July 2022

Criminals are increasingly trying to capitalise on the cost of living crisis by targeting households with bogus offers of rebates, grants and support payments. But official Government support payments are usually automatic, so if you get a request for information out of the blue via text, email, or phone call – be wary. 

Energy regulator Ofgem has ordered energy firms to improve how they set direct debits, after a review found a range of failings, with 100,000s of customers on standard variable tariffs seeing their direct debits doubled – way over the last price cap rise.

Hundreds of thousands more retirees, mainly women, have been found to have been underpaid their state pension, with the collective shortfall running to £1.5 billion, according to new Government figures. Here's how to check if you've been affected.

Energy suppliers have committed to offering more help for struggling consumers this winter after MoneySavingExpert.com, Martin Lewis and representatives from charities Citizens Advice, National Energy Action and StepChange met with CEOs of Ovo, British Gas, Octopus, E.on, EDF and Shell Energy to discuss the crisis facing many households this winter.

More and more 10-year fixed mortgage deals are coming to the market, with First Direct becoming the latest to launch a product. Fixing for a decade can be done for as little as 3.33% right now and is becoming more appealing as the Bank of England base rate continues to rise. But there are pros and cons to doing so – here's what to watch out for.

Tesco has reintroduced its 12-month delivery saver plan, which comes with the choice of off-peak or anytime delivery. The supermarket has also launched a new, cheaper click and collect option for users of its six-month delivery pass. Below are all the details and how the passes stack up. 

NatWest is scrapping fees for spending abroad on select credit and debit cards until 2 September. This is good news for existing NatWest customers, but if you’re willing to switch there are better offers out there for fee-free holiday spending.

Barclaycard has launched the longest 0% spending credit card we've seen since May 2020, giving some 25 months interest-free spending – though not all will get the headline rate. If you NEED to borrow, 0% spending cards are the cheapest way – here's how it compares. 

Amazon is being investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over concerns it is deliberately restricting competition between sellers on its platform, which may mean shoppers are getting a worse deal.

Households are being urged to check NOW if they are one of the 862,000 due a refund of overpaid council tax, with an investigation by  MoneySavingExpert.com showing residents in England, Scotland and Wales could claim back a total of just over £150 million.