October 2021

The first-ever curriculum-mapped financial education textbook – funded by a personal donation by MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis – is now available in secondary schools across the UK.

Around 6,600 people who get tax credits, child benefit or guardian's allowance paid into a Post Office card account need to take action urgently as HMRC will stop making payments into these accounts after 5 April. If you have an alternative account already you must let HMRC know and if not you'll need to set one up.  

A 75-year-old Sainsbury's customer has complained to the supermarket giant after it prevented shoppers from accessing savings online with its new Nectar scheme. The shopper told MoneySavingExpert.com that he believes the move is "discriminatory" towards the elderly, disabled and vulnerable - particularly when some may still feel uncomfortable shopping in stores due to Covid-19.

Tory MP Steve Barclay has unveiled plans to launch an app that will make it much easier for Brits to access Government services, such as claiming benefits and changing a driving licence. The hope is the smartphone app will use facial recognition or fingerprint scanning tools to verify people's identities.

More than 10 million pensioners could see their state pension rise by £5.55/wk from April 2022 after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed that inflation stood at 3.1% in the year to September - a figure that is typically used to calculate the following year's state pension increase.

On 1 January 2022, regulator the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) brings in new insurance rules. They primarily apply to vehicle insurance (car, motorbike, van) and home insurance (buildings & contents), but it's a monumental shake-up - the biggest I remember.

Supermarket delivery slots for Christmas are now open. And while Ocado is by and large already booked up, Asda, Sainsbury's and Waitrose all have availability for the festive period. We have compiled a full breakdown of your options to make Christmas easier.

Mortgage rates have recently been at all-time lows – some can fix at just 0.89%. Yet that may be about to end, warns MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis. A UK rate rise is on the cards and now may be the time to lock in cheap deals to save £1,000s. Here's our mortgage heads-up.

The energy price cap, which governs the maximum households can be charged per unit of gas and electricity, is to be reviewed as wholesale prices soar. Energy regulator Ofgem has today written an open letter to suppliers saying it will look at the methodology used to determine the price cap over the next few months. 

Mortgage rates could dramatically rise after new forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) show the Bank of England's base rate could rise to 3.5%. This could mean an end to record low mortgage rates, so it's worth checking now if you can lock in to save £1,000s.