June 2022

Netflix has confirmed it will introduce a cheaper subscription plan for its users that includes adverts. We don't have all the details yet but here's what we do know. 

New Now subscribers should watch out for its £5 a month Boost package being added automatically when they take out a bundle from the streaming service. Here's what to look for and how to unsubscribe.

Free lateral flow tests in Wales will continue to be available for people showing Covid symptoms up until 31 July. An extension to the scheme comes after a surge in coronavirus cases in Wales with one in 45 people testing positive, according to the Office for National Statistics.  

Time is running out to check down the back of your sofa for any soon-to-be-discontinued paper £20 and £50 notes. There are only 100 days left before they become invalid but the latest figures from the Bank of England show there are almost £15 billion-worth of notes still around. 

Barclays has announced another round of bank branch closures, with 15 more outlets set to shut by the end of the year. The latest closures mean Barclays will close 55 branches by the end of the year. Below we list the branches disappearing and what the alternatives are if you still want face-to-face banking. 

If you've been rejected from borrowing you may be able to get a one-off interest-free loan from a credit union or alternative lender from September. A new Government-backed pilot scheme is designed to help people struggling to borrow, and will lend anything from £100 to £2,000. You can't apply directly but read on to find out how the scheme works.

Mobile and broadband customers should find it easier to cancel penalty-free if their provider makes detrimental mid-contract changes that were not agreed to when they first signed up to the plan. 

The Bank of England has increased base rates to 1.25% from 1% after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted in favour of a rise. The base rate is used by the central bank to charge other banks and lenders when they borrow money – and influences what borrowers pay and savers earn.

Tesco Mobile is to start charging pay-monthly users who joined or upgraded from 16 June to use their mobiles in Europe from 1 January 2023. These customers will have to pay extra to make calls, send texts and use data in 48 European countries and destinations.   

Plans on how buy now, pay later services will be regulated have today (20 June) been announced by the Government. But MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) founder Martin Lewis warns that legislation is taking "far too long" to take force with borrowers being left unprotected during the cost of living crisis.