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Plus... 3-year 0% debt shift, investing vs saving?, £116 beauty £40, free English Heritage pass

                                                           

19 May 2026 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL → Martin's pension tax warning: - Can you take 25% tax-free? - Beware! It can limit future contributions - Get FREE 1-on-1 pensions help - Annuity rates are higher now but... → Superfast broadband £13/mth New → 3x DEFINITE 36mths 0% debt shift cards → Free £5 train tix → 4.6% savings FIX with access It's back! → FREE English Heritage family day pass → 'Martin, sensible investing vs savings?' → Boosted FREE £200 CASH New → Dear PM, you've done almost nothing to tackle scam ads? → FREE Toy Story toy → Watch UEFA football finals free (or £5) → £116 beauty set £40 → Test our Compare+ Travel Insurance tool New → Council Tax Cost-Cutting Special - due £1,000s? Big Topics pod → Beginner investor asks: what's the risk? Question pod → New fixed E.on energy deal Ends Thu → Martin: 'Age 15 to 23? Check for lost £2k' → 'Don't stall, just call... the best advice!' → Premium Bond prize rate to rise → Chase is boosting cashback to 2% but... → £500 of credit card freebies Ending → 6,000+ magazines free for 100 days → This week's best buys: 4% bills cashback, 40GB Sim £3/mth & more → Money Moral Dilemma: Should I insist my struggling friends pay me back? → Quick deals: 10% off Pret for some, £2.50 cinema tix & more

Martin: 3 Taking Money from a Pension must-knows, including: How to avoid huge tax mistakes when taking your 25% tax-free pension lump sum (age 55+) Last week I took you through 13 Pension Savings Boosters, but it's equally important to understand how you get your money out of a pension. It can usually only be done by those aged at least 55 (rising to 57 from Apr 2028)... though for most, the longer you leave it in, the more time the money has to grow.  This is for Money Purchase (aka Defined Contribution) pensions. These are where you build up a pension pot of investments, and they're by far the most common type, as it's personal pensions and many workplace ones (see how to check). The other type - workplace pensions where you get a percentage of your average or final salary when you leave, most common in the public sector - have different rules, often dictated by the scheme. Do also watch my Martin Lewis Money Show Pension Special on ITVX from 2wks ago. I started talking 'taking money from pensions' about halfway through, and then into pension Inheritance Tax strategies. 1. Don't assume you can just take 25% tax-free out of your pension. Withdraw money and usually 25% of it is tax-free (capped for most at £268,275). The rest is taxable as income, so some of it may push you into a higher tax band. Yet how you take the 25% out has a huge tax impact. Luckily my taking your pension video explainer from last year is a piece of cake - well, chocolate Swiss roll if we're being technical...  So in brief summary (the video explains it better) - withdraw money directly from your pension and only 25% of what you take will be tax-free, the rest taxable. To just take out the 25% tax-free bit, it usually needs to be done when you're putting the rest in a drawdown or an annuity. What is a drawdown? In simple terms, think of your pension as a locked pot you save into for retirement. Drawdown is when you unlock some or all of it, take any tax-free cash you're entitled to, and leave the rest invested with a tap on it so you can draw money out when you need it.  In reality, it's still just a pension investment - you can even use the same investments - but as you've taken some out, it's technically a different product with a different name. The first time you take taxable money from your pension... Your provider may use an emergency 'Month 1' tax code - this can tax the payment as if you'll get the same amount every month, so a big one-off or irregular withdrawal could mean a much bigger tax charge.  