Amy Roberts

Senior Money Writer

As one of MSE's Money writers, Amy's main topics include student loans, credit scoring, budgeting and buy now, pay later. Having worked at MSE for over a decade, Amy has covered everything money related over the years, from mortgages and pensions, to investments and reclaiming.

Before joining MSE in 2013, Amy worked as a Senior Features Writer at Financial Adviser (a Financial Times business publication), and was also a Senior Reporter at Post, a magazine from the insurance industry, after qualifying as a journalist in 2009.

As a busy mum of three, Amy spends any spare time she has running the streets of her home town Norwich, or attending a dance class – a hobby she has continued since she was three years old.

Amy has been recognised twice at the British Insurance Brokers' Association Awards – she was named runner-up for the Online Award in 2011 and was highly commended in the Trade Feature Award category in 2012. She was nominated for the General Insurance Journalist of the Year at the 2010 Association of British Insurers Financial Media Awards, for Trade Newcomer at the 2012 Santander Media Awards and for General Insurance Journalist of the Year at the 2012 Headline Money Awards.

Latest from Amy Roberts

MSE's 5 need-to-knows about 'Plan 5' English student finance.

September 2023 saw the biggest shift in student finance for a decade, as new 'Plan 5' loans launched for new higher education starters from England. Paradoxically, the changes are both subtle and massive. On the surface it looks like a tweak, in practice it will increase the cost by over 50% for many typical graduates and double it for a few.

1 September 2026

Over 2.5m English and Welsh students who started uni before August 2012, and Northern Irish students who started since 1998 are currently paying back their Plan 1 student loans. But the simple question of whether you should pay off your student loan early if you've got extra cash, depends on whether or not you've other debts.

1 September 2026

Student loan interest is now 6.2% - should I panic or pay it off?

You leave university, looking forward to your future, then spot your student loan statement. There's a sinking feeling as you see £1,000s of added interest. Yet student loan statements can be dangerously misleading. They've led some into making catastrophic financial decisions. For most graduates, bizarrely, interest isn't relevant. Ignore it, and it'll go away.

1 September 2026

Master's students in England and Wales can apply for Student Loans Company loans of £1,000s to pay for their courses, which they'll only need to repay if they earn enough once the course ends. Here we explain how these loans work, including who can get them, how expensive they are, how you repay and whether or not they're worth it.

1 September 2026

If you took out an old 'mortgage style' student loan between 1990 and 1997, you might be wondering whether overpaying is a good idea. With many of these loans due to be written off in the next couple of years and many, especially those who can't afford to pay back, deferring their payments – the answer is 'no'. This guide explains who has these loans, when you do and don't have to repay and whether you should ever consider overpaying.

1 September 2026

Jar containing coins with a label reading "retirement" on it.

Saving for retirement is crucial. Many of us typically only work about 45 years out of an 85(ish)-year lifespan - so that work income needs to cover those non-working years. Pensions also have two big superpowers – tax relief means the Government tops up your pension pot and, if you're employed, your employer often must do the same, resulting in a 'hidden payrise'. We talk through what you should know.

19 August 2026

The problem with most budgets is they don't work. While they look at a typical month's spending, what about birthdays, that tooth filling you have to pay for and other one-offs? This guide gives you some helpful tips and tricks and includes a free Budget Planner, which analyses your finances to help you manage and control your cash.

18 August 2026

Woman looking online with some paperwork in her hand

There can't be many more (potentially) profitable uses of time than to spend a bit of it checking if you've any lost pensions – especially for those who worked for lots of different firms over lots of years. Over three million are thought to have gone astray, worth an average of £9,500 each (though some can be far bigger). This guide explains how to find lost or old pensions for FREE, which could help bolster your retirement.

4 August 2026

The cost-of-living crisis means more and more people are struggling with debt. But even if you're struggling to make ends meet, your debt problem isn't unsolvable. It might not be easy or quick to resolve, but there's always a route. And the earlier you tackle your debts, the easier they are to deal with. Our four-step guide shows you where to start and how to get free one-on-one help.

4 August 2026

Taking a day to cut your bills saves many people £1,000s over the year. And unless you earn £100,000s, doing a money makeover can be the next best way of putting some extra aside – something that's really important during this cost of living crisis. So check your bills NOW and see if you can save £100s on broadband, mobiles, food and more by working through your finances one-by-one to ensure you've the best deal on everything.

4 August 2026

Taking financial advice does come with a cost. But when it comes to making life-changing financial decisions, it might save you money in the long run. This guide will help you understand what a financial adviser is, whether you need to use one and how to find one. Plus, most importantly, how much it'll cost.

28 July 2026

Children in a classroom sitting at blue desks, some have their hands up asking to answer a question.

Financial education is simply about learning how money works. It's a vital life skill yet it's one many of us miss out on.

6 July 2026

Small claims (now often simply called 'court claims') can be a low-hassle way to take legal action for up to £10,000 against a firm or individual in the UK. In this guide we've full help on small claims court procedure, including how to work out whether you've got a strong case – important, as, if you lose, you WON'T be refunded your fees, plus you may have to pay costs for the other side. We cover how to make a claim, look at small claims court fees, and show how to maximise your chances of winning.

2 July 2026

Have you taken some taxable money from your pension for the first time? If so, you could be one of thousands of people due back £1,000s or even £10,000s in overpaid tax. And while you will be refunded any overpayment automatically by the end of the tax year, it still leaves you temporarily out of pocket – in some cases by up to 12 months. This guide talks you through whether you've overpaid and, if so, how to get your money back sooner.

10 June 2026

3 June 2026

Pensions can be complicated and your money needs to last you throughout retirement. If you've got workplace or private pensions, taking the money at the right time and in the right way will be important, and getting it wrong can be costly. This guide takes This guide gives you an overview of what you need to think about when thinking about how to access your money – and where to go for free guidance.

19 May 2026