2021

Newly merged O2 and Virgin Media have launched a new product called Volt, allowing eligible customers to get their mobile data allowances doubled and their broadband speeds boosted to the next level at no extra charge. To get it, you need to have Virgin broadband and an O2 mobile contract. While decent for existing customers, for most it's not worth switching to the firms just for the perks – we've full analysis below. 

Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Lloyds Bank and Halifax, is to shut 48 branches between January and April next year. The banking group will shut 41 Lloyds Bank branches and seven Halifax branches. We have full details below on which sites are being closed and what to do if your local branch is affected.

Brits wanting to fit a low-carbon heat pump in their homes in England and Wales could receive a one-off £5,000 grant from the Government to help replace less efficient gas boilers from April 2022. The initiative is part of a £3.9 billion project to make all heating systems low carbon by 2035.

Tesco has launched its first checkout-free store where shoppers can pick up their shopping and leave without needing to pay at a till. Tesco's 'GetGo' store opened in High Holborn in London today (19 October). It will be open seven days a week from 7am to 11pm.

In a no holds barred evidence session to both Houses of Parliament, Martin Lewis passionately called for scam ads to be included in the online safety bill. The MoneySavingExpert and Money and Mental Health Policy Institute founder warned that an alarming number of people take their own lives after being scammed and much more needs to be done to protect them. 

The UK consumer watchdog is to take court action against Teletext Holidays and Alpharooms over the the failure by the travel companies to fully refund customers for holidays cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Shoppers in the UK who use Klarna's new 'pay now' function will lose vital consumer protection that they'd get if they simply paid using a credit card instead. 

Pure Planet and Colorado Energy, which have about 250,000 customers combined, have become the latest energy providers to cease trading – making a total of 11 suppliers to go bust in the last six weeks. If you're a customer of these firms, your energy supply will continue and credit balances are protected. And while it's likely you'll pay more now, there are no savings to be had by switching due to the dire state of the market.

Vaccinated travellers entering England from abroad will be able to take a day two lateral flow test instead of a more expensive PCR test from Sunday 24 October, in a move by the UK Government to make going abroad cheaper and easier ahead of October half-term.

The UK advertising watchdog has banned an advert issued by Voxi, a subsidiary of Vodafone, for "misleading" customers over data and pricing.