You will be able to reclaim any overpaid tax from HMRC either via tax forms, or it'll all come out in Self Assessment. Yet you may want to make your first withdrawal a smaller one, or spread your withdrawals over a year to mitigate this. 2. Beware! Taking money out of your pension can limit what you can put in, in future. Each year, you get tax relief on your pension contributions up to your UK earnings, with a standard total cap, including employer contributions and tax relief, of £60,000 (it's lower for some higher earners). Yet once you withdraw any 'taxable money' from your pension, the maximum allowance for future pension saving is usually reduced to just £10,000/yr under what's called the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA). There are a few main exceptions though (more help in How should I take my pension?)... - Only taking some/all the 25% tax-free amount doesn't count. - It doesn't apply if you used your pension money to buy an annuity (specifically, the normal lifetime annuities). - You are allowed to withdraw from three Money Purchase pension 'small pots' with £10,000 or less in them, without it changing what you can put in (that's one reason for not consolidating these - see Is pension consolidation good?) - The reduced allowance doesn't apply to future contributions to Salary Schemes. One thing to remember if you forget all else. With pensions, FREE ONE-ON-ONE impartial help and guidance is available. You should use it. Unlike many other financial areas, with pensions, totally FREE guidance is available online, via chat, or on the phone, funded by a levy on the finance industry. I get great feedback on it. - Over 50 with a Money Purchase pension? You can speak to Pension Wise. You can get a free 45-min to 1-hr appointment. - Under 50? You can speak to MoneyHelper. You find both at www.moneyhelper.org.uk or call 0800 011 3797 (opening times: Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm). Significant funds? Consider paying for independent financial advice. Guidance can talk you through rules, how tax works under different options, and it's a great place for everyone to start. What it won't do is give you a personal bespoke recommendation on best products or investment choice. For that, you need to find a financial adviser. This is usually primarily for those with, or saving enough to get, bigger pension pots - let's say at the very bottom £50,000, but many say more - so the gain offsets the cost. While you do pay, getting it wrong on big amounts can cost more, so it's often worth it. 3. Annuity rates are higher now, but NEVER just grab your pension provider's annuity. An annuity - a product you buy from pension funds (technically a Lifetime Annuity) - gives you an income (usually monthly) for the rest of your life. It can be inflation-linked so it rises too, or some can even be set up to keep paying after you die. Until 2015, most people were pushed towards using annuities to take their Money Purchase pension. But then it all changed with the 'pension freedom' rules, when many breathed a sigh of relief - not because the idea of annuities is bad, but because the rates were pants.  Yet rates have risen recently, mainly due to higher interest rates, so a 65-year-old can now get up to £7,000/yr per £100,000 pension pot for a standard annuity (in 2020 it was around £4,000/yr) - though exact rates depend on circumstances. And crucially, annuities won't be subject to Inheritance Tax when the new pension Inheritance Tax rules start next April - then again, most annuities stop paying when you die. Some key rules: You're locking in a rate for life, so you need to make it a good one. DON'T just get an annuity from your pension provider without trying a quick annuity comparison to see what type of rate you could get. If you've health issues, or smoke (as smokers die sooner), or live in an area with lower life expectancy, you may be able to get an enhanced higher rate. Remember there's free 1-on-1 help to ensure you're getting this right. Thanks to Nick Hutchings, Chartered Financial Planner from Rockwealth Reading and Charlene Young from AJ Bell for reviewing this for me.

