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How to get details of your credit score for free

Andrew Hagger | September 25, 2015

It’s been well documented that households with a poor credit rating can pay hundreds of pounds more per year for finance and utilities payments than consumers with healthy credit scores. Specialist credit card provider Aqua showed last year that families with a lower credit score typically can only access a month by month broadband contract […]

Investors unaware of savings protection changes as 100 day countdown begins

Andrew Hagger | September 24, 2015

More than eight in ten people (83 per cent) are unaware that the protection provided for savings by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) will fall by £10,000 to £75,000 on 1 January 2016, according to research from peer-to-peer lender RateSetter. The FSCS, launched in 2011, guarantees the safety of savings kept in banks and […]

Pensioners pay more than £17.5 billion a year in income tax

Andrew Hagger | September 17, 2015

Pensioners in the UK pay a total of more than £17.5 billion in income tax every year, according to new analysis by Prudential. The insurer’s analysis of the most recently available ONS data on income and tax shows that in the 2012-13 tax year, over-65s paid an average of £3,258 each in tax. Collectively this […]

Blow for Santander 123 customers as current account and credit card fees set to rise

Andrew Hagger | September 16, 2015

Santander, the stand out performer when it comes to current account switching this week announced an increase in the 123 current account monthly fee from £2 to £5 with effect from January 2016. The cashback returns on utilities payments and in credit interest rates have not been changed, however the increased fee takes some of […]

Impressive new offers from Virgin Money and MBNA as credit card borrowing soars

Andrew Hagger | September 16, 2015

This week saw further evidence that credit card companies are battling harder than ever to take advantage of what is currently a buoyant credit card market. The surge in competition has ratcheted up a level in recent weeks, further evidenced by two new stand-out credit card offers. Virgin Money launched a table topping limited offer […]

Plan ahead to avoid mortgage rate rise misery

Andrew Hagger | September 10, 2015

With many experts predicting an interest rate rise in early to mid-2016 there has been increased focus on consumers currently on a variable rate mortgage and the potential cost implications they face. The last time there was an increase in base rate was back in July 2007 so there are thousands of borrowers out there […]

Children carry an average of £234 of valuables in schoolbags each day

Andrew Hagger | September 10, 2015

Research from Policy Expert reveals that almost half (47%) of parents are happy for their child to regularly take valuable items such as mobile phones, iPads and computer consoles  to school with them.  One in five (21%) trusting parents allow them to take more than £250 worth of gadgets, jewellery and other costly goods with […]

3.6 million motorists wait until MOT failure before changing their tyres

Andrew Hagger | September 9, 2015

Research from Kwik Fit reveals that 3.6 million motorists wait until MOT failure before changing their tyres. Kwik Fit warns that not only can illegal tyres leave motorists risking three penalty points and £2,500 in fines, but even more importantly, can seriously compromise their vehicle’s safety and handling. With the end of summer approaching and […]

Make your savings work harder with an offset mortgage

Andrew Hagger | September 3, 2015

An offset mortgage is a smart and tax efficient way to cut your mortgage costs, yet reports suggest that only around one in ten borrowers are currently taking advantage of this type of home loan. It can be a big money saver for mortgage borrowers and makes even more sense in times like these when […]

Consumers against financial companies using social media data

Andrew Hagger | September 2, 2015

As financial companies increasingly look to use social media to assess an individual’s suitability for products such as mortgages, loans and credit cards, research from Equifax reveals that 75% of consumers are unlikely to allow them access to this data. The online survey, conducted by YouGov, found that 76% of consumers are against financial companies […]