Shell

If you're a Shell Energy broadband and home phone customer, you'll soon be automatically transferred to TalkTalk – but your service should continue as before and you should keep paying your bills as normal.

Millions of BT, EE, O2, Plusnet, Shell, Sky, TalkTalk, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone customers are being hit with price hikes of up to 17.3% this year, on the back of a sharp increase in the cost of living. We've a handy table below on what's happening and who's affected.

At least 30% of British Gas, Octopus Energy and Shell Energy customers who were in credit and on price-capped tariffs told the UK's biggest consumer website, MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE), that they've seen their direct debits double – even though the price cap rise is half that, at 54%. Across all firms, 25% of customers in this situation reported direct debits doubling or more.

British Gas has doubled the amount of emergency credit available to customers on their gas and electricity prepayment meters from £5 to £10 in the wake of the recent spike in energy prices, although the energy giant previously had one of the lowest limits. 

Over two million households have been switched to a new energy supplier they didn't choose in the past year after their previous provider went bust. But very few caught by this 'safety net' – especially those moved to British Gas – reported having a good transfer experience, with many left waiting months for credit refunds as well as being "left in the dark" about the transfer process. 

Shell Energy is to scrap a controversial £15 'cease fee' it charges customers who switch away from the firm or cancel their contract, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal. It comes after we queried the fee with regulator Ofcom and it asked Shell Energy to explain the charge - though Shell insists it was already reviewing the fee as it prepares to take on 450,000 Post Office customers later this year.

Energy supplier First Utility has been renamed Shell Energy, and customers will now have 100% renewable electricity. 

Oil giants Shell and BP are being investigated for possible price-fixing, raising concerns road users may have been paying too much for fuel.

American Express credit card holders can get money back on a host of in-store purchases with the plastic giant's latest offer.

Barclaycard has today launched its new rewards scheme called Freedom. Despite the hype, it can be beaten by standard cashback cards.