 

 

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. SUPERFAST 500Mb broadband from just £13/mth, that's a third less than many pay for bog-standard speeds Over six million homes are out of contract, free to switch, yet still overpaying £100s a year for sluggish broadband. With April's price hikes now firmly in the rear-view mirror, this is a great time to compare, ditch, switch & save. The best thing to do is put your postcode into our broadband comparison to find the best deals in your area. We collate them from 36 providers, including promos from many different sites (the best deals are short-term promos you can't get direct)... PS: Millions are also overpaying on mobile, so check our Cheap mobile comparison too. Today's cheapest broadband deals include... (All links via our Broadband Comparison, as what you can get is postcode dependent & it tells you there) Typical out-of-contract costs as a benchmark:  BT £70/mth 67Mb, Sky £43/mth 30Mb, Virgin £54/mth 132Mb Supercheap local deals, if you live in the area... New. Community Fibre 500Mb broadband '£13/mth' Service rating: 7.9/10 ('Excellent') 2yr contract In many London boroughs, parts of Surrey & Sussex. It's £16/mth (rising £3/mth each April), so that's a total of £432 over the 2yr contract. You'll be emailed a choice of a £120 voucher for Amazon, John Lewis or M&S within 3mths of your first bill (check your junk folder if not received). Factor all that in and it's equivalent to £13/mth. New.  Hyperoptic  150Mb broadband '£15/mth'  Service rating: 7.2/10 ('Good') 2yr contract Big towns & cities, incl London, Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, Swansea. It's £14/mth (rising £4/mth each April), so that's a total of £400 over the 2yr contract. You'll be emailed a £50 Amazon voucher within 3mths of your first bill (check your junk folder if not received). Factor all that in and it's equivalent to £14.59/mth. Toob  300Mb broadband '£19/mth' Service rating: 7.9/10 ('Excellent') 2yr contract Towns & cities incl Leicester, Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle. It's £18/mth (rising £2/mth each April), so that's a total of £464 over the 2yr contract. There's no voucher to claim, so factor in the hikes and it's equivalent to £19.34/mth. Top national deals (avail to min 70% of UK) New. Vodafone (b'band & line) 150Mb '£19.50/mth'  OR 910Mb '£24/mth' Service rating: 7/10 ('Good') 2yr contract It's £23/mth for 150Mb (£28/mth for 910Mb), both rising by £3.50/mth next April. So a total of £608 (or £728) over the 2yr contract. You'll be emailed a choice of a £140 (or £155) voucher for Amazon, Tesco etc within 4mths (check your junk folder if not received). Factored in, that's equivalent to £19.50/mth (or £23.88/mth for 910Mb) Ends Thu.  Sky (b'band & line) 150Mb '£20/mth'  OR  500Mb '£23/mth' Service rating: 7/10 ('Good') 2yr contract It's £23/mth for 150Mb (£26/mth for 500Mb) so that's a scheduled total of £552 (or £624) over the 2yr contract. You'll be emailed a choice of an £80 (still £80 at 500Mb) voucher for Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury's or M&S within 4mths (check your junk folder if not received). Factored in, that's equivalent to £19.67/mth (or £22.67/mth for 500Mb) Important: Unlike other firms, Sky doesn't list mid-contract hikes before you sign up... so the price could rise at any point (it usually does in April). That means this may look slightly cheaper in comparison than it really is. If the price does rise, you've a right to leave the contract penalty-free within 30 days of notification. Long-term cheap 'social tariffs' for some on lower incomes On Universal Credit or similar benefits? Try a social tariff. Many providers offer special discounted social broadband tariffs, which give long-term cheap prices of usually £13/mth to £20/mth for 30Mb+. Add your postcode via the link above and, within your search results, you'll see the social tariffs local to you. - Our 'equivalent cost' adds all costs, deducts promo credits & averages over the contract so you can compare easily. Why have service ratings improved? We've changed how we assess customer service to make results more robust. Previously, our broadband customer service scores were based on our user polls (which tended to attract people who had a complaint). We've now moved to using a large, nationally representative YouGov survey, giving a broader, more balanced picture of customer experience. See our new broadband provider rankings. Slow broadband? Before switching, test your speed - is it the Wi-Fi or the connection? Do a speed check - first via Wi-Fi, then by plugging your device into the router (if you can). If Wi-Fi's a lot slower, try our speed-boosters. At least 50% of customers must get the advertised speeds at peak times. Plus all bigger providers (not locals) must also indicate your estimated minimum speed before you apply. You don't need to contact your current provider to switch. Ofcom's 'One Touch Switch' rules mean your new provider now handles all elements of the switch for you, so it should go more smoothly. You'll be told when the switch is happening, and it usually only means 2hrs of downtime. Most won't need an engineer, but you might if you're moving to or from Virgin, a local network (you'll be told before applying), or getting fibre to the premises (FTTP), where a new fibre cable needs to be installed into your home. Don't want to switch? Haggle. In our January poll, the vast majority of those who'd haggled with the big broadband firms were successful. Use the deals above as a benchmark. Read full Broadband haggling tips. Members of cashback sites can occasionally undercut deals. In some cases, the cashback can mean these sites undercut promos elsewhere, though sometimes the deal differs - so check carefully. More in Top cashback sites.

 

