Kit Sproson

Senior Money Writer – Mortgages Expert

As one of MSE's Money writers, Kit's main topics include mortgages, Council Tax, wills, funeral plans and scams. He previously covered credit scoring, students and buy now, pay later. Before joining MSE in 2019, Kit worked as a digital journalist for ITV News as well as a court reporter.

Kit has been nominated for the Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award at the Headline Money Awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

In his spare time, Kit enjoys reading, football, travelling and volunteering at Shelter from the Storm.

Latest from Kit Sproson

Checking your credit report is in good shape is VITAL if you want to get a mortgage, credit card, loan and much more. And with the cost of living eating into people's budgets and perceived 'affordability' for credit, having a good history has only grown in importance. Thankfully, there's no need to pay to access your credit report. In fact, some newbies can even earn money for doing so. Here's how to check your credit reports.

27 January 2026

Mortgage overpayments are commonplace right now as homeowners look to offset the impact of today's expensive interest rates. Overpaying your mortgage should be a serious consideration if you have the cash. Many can save £10,000s. Yet rates on many savings accounts are decent, so those on older, cheaper mortgages may actually do better in savings. This guide helps you decide what's best for you.

27 January 2026

Homeowners can rack up a bill of £1,000s or even £10,000s trying to extend their lease. Thankfully the Government is in the process of making extending both easier and cheaper – but reform keeps getting hit by delays. This guide talks through why leases need extending, when it becomes necessary, and how to do it. Plus, check out our What is a leasehold? guide for more on how a leasehold works.

27 January 2026

Millions of people own a leasehold property, but this type of home ownership can be complex. Leasehold tenure has received much negative attention over the years, so the Government is introducing changes that'll make it cheaper to extend a lease – plus ground rent on new leases is now banned. This guide explains what leasehold is, how it's set to change, and what to do if something goes wrong.

27 January 2026

Scams are rife and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the UK who hasn't been targeted. And they're becoming more sophisticated all the time, continuing to deprive people of often life-changing amounts of money. This guide explains what to look out for, how to protect yourself and what to do if you're a victim of a scam – including details of new rules which mean many can get their money back.

26 January 2026

Homeowners use equity release to unlock billions in cash from property each year. But if that's you and you've got a 'lifetime mortgage' charging an interest rate higher than what's available today, it might be possible to save £10,000s by switching to a better deal. This guide will help you figure out if you can save – and show you how to go about doing it.

26 January 2026

Income and the size of your deposit – or the amount of equity you've already got – both have a fundamental impact on how much money a mortgage lender might let you borrow. Lenders also 'stress test' to see if you'd be able to keep up with repayments if interest rates went up, so you should be realistic about how much money you hope to borrow.

26 January 2026

20 January 2026

A prepaid funeral plan lets you pay for your own funeral in advance, potentially saving your family stress and expense when you die. But while things like a coffin and burial/cremation fees are usually covered, plans often DON'T cover all funeral costs, so check what's included. Our guide helps you decide whether to get one.

20 January 2026

Many people are eligible for a Council Tax discount or reduction of between 25% and 100%, saving £100s or even £1,000s each year. Those living alone or only with children, students, those with a carer or a specific medical diagnosis – as well as people on low incomes and even those with empty properties could cut their bill. Read on to see who's eligible, how much you might save, and how to apply.

20 January 2026

Guide about the severe mental impairment council tax discount

Hundreds of thousands of people considered to be 'severely mentally impaired' in England, Scotland and Wales could be missing out on a Council Tax discount worth £100s – and even backdated payments worth £1,000s. We've been raising awareness of this discount for years now, and many have successfully claimed. See if it can help you too.

20 January 2026

A younger person's hands gently holding the hands of an older person

16 January 2026

Millions of people use buy now, pay later firms such as Klarna and Clearpay when shopping online or in store. Managed correctly, they can be a cheap and quick way of accessing credit. But research shows many users aren't aware that if something goes wrong, you face late fees and, increasingly, marks on your credit file. This guide takes you through how buy now, pay later works and what to look out for.

6 January 2026

More than £140 million in overpaid tax is sitting in council coffers. Moved home since 1993? You could be owed £100+ of it. Even if you haven't, you might still be due. This guide explains how to check whether you're one of the 800,000 affected, and what steps to take to get the money back.

6 January 2026

How to check and challenge your council tax band

Hundreds of thousands of homes across England and Scotland are thought to be in the wrong Council Tax band. This means it's important to check your property's in the right band – something our tried-and-tested system can help you do. Some homeowners and renters have unknowingly been overpaying Council Tax for many years, even decades, because their bands are too high, so payouts worth £1,000s are commonplace.

6 January 2026

Buying a home in Scotland - the timeline.

Buying a home is notoriously stressful. However, knowing the rough outline of how the process works will make things that little easier. This guide walks you through all the steps to buying a home in Scotland, including typical timescales.

5 December 2025