The election saw promises of more help for working parents, but critics say the problems with the existing 30 hours free childcare system cannot be ignored. Back in 2015 David Cameron claimed that the Childcare Bill would double the ‘free’ childcare available to working parents of three and four-year-olds to 30 hours a week and … Read more
Breeze becomes the NINTH energy supplier of the year to go bust: 18,000 customers in limbo after £480k eco fine cripples power firm Breeze is the 15th supplier in recent times to cease trading The supplier was fined over £480k in Renewable Obligation taxes last month Customers have been reassured that their energy supply will … Read more
This Christmas, many will unwrap a smart device which promise to make lives easier. However, those hoping for one of the gadgets need to be careful as there is a possibility they could be hacked, a government body has warned. Households with an Amazon Echo, Google Home or other smart devices need to be aware … Read more
British Gas customers with a pre-pay meter will have 15,000 fewer locations to choose from when topping up from 1 January 2020, affecting thousands of people nationwide. Customers must now top up at Payzone terminals across the country, of which there are 13,000, as opposed to the Paypoint stations that were previously used, of which the … Read more
Winter sports enthusiasts are advised to be careful when hitting the slopes this festive season with fewer than one in five annual multi-trip travel insurance policies including winter sports cover as standard, new data has revealed. Although there are now more of these policies than single trip policies, with 1,154 currently on the market compared … Read more
John Lewis is expanding its home improvement service, Home Solutions, across the South, allowing more customers to source and book tradespeople both online and via an app. The department store launched it in 2017 and is now available in locations across the South East including Hampshire, Surrey, Kent and East and West Sussex after only previously … Read more
How to bag the best value theatre and panto tickets and beat the winter blues The Society of London Theatre has just launched a discount ticket sale But many of the best pantos and theatre shows are found outside of the capital Website Big Panto Guide has details of hundreds of shows across Britain By … Read more
Simon Rogerson, the livewire boss of Octopus Group, is an early bird. ‘I’m lucky if it starts with a four,’ he says of his wake-up time. ‘Not because I’m stressed; I just don’t sleep very much.’ On the day we meet, Rogerson, 45, has been up since 2.37am. He considered going downstairs to train on … Read more
You heard it here first! Best ways to save on audiobooks Audiobook sales are up more than 30 per cent this year, according to research Audiobooks can be downloaded for free from some websites Alternatively, you can subscribe to an online service, purchase one-off downloads or pick up a recording from a shop, perhaps on a … Read more
Households don’t have to just be on the alert for online shopping scams over the festive season, but also fraudsters pushing cheap ‘energy deals’ over the telephone or on the doorstep. The warning comes from Ofgem, who is currently working with energy suppliers to trial new ways of encouraging households to switch energy supplier. This … Read more
The average Briton will spend nearly £400 this Christmas – it is clearly a time of year in which many of us push the boat out and are generous to friends and family. It is also a period in which many may think of ways to give back and perhaps donate to charity. There are … Read more
Don’t give Fido any festive scraps! Feeding a pet a Christmas treat could land you with a hefty bill By Miles Dilworth For The Daily Mail Published: 22:01 BST, 10 December 2019 | Updated: 09:19 BST, 11 December 2019 It’s difficult to resist that wide-eyed look from your dog as you tuck into the last … Read more
Households are being urged to lock into record low energy deals before costs rebound over winter. A combination of low wholesale prices and fierce competition between suppliers has sparked a price war and a flurry of cheap rates. At the start of 2019 there was only one tariff available at under £900 a year. Today … Read more