Code gets £5 off a £5.01+ train ticket. For new TrainPal users. Must book within a week, can travel any time. Get on track for a saving. It's back! Rare 4.6% 1yr top savings FIX 'with access'. The Marcus (part of Goldman Sachs) 4.6% 1yr fix* (min £1, max £250k) is unusual - while most savings fixes lock your money away, here you can access it without notice by closing the account, with a 90-day interest penalty (or all interest if you close before 90 days). So if you want to lock money away but may need it, it's a good option. The rate's only just below top payer United Trust Bank's 4.75% 1yr fix (min £5k). Worth noting: Cash ISA fixes must by law allow access, again for an interest penalty. Top there is UBL's 4.66% 1yr cash ISA (max £20k if you haven't used up your ISA allowance), also with a 90-day interest penalty. More help in Top fixed savings & Top fixed cash ISAs. Totally FREE English Heritage family day pass (normally £40ish). Limited supply so go quick. English Heritage 'Martin, how do sensible investing returns compare to savings?' Investing's best if you've no expensive debt, for money you can lock away for 5+yrs. Watch Martin's Investing v Savings video via his YouTube (do subscribe), or better still, his full Shares ISAs Special on ITVX. Related: Martin's investing for beginners guide. Tonight (Tue) at 7.15pm ITV1 or after on ITVX The Martin Lewis Money Show LIVE: Energy Prices likely to rise 13%! Martin: The July Price Cap assessment period ended yesterday, so we now know roughly how much the spike in world energy costs due to the Middle East conflict will cost most UK households. Before it's formally announced, I want to talk you through how to prevent this and protect yourself. Send Qs via my show team at martinlewis@itv.com. Missed it? Watch it back on ITVX. New. Boosted FREE £200 CASH to switch to top customer service bank. The conveyor belt of top bank switching bribes continues... New switchers to top-for-service bank First Direct's 1st Account* now get a free £200 in cash (was £175), a top overseas debit card, 7% regular saver and many get a £250 0% overdraft. This joins Santander Edge's free '£210'* (£180 cash + £30 Amazon), Barclays' free £200* and NatWest Reward's free £200. Plus the Bank of Scotland has just started paying switchers a free £175 too. Full options and eligibility in Top bank accounts. Dear Prime Minister, you said to big tech: 'If you profit from harm & abuse, you lose the right to self-regulate' - yet you've done almost nothing to tackle scam ads? MSE (Martin) and Which? have sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister highlighting the Govt's repeated, ongoing, flaccid treatment of scam adverts. Sat only. FREE Toy Story mini character figure. At 120+ toy stores. Limited stock. Woody you believe it? How to watch the Champions League, Europa & Conference League finals for free (or £5). Head-er over to our Watch UEFA finals for 'free' blog. £116 of Sol de Janeiro, Nars, Supergoop & more for £40. 8-item beauty set. Lookfantastic New. We're going to launch a Compare+ Travel Insurance tool - wanna try it? After the success of Compare+ Car Insurance and Compare+ Home Insurance, we're going to be adding Compare+ Travel Insurance (Beta) - full of MSE's tried and tested tips and tricks to help you find the right policy. It's still in testing phase right now, as it needs the final bells & whistles, but the answers work, so we wanted to give you a sneak preview in return for you please sharing your feedback on results & ease of use. Council Tax Cost-Cutting Special: things to try to cut your bill & get £1,000s back. Martin's new Big Topics podcast. 100,000s are in the wrong band, and many are missing discounts, support & more. Plus: Premium Bonds - any good? All in Martin's Big Topic podcast this week. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc. A beginner investor asks: what's the risk? | Faulty 5-yr-old kitchen: can I get money back? | Self-employed: how do I start a pension? Martin's new Question Time podcast. This is the pod where you can ask anything and everything (within reason!). Do have a listen... Martin's Question Time podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - 100 days' free access to 6,000+ digital mags Ends 18 June	DID YOU MISS? - Martin's beginner's guide to investing - Hoorah! Councils fix incorrect carers' Council Tax discount info - Earn a Blue Peter badge to grab FREE entry to attractions - Can you find £10,000s lost pension? Over £31 billion to be found

 

 

