week over 52 weeks, using Ofgem's £1,723 cap, Water UK's £639 England and Wales average and £23 a month for broadband. These are typical household figures, not a student survey, so a higher-use house would pay more.
Is there a limit on energy use in bills-included accommodation?
It depends on the provider. Student Roost says there are no energy limits. For anywhere else, including private houses sold as bills inclusive, ask directly whether there is a fair-use limit and who pays if you go over it. Get the answer in writing before you sign, since a cap can leave you with a bill anyway.
Do students pay Council Tax in bills-included accommodation?
Gov.uk says no Council Tax is due if everyone in the household is a full-time student, which it defines as a course of at least a year and 21 hours a week. If someone is not a full-time student, a bill goes out, though a discount may apply. Check your local council, especially outside England and Wales.
Do bills-included halls cover a TV Licence?
None of the provider inclusion lists we read mentions a TV Licence, so do not assume one is covered. Check TV Licensing's own student page for the current rules before term starts, and ask your accommodation team if you are unsure. We have not repeated the rules here because we could not confirm them.
Sources and official resources
- Ofgem: energy price cap from October 2026 The £1,723 typical household figure
- Credit Connect: water bills 2026/27 Reports Water UK's £639 average
- Ofwat response on water bills Confirms the 5.4% rise, £33
- MoneySavingExpert broadband comparison Deal prices and 24-month contracts
- Gov.uk: Council Tax for full-time students Student household exemption
- iQ FAQs Bills, laundry and insurance
- Student Roost All bills and no energy limits
- Unite Students London Lists what bills cover
- Scape London Prices and bills wording
- Vita Student Lewisham Exchange What is included in rent
- TV Licensing: students Check if you need a licence
Provide student accommodation?
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How we built this guide: facts come from the sources listed above, checked November 2026. It is general information rather than legal or financial advice, and rules and prices change, so confirm with the provider or an adviser before you commit. How we compare student accommodation.