May
Car and home insurers to be banned from charging renewing customers more than newbies in loyalty penalty crackdown
Car and home insurers are to be banned from charging existing customers more at renewal than they would expect to pay if they were taking out a new policy with the same firm, as part of a ‘loyalty penalty’ crackdown.
1 June 2021
£1.8 billion in pension credit left unclaimed - how to check if you or someone you know is eligible
A former pensions minister has urged people to use this Bank Holiday weekend as an opportunity to check if elderly relatives or neighbours are missing out on £1,000s a year in pension credit, with recent figures showing up to £1.8 billion remains unclaimed. Here's how to check if you or someone you know is eligible - and what to do if so.
28 May 2021
Three to hike the cost of out-of-bundle calls and texts and some pay-as-you-go services from July
Three mobile customers who make calls or send text messages outside of their standard allowance will see prices hiked from 1 July. Some pay-as-you-go costs are also rising. But mobile users who regularly use these services can cancel contracts penalty-free as a result.
28 May 2021
Campaigners call for action to fix 'absurd' universal credit flaws stopping vulnerable people getting help managing benefits
Campaigners have called on the Government to fix "absurd flaws" with the benefits system that prevent vulnerable people from getting help from family and friends to manage their Universal Credit accounts. Without this help, campaigners warn claimants ultimately risk losing their benefits.
26 May 2021
Water firms upping direct debits of metered customers due to increased lockdown use – check NOW if you're overpaying
Households with water meters should check their bills as many firms are upping direct debits due to higher use during lockdown. And with usage over the next year likely to drop for many as restrictions ease, you could end up paying a lot more than you need to unless you take action.
25 May 2021
Virgin Mobile to increase prices for millions from July
Virgin Mobile is to hit millions of mobile customers with price hikes of 1.5% from 1 July. The provider has confirmed it started to notify affected customers about the increase in early May - but you won’t be able to cancel penalty-free unless you are out-of-contract.
25 May 2021
Atom Bank savers alarmed by messaging blunder - what you need to know
Atom Bank has mistakenly sent duplicate notifications to many of its customers, with one which warns an "external account" has been connected to savers' accounts prompting widespread alarm. The bank has temporarily restricted access to its app to stop more notifications going out, but it says it's NOT been hacked and that customers' money is safe - we've full details on what we know so far below.
25 May 2021
Covid uncertainty means holiday bookings are a risk - 19 need-to-knows to cut costs and protect your pocket in the UK and abroad
The rules on holidaying have changed radically. Until this week, in England, only stays away in self-contained accommodation were allowed, but as of 17 May hotel stays and sleepovers at friends' are back.
25 May 2021
Bulb to hike energy prices by £69/yr for millions from June – but most can save £200+/yr by switching
About 1.7 million Bulb customers will see gas and electricity bills rise for a second time this year, after the supplier announced it is raising the price of its standard credit tariff by £69/yr on average from next month. But most can beat the hikes and save £200+/yr by switching to a cheaper deal.
21 May 2021
Plusnet to hike prices for 100,000s of customers next month
Plusnet is to hit 100,000s of broadband and home phone customers with a 4.6% price hike from 30 June. The rise means some broadband customers could pay up to £18/yr more - but as the increase is written into its T&Cs, you can't cancel penalty-free unless you're outside your contract's minimum term.
20 May 2021
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11 May 2022
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Martin's debt cost-cutting tips
Save £1,000s before rates rise further
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Are you missing out on benefits?
7 million are
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10 ways to cut grocery bills
By £100s
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Top savings rates on the up
1.5% easy access, 2.5%+ fixes
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Energy direct debit doubled?
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Customers of collapsed rent-to-own firm BrightHouse unlikely to receive any form of refund - here are all the details
16 May 2022![]()
Customers of collapsed rent to own company BrightHouse are unlikely to get any money back after the firm's joint administrators said the cost of refunding people would "far exceed" the money available. -
Energy price cap set to change every three months under new plans unveiled by Ofgem
16 May 2022![]()
The energy price cap, which governs what most pay for their energy, is set to change every three months from October under plans announced by Ofgem today. The regulator also revealed it will also make the 'market stabilisation charge' harsher. This is a charge levied on firms acquiring new customers, which will make it harder for suppliers to undercut the price cap with cheaper fixed deals. -
Warning: Aldi, M&S, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and more recall chicken products over salmonella fears - here are your refund rights
16 May 2022![]()
Aldi, M&S, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Waitrose are recalling a number of chicken products over fears of a salmonella outbreak. We explain your refund rights below. -
NHS prescription costs frozen in England for the first time in 12 years – here are all the details and how to save on your medicine bills
16 May 2022![]()
NHS prescription costs will remain frozen at £9.35 an item for the next 12 months. This is welcome news for many but remember to check if you qualify for free prescriptions or if you can save money with a prescription 'season ticket'. See below for more details. -
Thousands of public sector workers to see redundancy payments cut after Government shake-up – your rights explained
13 May 2022![]()
Thousands of public sector workers in England could soon see the amount they get as redundancy pay cut under new Government guidance.
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Martin Lewis: 'UO is just as important as UX: A tip for anyone developing their website or app'
6 May 2022![]()
I set up MoneySavingExpert.com nearly 20 years ago – when arguably the modern web was still in its infancy. With an abundance of self-belief (something I had too much of then, as I realise now) I decided not to read any books, or follow prevailing wisdom on how a site should operate – and just do it my way. -
Martin Lewis: Got a cash ISA? You should probably ditch it
3 May 2022![]()
Press the rewind button and go way back to April 2015... Possibly on the telly in the corner of your living room, I was on-air at the time urging savers as usual to use their new tax-free cash ISA allowance – because 'money was nicer in an ISA'. But things changed in 2016. -
Martin Lewis: Money and Mental Health charity 2021/22 – Covid & cost of living hell...
26 April 2022![]()
It's hard to believe the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) charity is now six years old. As the chair of trustees, each year I write the foreword to its annual report – and today the 2021/22 report is out, so I thought I'd blog my formal chair's foreword here. -
Martin Lewis: What happened to my pledge to give £10m to charity – 2022 update (spoiler: it's now £20m)
11 April 2022![]()
Nearly a decade ago, in June 2012, MSE joined the MSM Group and I pledged £10m to go to charity. As that was a public pledge and I feel I've a duty of transparency, every year or two I bash out a blog report to explain where I'm up to, and who's got what money.
Clever ways to calculate your finances
