Utilities

Energy giant E.on has apologised after taking around 1.5 million customers' direct debits up to two weeks early, leaving many without cash in their accounts just before Christmas. E.on says it'll be processing refunds automatically, but these won't hit accounts until 29 December 2020. If you've incurred extra charges, you CAN get reimbursed, but you'll have to ask for it.

TalkTalk landline customers with its Unlimited UK Calls Boost plan will see their bill jump by £24 a year from January. But if you're affected, the good news is you can simply cancel the calls plan penalty-free.

Hundreds of thousands of Shell Energy customers will see broadband and home phone price hikes of up to £36 a year in January – but you can leave your contract penalty-free if you're affected.

Customers of gas and electricity provider Yorkshire Energy – which stopped trading last week – are being transferred to Scottish Power.

Yorkshire Energy – a small gas and electricity provider that supplies around 74,000 households – has today stopped trading. But your energy supply won't be affected. We round up what you need to know.

Jobseekers claiming certain work-related benefits can now get a new mobile tariff that will give them unlimited mobile data, minutes and texts for £10 a month. If you need that much data it's a stonking deal – and you could even use the Sim to temporarily replace your home broadband if you're struggling.  

A post being widely shared on Facebook claims that MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis and Action Fraud have warned of a new "sophisticated scam" involving fraudsters posing as O2, Vodafone and other mobile networks  - but Martin hasn't mentioned it and Action Fraud says it's nothing to do with it either.

Vodafone and Three pay-monthly mobile or broadband customers who sign up to a new deal or upgrade to a fresh contract face steep price hikes next year, after the companies made changes to their terms and conditions. Once you've agreed to a new deal – from 29 October for Three, and 9 December for Vodafone – you're locked into the price rise, so it's important to be aware of it BEFORE you sign up.

The Government has confirmed that the energy price cap, which limits how much suppliers can charge for poor value tariffs, will be extended until the end of 2021 – and will cover those on prepayment meters.

Energy firms will have to offer emergency credit to prepayment customers who are struggling to top up their meters under a package of new measures revealed by regulator Ofgem, designed to help vulnerable customers stay connected.