February 2018

An estimated 23,000 people experience problem debt while in hospital for a mental health crisis each year, according to new figures from a charity set up by MSE founder Martin Lewis.

Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to make student finance "fairer" and launched a major review of university funding this afternoon.

If you've still got any old £10 notes, beware – you only have until Thursday 1 March to spend them before they're officially withdrawn by the Bank of England. Here's what's happening and what you can do if you miss the deadline. Following the launch of the new polymer tenner in September, the older £10 notes featuring Charles Darwin have been gradually phased out and will cease to be legal tender in a few days' time. It's believed that more than a quarter of the old £10 notes, worth a staggering £2.2 billion, remain in circulation - so if you've any old tenners, the last day to use them is Thursday 1 March. After this date, retailers will no longer accept them. North of the border, older Scottish £5 and £10 notes will also stop being accepted on 1 March, but there are no changes planned for Northern Irish banknotes.

If you're considering getting a fixed mortgage deal you need to act quickly as rates are expected to rise in the coming months, mortgage experts are warning.

The Government's Childcare Vouchers scheme – which is operated through employers and allows you to pay for childcare from your pre-tax salary – is closing to new entrants on 5 April. But if you're not already enrolled and want to take advantage, you need to apply NOW to allow enough time for your application to go through payroll.

Energy regulator Ofgem has opened an investigation into gas and electricity supplier Iresa's customer service.

The price of first and second-class stamps will increase by 2p at the end of March, Royal Mail has announced.

Millions of Sky broadband and TV customers will see their monthly contracts rise by up to £36 a year from Sunday 1 April – but if you're affected you may be able to leave penalty-free or haggle down your bill.

Parents with children aged between nine and 11 can now apply for the Government's Tax-Free Childcare scheme, meaning its roll-out is complete.

O2, Three and Vodafone have joined EE in announcing price rises for pay-monthly mobile customers this year, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal.