MSE Big Energy Switch - huge British Gas saving, ‘Chancellor, Plan 2 change isn’t moral’, 5 banks pay FREE £225+, £250 Ninja £140, 4.4% cash ISA, Boots 70% off

And Beat 5% water rises, car/home insurance rip-off avoiders, Puma 30%, '£12k backdated holiday pay'

                                                           

03 February 2026 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL MSE's Big Energy Switch. TWO cheaper than cheapest fixes, save £300+/yr: - Big Name Winner: 1yr British Gas fix - Small Firm Winner: 18mth Fuse fix New. 5 banks now pay FREE £225+ Beat avg 5% water bill rises Top easy-access cash ISA now 4.4% £250 Ninja air fryer £140 via code 'Chancellor, Plan 2 student loan repayment threshold change isn't moral'  Puma 30% off almost EVERYTHING 3 car/home insurance rip-off avoiders Boots up to 70% off sale boost 'I reclaimed £12k backdated holiday pay!' News. Solar Feed-in Tariffs to get worse Valentine's deals: 12 roses £25 & more Martin pod: New 1st-time buyer ISA Question pod: Best kids' savings or investments? Snakes or angry gorilla? 'Ofgem's failed to deliver "low/no Standing Charge" tariff' Ends Sun. Double Morrisons More points FREE pizza for National Pizza Day Free access to 8,000+ digital mags This week's best buys: 36mth 0% debt shift, 5.6% loan, 50GB Sim £4/mth Money Moral Dilemma: What should I do with inheritance I feel guilty spending? BEST BUYS & TOOLS MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club including free credit report 0% balance transfers Compare broadband deals MSE Compare+ Car Insurance Best bank accounts Top savings accounts Credit cards for bad credit Credit Card Eligibility Calculator Loans Eligibility Calculator Mortgage comparison Compare travel money Cheap Energy Club Best Sim-only deals

Huge savings from British Gas & Fuse The Big Energy Switch II TWO fixes cheaper than the market's cheapest. Lock in up to 16% under the Price Cap (many can save £300+/yr) Our British Gas deal massively undercuts its cheapest direct deal, & existing customers can get it too, even if you're fixed with it. Martin: It's great to again be able to write that we've bagged market-beating tariffs. This is our 2nd Collective Switch (since the energy crisis) - a regulated process where energy firms bid to offer special deals that undercut their own public deals. The first was huge, and encouraged many of you to save. Yet millions are still overpaying for energy... if you're on your firm's standard tariff, you're on the Price Cap and it's pants. So I've picked two fixes - the first, from a big beast, a British Gas Collective - and a slightly cheaper one from small firm Fuse. Both lock in the maximum rate so it's guaranteed not to rise for a set time, giving you peace of mind of price certainty. And the timing is key. The Govt is about to cut some underlying structural costs from energy bills (some shifted to general taxation, some cut) - what it calls the April '£150 off bills'. That means the Price Cap is predicted to drop but also, unprecedentedly, those on most existing fixes will see their rates cut too. So with these fixes, you get a cheap rate now, and they get even cheaper from April... One of my Collective conditions was as much detail on the post-April rates as possible. So the British Gas tariff is 14% cheaper than today's Price Cap and should stay that much cheaper (or likely slightly more) once it drops. Fuse is a little more complex. So now the team and I will take you through the details... The MSE Big Switch Winners Both have agreed to MSE Enhanced Service Ends: When all gone or 12 Feb. For: UK except N. Ireland (see NI help). Are you eligible for this 'Collective Switch'? Almost certainly YES! Rules say collectives are members-only. We define our 'members' as those who (on Mon 2 Feb) were either... - Signed up to get this, the free MSE weekly email (just ensure you use the same email when getting one of these tariffs). - Or signed up to our free Cheap Energy Club. As your exact winner depends on location and usage, all links go via our comparison, so you can see how these Collective tariffs stack up for you, and also compare them to any new tariffs that launch once after send this...  Big Name Winner: Cheapest 1yr fix. British Gas 12mth - Available to new and existing customers. - Limited to 20,000 switches, so 1st come, 1st served (we'll try to get more if it runs out).  - Early exit penalties: £50/fuel. - Smart Meter required: No. - For: Dual fuel/elec or gas only. Direct Debit & Pay on Receipt of Bills. As we write, this is currently cheaper on typical usage than all open market fixes, averaging 14.1% less (including MSE cashback) than the current Jan to March Price Cap - rare for such a big name. Existing BG customers can get it too, and it's a massive saving compared to even the cheapest deals BG is offering direct (typically it's £130/yr cheaper than its cheapest). Plus, if you're already fixed with BG, it won't charge you early exit fees to switch to this (so see if it's cheaper - if it is, move.) British Gas says it will pass on the full Govt structural bill changes on its fixes on 1 April. So it will get cheaper then...  Average UK Direct Debit costs... Though exact rates vary by region Now 1 April  (predicted) Electricity Price Cap Standing Charge 54.75p/day 63.9p/day (a) BG collective Standing Charge 52.52p/day 52.5p/day (b) Price Cap Unit Rate 27.69p/kWh 24.2p/kWh (a) BG collective Unit Rate 23.83p/kWh 20.3p/kWh (b) Gas Price Cap Standing Charge 35.09p/day 35.9p/day (a) BG collective Standing Charge 29.63p/day 29.6p/day (b) Price Cap Unit Rate 5.93p/kWh 5.5p/kWh (a) BG collective Unit Rate 5.10p/kWh 4.8p/kWh (b) (a) This is EDF's current 1 Apr - 30 June prediction. Forecasts change weekly, but as we're near the end of the assessment period, it's hopefully in the right ball park, though nowt's 100%. (b) This is British Gas' 'expected' estimate for the remainder of the fix, but it says it awaits final info from the Government. Small Firm Winner: Cheapest long fix. Fuse Energy 18mth - Available to new and existing customers (though if you're on a Fuse fix already, you'll need to pay £30/fuel exit fees). - Uncapped, so will run until 12 Feb. - Early exit penalties: £50/fuel. - Smart Meter required: No. - For: Dual fuel/elec only 'variable' Direct Debit (so you pay each month based on what you've used). Fuse was set up in 2023 by former Revolut executives. It has about 200,000 customers and gets a decent (4 out of 5) customer service rating. This is a longer fix, so you get an extra period of price certainty. It is currently cheaper than the British Gas fix above, averaging 16.1% less (including MSE cashback) than the current Jan to March Price Cap. Yet the picture of what happens in April is less clear... In April, while Fuse says it will pass on the full cut, its price won't fall by as much as British Gas, as it isn't currently part of the Eco scheme (one element being wiped off bills). So that means its reduction will, we guess, be about half that elsewhere. However, it is in discussion with the Energy department. Average UK Direct Debit costs... Though exact rates vary by region Now 1 April  (guesstimate) Electricity Price Cap Standing Charge 54.75p/day 63.9p/day (a) Fuse Standing Charge 43.54p/day 43.5p/day (b) Price Cap Unit Rate 27.69p/kWh 24.2p/kWh (a) Fuse Unit Rate 23.87p/kWh 22p/kWh (b) Gas Price Cap Standing Charge 35.09p/day 35.9p/day (a) Fuse Standing Charge 24.7p/day 24.7p/day (b) Price Cap Unit Rate 5.93p/kWh 5.5p/kWh (a) Fuse Unit Rate 5.18p/kWh 5.2p/kWh (b) Rates always vary by region. (a) This is EDF's current 1 Apr - 30 June prediction. Forecasts change weekly, but as we're near the end of the assessment period, it's hopefully in the right ball park, though nowt's 100%. (b) We have guessed at this. Fuse told us the potential savings it'll pass on could be around £50 (estimated) - we took this off the current average price, and worked backwards to get the unit rates. Only elec unit rates will come down for this tariff. This is very rough, though. Both have agreed to 'MSE Enhanced Service'. That means if there's an issue, go to it first, but if it doesn't sort things, contact our Cheap Energy Club and we can and will escalate it and try to help. Both include MSE £20 dual-fuel cashback. Unlike other sites, we don't default to hiding tariffs that don't pay us to facilitate a switch. Instead, we show the whole market, but when we get paid to switch you, we give you some of it as cashback and factor that in, meaning those that pay us are relatively cheaper, so you're more likely to switch to them. Win-win. What happens if you're in credit/debt when you switch? Your old energy provider should pay you all the credit you are owed within eight weeks of you no longer being its customer. You will need to give a final meter reading to ensure everything is as it should be. If you're in debt, then it's usually fine to switch, as long as it's not huge, but there are no hard rules except for prepay, when it's a £500 per fuel maximum debt. Of course, you will still have to pay back the money you owe (you may be able to sort out a repayment plan if needed, ask it). What if prices drop further and you've fixed? In the unlikely event that prices dropped rapidly during the fix's term, you can leave, you may just have to pay the early exit penalties. What if I'm on prepayment? Sadly, we didn't get any good bids for prepay customers on our collective, and currently there are no fixes cheaper than the Price Cap. We will keep our eye on it and let you know if we spot anything in coming weeks.  Analysis: These cheap fixes are predicted to very substantially undercut the Price Cap  The Price Cap rate (see how to check if I'm on the Price Cap?) changes every three months. The Cap limits the max Standing Charges and unit rates firms can levy. The next one starts on 1 April.  One of the main reasons for underlying movements is average wholesale costs though it's time-lagged, so for April's cap, the assessment period is mid-Nov to mid-Feb. Yet policy costs are actually just as important - they make up a huge chunk of bills, and that has to be factored in too. If the only move was the Government's '£150 off bills', we'd expect to see the Price Cap drop by 8% in April. But the current prediction is it'll drop 6%. This is as other costs - mainly for connecting new renewable elements of the network to the grid - are likely to increase.  As we're only two weeks away from the end of the assessment period, the current predictions will very likely be in the right ballpark. After that, predictions are more crystal ball-gazing but currently analysts predict the Cap will remain around the same level in July. So if right, fixing cheaply now will be a big winner. Yet we're hoping (nothing is 100% confirmed) to see the full 8% permanently coming off most fixes with larger firms (see will my firm's existing fixes get cheaper). So we could find that a fix that's 14% cheaper now is roughly 16% cheaper in April. Specialist tariffs worth considering Fixes are the easy peace-of-mind option. But there are alternative models, though some of them are tough to display via a traditional comparison site, so here's a quick checklist... Low user? EDF's tracker has lower Standing Charges. It's essentially a price cap, but with £50/yr lower Standing Charges. It's good, but ONLY for very low users (eg, under roughly £80/mth use). Got an electric car? Consider a special electric vehicle (EV) tariff. There are fixes which give cheaper rates for charging your car. Sophisticated user? Rapid price-change tariffs can lead to big savings. Tariffs such as Octopus's Agile or Tracker see price changes either daily or hourly. For those comfortable with this, especially if you can shift usage patterns or have storage batteries, these can mean big savings. Got solar panels? Is an all-in-one deal cheaper? Some firms give you better solar panel rates if you get your energy supply from them too. Our guide takes you through who it's worth it for (and who it isn't). Help to cut bills or if you're struggling to pay Of course, cutting the cost of the energy you use isn't the entire answer. Using less is the other way to cut your bills. We've lots of detailed guides to help... Can you cut bills by cutting your use? - 70+ ways to save energy includes a mix of tips. - Energy mythbusting covers less clear-cut issues. - Heat the human, not the home for those really struggling. What to do if you're struggling to pay. It's always worth first talking to your energy firm. There can be hardship & debt grants from suppliers. For far more guidance, see our full What to do if you're struggling to pay energy bills guide.

 

 

DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads Lots of scam ads litter social media and even newspaper websites - some of these lie that we or Martin promote Bitcoin, binary trading etc. See Fake ads warning.

 

 

 

New. Today, five banks pay switchers at least a FREE £225. We've never seen that before! Grab some cash Including BOOSTED Santander Edge - the top for bills, and First Direct - the top for service Two accounts have souped-up their switcher deals this week. Both the bill-buster Santander Edge account - which pays you cashback on bills you pay from it by Direct Debit - and the service standout from First Direct - which has number one rated feedback - now give switchers a total of £225. So unless your bank treats you beautifully, grab cash to go elsewhere, especially as we can't find a single time in the last twenty years we've had this many paying £200+, never mind £225+. Switching's usually quick & easy. To get the free cash (usually paid within 3mths), you need to use the bank's seven-working-day switch service (so roughly 10 real days). This closes your old account and moves all your money, Direct Debits & standing orders for you. All payments to the old account are auto-forwarded. You'll need to pass a not-too-harsh credit check. Free switchers cash for new customers. All allow single & joint accounts. Most need you to switch 2+ Direct Debits/standing orders. Full eligibility info: Top bank accounts. HSBC Premier Min pay-in: You need a £100,000+/yr salary going in. Fee-free? Yes. High earners only. FREE £250 plus free worldwide family travel insurance & free digital private GP access. If you need world travel insurance, you'd likely pay £100+ for it, so all together this is the most lucrative account, but you need to earn £100,000 (for joint accounts, one of you must earn this much) to get it. The perks: See full HSBC eligibility & review. - Free worldwide family travel insurance up to age 69 . - Free digital private GP appointments. - FREE £500 if you switch £100,000 savings/investments too and hold them there for at least 3mths. Its savings rates aren't the top (max is 1yr 3.3%) - still, do it to game the bonus and it could be a winner. Ends midnight (Tue).  Club Lloyds Min pay-in: For a non-premier account, it's quite a hefty £2,000 EVERY month (equivalent to a £29,000/yr salary going in). Fee-free? Yes, though if you don't earn enough to meet the min-pay in it's £5/mth (so avoid). FREE £250, 1yr Disney+, top debit card overseas. Yet you must open - and crucially start - the switch tonight (Tue) before 11.59pm. This is the highest upfront payer for most, with £250 paid to your account, but you effectively need to be earning £29,000/yr+ to get it or there's a £5/mth fee. Also, you need to switch over three Direct Debits, not the usual two. The perks: See full Lloyds eligibility & review. - Each year you choose between Disney+ for 12mths (with ads) OR six free cinema tickets & other options.  - Linked 6.25% 1yr fixed regular saver you can put up to £400/mth in. - A £100 0% overdraft buffer zone (like most, 40% above that so be careful). - Top debit card for spending overseas with near-perfect exchange rates. Temporary Boost. Santander Edge* Min pay-in: A total of £1,500 within 60 days, then £500+/mth (equiv to a £6,000/yr+ salary going in). Fee-free? No, £3/mth, but that gets you the cashback which should easily outweigh it for most. Top (joint) bills account FREE '£225' up front (£200 + for a limited time a £25 Amazon voucher), plus up to £10/mth cashback on bills, linked 6% saver, top debit card overseas. This account has a £3/mth fee but as you get cashback on bills paid from it by Direct Debit, that should easily cover it and a decent whack more for normal bills. And switch via our link right now for a £25 Amazon voucher on top. The perks: See full Santander eligibility & review. - 1% cashback up to £10/mth on Council Tax, energy, water, mobile & home phone, broadband & paid TV bills you pay for from it by Direct Debit. - Linked saver paying 6% variable for 12mths on up to £4,000. - Top debit card for spending overseas with near-perfect exchange rates. Temporary Boost. First Direct 1st Account* Min pay-in: A one-off total of £1,000 within 45 days. None after. Fee-free? Yes. Top for SERVICE ('92%' great) | Top for OVERDRAFTS  FREE '£225' upfront (£175 + until 15 Feb a £50 Amazon voucher), 7% regular saver, ongoing 0% overdraft, top debit card overseas. First Direct's big strong point is service - it was rated 92% 'great' in our last customer service poll. In 15 years of these polls, it's been top or near top every time. And right now, via our link, switchers get an extra £50 Amazon voucher on top of its normal £175 cash. The perks: See full First Direct eligibility & review. - A linked 7% fixed regular saver, letting you put away up to £300/mth for 1yr. - Many get ongoing £250 interest-free overdraft (like most, it's 40% above that). - Top debit card for spending overseas with near-perfect exchange rates. TSB Spend & Save* Min pay-in: None usually, but a one-off £1,000 before 20 March and another £1,000 in April for an extra £50. Fee-free? Yes. FREE £150 upfront plus £50 later & likely £5/mth for 6mths (max £230). On top of the initial FREE £150, there's £50 if you have another £1,000 going into it in April, plus you get £5/mth for 6mths as long as you make 20+ transactions a month on the debit card (easily done by most, but if not do 'banana swipes' - ie, if buying a bunch of bananas put each through as a separate transaction). The perks: See full TSB eligibility & review. - A linked regular saver offering 5% fixed for 12mths on up to £250/mth. And there are two more banks that'll pay you to switch... Nationwide FlexDirect. FREE £175 plus perks including £5/mth cashback and a 6.5% linked saver. Co-op Current Account. Free £100 + likely £25/mth for 3mths, plus a 7% linked regular saver. Are subscriptions moved when you switch? Direct Debits and standing orders are moved for you. Yet the third category of regular payments, known as recurring payments eg Netflix, Disney+ etc, where you give the long number on your debit card when you pay, aren't moved; you need do this yourself. If you do forget, though, normally they'll notify you 'your payment card no longer works' so it shouldn't be too big an issue. See recurring payment help. Can switching bank affect your ability to get credit? In the short term, yes. It's a credit application, so that has an impact by itself, but also lenders like to see evidence of stability. It usually isn't a big deal, but if you've an important credit application soon (eg a mortgage), it's probably best to hold off until after. You may want to check your 'eligibility rating' via our free MSE Credit Club (or easier via the MSE app on iOS & Android). More in how switching banks affects your credit. You may be able to make £1,000s by repeatedly switching bank. Becoming a bank bribe bagger can pay well - we've had people tell us they've made a shed load. See full pros & cons in make £1,000s by repeatedly switching bank.

 

Top easy-access cash ISA upped three times... now 4.4%. A cash ISA's just a savings account you never pay tax on and, with the 5 Apr tax year deadline inching closer, providers are fighting for your custom to use your £20k/yr allowance. Trading 212's 4.4% AER* variable (max £20k) has raised its rate three times in the last fortnight. The underlying rate is 3.6%, with 0.8% on top for newbies (previous tax year transfers get 3.6%). This beats all top normal easy-access savings except Chase's (part of JP Morgan) 4.5% AER* variable, also newbies only. Full help & options in Top Cash ISAs & Top Savings. £250 Ninja air fryer £140 via code. MSE Blagged. 3,000 available. 6 functions, eg, air fry, grill, roast. Ninja 'Chancellor, what you're doing on Plan 2 student loans isn't moral, it needs a rethink.' Martin called out the coming Plan 2 student loan repayment freeze on BBC Newsnight, and things have escalated since. You can hear that full interview and, most importantly, his explanation of what it means in practice in Martin's new Plan 2 loans special podcast (available on BBC, Apple, Spotify etc) - and then get step-by-step help and an AI tool in his new Plan 2 loans detailed help blog. Puma 30% off almost EVERYTHING code incl sale items, eg, £28 kids' trousers £10. MSE Blagged. Puma Don't get ripped off on car & home insurance... new Martin help videos. Last week, Martin's show was focused on slashing insurance costs. Best is to watch the full episode on ITVX, but here are three quick core clips: De-programme yourself... your renewal price should drop, not rise. The Sweet Spot Hack... timing when you get your quote can HALVE your price. Three weird car insurance tips... especially for young drivers. Then go to our Compare+ Car Insurance and Compare+ Home Insurance tools to get the very best deals. Boots up to 70% off sale boost in stores, eg, £10 Soap & Glory set for £3. Limited stock. Boots bargains 'I reclaimed £12,000 in backdated holiday pay after reading your tips - a godsend, thank you!' Success of the Week. After reading an MSE article on claiming holiday backpay for former part-time and contract jobs, Joanne wrote in: "Imagine my absolute shock and surprise when it was confirmed that I was owed just over £12,000 in backdated holiday pay. It was an absolute godsend as I'd been diagnosed as having severe arthritis earlier in the year and been told I needed a hip replacement. In my area, that's a three-year wait, so I'd bitten the bullet and gone private, using my retirement savings. This money has really helped! So thank you for posting such useful advice." If we've helped you save or reclaim (on anything), please tell us about it. News. On a solar Feed-in Tariff to generate and export electricity? It'll get worse from 1 April. It's not good news for the 800,000+ households on the scheme, but it could have been far worse. See what's changing.  Valentine's deals: £25 couriered roses, £10-£20 dine-in meals, £176 of beauty for £50 & more. Romance is great; over-commercialised pressure to show it ain't. But if you're going to spend, we've a round-up of Valentine's deals, or maybe use our free Valentine's cheques. New Martin pod. New 1st-time buyer ISA coming... so what happens to your LISA or Help to Buy ISA? Plus, is AI good for consumers? Section 75 Mastermind and more in Martin's main podcast this week. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc. Question Time pod. Best kids' savings or investments? Pension at 50? Which mortgage to overpay? Snakes or an angry gorilla? They're just some of the questions you asked in Martin's Question Time podcast this week. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - £250 Ninja air fryer for £140 via code 3,000 available - Puma 30% off almost everything code Ends Mon 9 Feb - 100 days' free access to 8,000+ digital mags Ends Tue 3 Mar	DID YOU MISS? - FREEBIES: £3.50 protein bowl, £2.40 kids' yogurt & more - Martin: 'Beware! On a Plan 2 student loan? - Grüum hair, skin or lip care item for just £1 including delivery - Spend McDonald's rewards points now... - Are you one of 850,000+ who overpaid for NHS prescriptions?

 

 

Six ways you may be able to save £100s on water bills News. Eng & Wales water bills will rise again in April, by an average 5% (Scotland 9%) Regulator Ofwat last week announced water bills across England & Wales will go up again this April. This is on top of last year's huge increase (which averaged 26%) - and sadly increases are expected to continue for at least three more years. However the 5% is an average - there's huge variance across firms with rises from 0% up to 13% - so check your water firm's hike. Yet just because the water world is a perverse one with privatisation and no competition, don't assume there aren't ways to save. We've six main ones for you to look at... The Big Saving: (Eng & Wales only) Can you save £100s with a FREE water meter? Water bills are based on the old pre-1990 rates system, where the amount you pay's roughly based on your home's rental value, not your usage. So bigger homes tend to pay more, even if they don't use much water. Yet you can get a free water meter in England and Wales, which measures how much you use and bills you accordingly. Here's Martin's simple rule of thumb... eg three bedrooms, two people... there's a good chance you can save. Use a water meter calculator If the water calc shows savings are likely, but you want a more formal assessment, your water firm can do that. For some, the savings can be massive. Debbie emailed us in October: "I took your tips on installing a water meter. My Direct Debit has gone from £108 a month to £19, [a £1,068/yr saving]. Thank you, Martin." Can you switch back? If you voluntarily fit a meter, with most (though not all) firms you've up to two years to change your mind and go back for free (see firm-by-firm switch-back policies), so if it doesn't work for you, don't worry. Live in NI or Scotland? Water charges in Northern Ireland are part of rates. In Scotland they're part of a 'combined service charge' along with other services. While you can have a water meter installed, it's pricey, so unless you live alone in a manor-type property, estimated payments are cheaper. If they can't fit a meter (Eng & Wales), in some ways you're in even more luck... Some with shared pipes or in flats are told by water firms they can't 'practicably' have a meter fitted. If so, ask for an 'assessed charge bill', which works out how much you'd likely pay on a meter. Then it's simple - if that's cheaper than your normal water bill, switch to it, if it isn't, don't. Shirley emailed: "After receiving a £1,400/yr, water bill, your mantra 'fewer people than bedrooms' prompted us to apply for a meter. We were put on an assessed amount of £40/mth until a meter could be fitted. It couldn't be done, so we remain on that, a huge saving [of £920/yr]. Thanks." On a lower income, are you eligible for a 'social tariff'? Social tariffs are offered by all firms and can cut what you pay by up to 90%. Many assume they'd get it automatically if they're eligible, for example if they claim Universal Credit. Yet it doesn't work that way, you have to apply to your firm separately. An estimated 3 MILLION households are eligible and missing out on £175/yr on average.  Frustratingly there's no single definition of a social tariff. We've lobbied for a national standard, but the Government rejected that in its recent water rule changes (we're still pushing though). See our firm-by-firm social tariff help. Amy emailed us: "I'm a single working mum of 3 paying £60/mth for my water bill. I read your social tariff info and applied to Yorkshire Water online. I am delighted I did: my water bill has reduced to £28/mth. I'm saving £384/yr just from a simple online form and a few emails! Thank you so much Martin!" WaterSure: On a meter, benefits & have 3+ children or a medical condition where you use lots of water? Those with three or more under-19s in the home, or who use a lot of water due to a medical condition such as Crohn's or eczema, may be able to have their usage capped under the WaterSure scheme. This can be done on top of a social tariff. 100,000 freebies to cut your water use (good even with no meter) eg £20 shower heads. Water firms UK-wide are handing out 100,000s of water freebies, though it's firm dependent. They're especially MoneySaving if you've a meter - but even if you don't, as much of the water we use is heated, they can cut energy bills. Plus, see our 30 water-saving tips. Can you get a sewerage rebate? It's generally assumed that used water creates a similar amount in sewage. Yet if you've a way of draining or storing water - such as a soakaway, cesspit, pool or big garden - which means some of the water you're using isn't going straight back into a public sewer, you may be able to claim a rebate worth an average £35/yr.

 

Martin: 'Ofgem's failed to deliver promised "low or no Standing Charge" tariffs by January.' And he says plans have been diluted more than a shot of Vimto in a bath... What's happened to no Standing Charge tariffs? Ends Sun. Double Morrisons More points. At 1,600+ Daily stores. See our new Morrisons More tips & tricks guide. How to get a FREE pizza for National Pizza Day. At Pizza Express. Or get 50% off pizzas at Bella Italia. 100 days' free access to 8,000+ digital mags, eg, Hello!, Good Food, Tech Advisor. MSE Blagged. For Readly newbies & those who cancelled 6mths+ ago. Mag-nificent

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest definite 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) 36mths 0%, 3.45% fee, 24.9% rep APR No-fee 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 14mths 0%, 24.9% rep APR Best bank accounts Free £200 + £25 Amazon voucher + cashback: Santander Edge Free £175 + £50 Amazon voucher + top service: First Direct Free £200 + £30 cashback: TSB Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Vodafone '£21.63/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Sky '£25/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Insurance Car: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Home: Use our Compare+ Home Insurance tool Cheap loans £5,000 to £7,499: M&S Bank (check eligibility), 6.9% rep APR £7,500 to £15,000: TSB (check eligibility), 5.6% rep APR Top savings accounts Top easy-access savings: Chase 4.5%, min £1 Top easy-access ISA: Trading 212 4.4%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Cynergy Bank 4.24%, min £1,000 Top energy deals Try our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£3.13/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£3.25/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: iD Mobile, '£3.46/mth' for 15GB 31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£3.75/mth' for 50GB

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Smart meter problems? You'll be automatically compensated under new rules - More Scottish households to get £150 Warm Home Discount automatically next winter - WASPI compensation rejected again after fresh Government review - 'Give families more time to pay Inheritance Tax bills on pensions', Lords Committee urges Government - NatWest confirms 32 new branch closures in 2026/27 - Santander announces 44 more branch closures for 2026/27

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA What should I do with the money I've inherited that I feel guilty about spending? I've recently inherited some money. It's enough to buy a new car, something I do need. But I feel too guilty to spend it - I would much rather have the person I inherited it from still here, and it breaks my heart even thinking about spending it, as doing so would almost feel like losing them again. Any suggestions on what I should do would be gratefully received... Enter the Money Moral Maze: What should I do with the inheritance I feel guilty about spending? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs PS Plus see our top 10 Money Moral Dilemmas from last year below...

 

Better late than never, it's... The top 10 Money Moral Dilemmas of 2025 These dilemmas are always popular, whether they're causing rage or righteousness. So MSE Kelvin's looked back at our 10 most-viewed MMDs from last year, covering everything from inheritance arguments and house fires to parcel disputes and ungrateful kids. Do you dare revisit these convoluted corners of the Money Moral Maze? Should my mum help with our childcare costs while she's on holiday? Should we keep our teenage son in the dark about his Child Trust Fund? Should I stop sending birthday cards and money to my brother's ungrateful children? Should I pay half the Stamp Duty on the house I'm buying with my boyfriend? Should our neighbour pay us for taking in his parcels when he's out? How do I persuade my children to pay rent once they're home from university? Should our four-year-old child pay for her own extracurricular activities? Am I short-changing myself by letting my stepmother live in my house for free? A fire at my house damaged my neighbour's place - should I pay for the repairs? Should I pay my sister half the money our deceased father gave me? Got a Money Moral Dilemma you reckon could make the top 10 of 2026? Send it in.

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: school trips, student loans & sunglasses

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 4 FEB ONWARDS) Thu 5 Feb - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, midday Tue 10 Feb - This Morning, ITV1, 10.20am Tue 10 Feb - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV1, 7.15pm

 

 

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