Can't afford to clear your credit card debt? You can't afford not to check this: THREE cards now let you shift debt for a DEFINITE 36mths 0%. More choice, so more chance it'll be interest-free till May 2029, helping you pay it down & save £100s A 0% balance transfer card lets you move debt from existing credit cards onto a new one, where it's interest-free for a set period. That means more of your repayments clear the actual debt, rather than servicing the interest, helping you get debt-free faster. Right now, there's a wide choice of cards giving a full three years at 0% to ALL accepted. First, the need-to-knows, then the best buys... Use an eligibility checker to protect your credit score. Our Eligibility Calc shows your odds of getting each card, so you can hone in and apply (via the calc) for the one most likely to accept you, minimising 'application marks' on your credit file.  Go for the lowest-fee card with a 0% long enough to clear your debt. The longer the 0% the bigger the one-off fee (eg, 3% means £30 per £1,000 of debt shifted), so shorter 0% cards are cheaper. Unsure? Play safe & go long. Usually rejected when you apply? There are poorer-credit 0% cards in the Eligibility Calc. Plus, our free MSE Credit Club can analyse your credit issues (easiest route is via the MSE App on Apple | Android). Top 0% balance transfers for new customers All links via the Eligibility Calc so you can see if you'll be accepted (except TSB) LONGEST 0% deals: You'll pay a transfer fee, but get the longest time to clear the debt Definite 0% cards meaning all accepted get the full 0% length So if you've decent odds of acceptance, you know exactly what you'll get. HSBC 36mths 0% (3.19% fee). 24.9% rep APR after. (Existing HSBC customer? Use this eligibility link) Virgin Money 36mths 0% (3.4% fee). 24.9% rep APR after. Tesco 36mths 0% (3.45% fee). 24.9% rep APR after 'Up to' 0% cards, fees are slightly lower, but not all get the headline rate Yet you will know IN ADVANCE the deals you'll get if you use the links below which go via our Eligibility Calc. NatWest up to 36mths 0% (3.1% fee). 24.9% rep APR after.  Backup rates (rate if you don't get headline deal): It's dynamic, so anywhere from 16-35mths (3.1% fee). Barclaycard up to 36mths 0% (3.15% fee). 24.9% rep APR after.  Backup rates: 32mths or 18mths (3.15% fee). Here you'll only know in advance if you're 'pre-approved'. MBNA up to 36mths 0% (3.29% fee). 24.9% rep APR after.  Backup rates: 35mths or 20mths (3.49% fee), 18mths (3.79% fee) or 16mths 0% (3.99% fee). Longest 0%, but it's an 'up to' so not all get it and it's not in our Eligibility Calc Here the link takes you to apply direct, where it has its own eligibility tool (it'll tell you what deal you'll get in advance). TSB up to 38mths 0% (3.49% fee). 24.9% rep APR. Backup rates: 35mths or 32mths (3.49% fee). Top LOWER or NO-FEE deals if you can repay quicker...  Virgin Money DEFINITE 24mths 0% (1.95% fee). 24.9% rep APR after. Virgin Money DEFINITE 18mths 0% (0.95% fee). 24.9% rep APR after. Barclaycard up to 14mths 0% NO FEE. 24.9% rep APR after.  Backup rate (if you don't get the headline deal): 7mths, but you'll know which via our calc if you're pre-approved Virgin Money DEFINITE 12mths 0% NO FEE. 24.9% rep APR after. ALWAYS follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules: a) Never miss the minimum monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0% deal and it'll cost far more. b) Aim to clear the card (or balance-transfer again) before the 0% ends, or the rate rockets to the higher APR. c) Don't spend or withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate & withdrawals may hit your ability to get credit. d) If you don't transfer at application, you've often only 60 to 90 days to get the 0%. Check your card's terms. Quick balance transfer FAQs (click links for the answers) Q. Is it worth applying if my eligibility odds are low? | Q. What if my credit limit isn't big enough? | Q. Can I shift debt to existing cards? | Q. Should I try to pay off my biggest debt first? SPOILER: NO. Full help and info, including options for poorer credit scorers, in Best balance transfers.

 

Ends Thu. On E.on's Energy Price Cap? Beat July's likely 13% price rise with exclusive new fix. Very few suppliers now offer fixed energy deals below the current Apr-Jun Price Cap, but if you're an existing E.on customer and want to stay with it, it's worth looking at this new exclusive E.on Next 13mth fix (Direct Debit only; £50/fuel exit fees) if you value price certainty. While it's a fraction more than the current Price Cap when you include MSE cashback (so slightly more expensive than our deal last week, as wholesale rates have risen), it's way below the predicted Cap from July, so you'll save big from then. Prices vary depending on region & use, so check how it works for you & how it compares to others, via our Cheap Energy Club. Martin: 'Age 15 to 23? Check NOW if you've a forgotten £2,000 in a Child Trust Fund'. Millions have them, many don't know. Watch Martin's 1min explainer, courtesy of ITVX. 'Don't stall, just call (or click)... Martin, this was the best advice you could give.' Success of the Week. Susan emailed, having read this warning for State Pensioners: "My mother, who suffers with severe dementia, is on the smallest of state pensions and thankfully receives Attendance Allowance. As she has some savings over £10k, I'd always believed she wouldn't be entitled to Pension Credit. How wrong I was. Thanks to your newsletter, I called DWP who told me that she IS entitled to it. The whole process, from calling up to receiving the first payment, took less than 4 weeks. We are trying to keep her in her home but the care bill means her savings are dwindling fast. Thank you Martin, you have made my family very happy to know we can keep my mum safe in her home for longer." If we've helped you save or reclaim (on anything), please tell us about it. Premium Bond prize rate to rise to 3.8%, but still far short of top savings. The Premium Bond prize-fund rate will rise in July, but that's far below the top easy-access account, Chase at 4.5%* (min £1; newbies only), and the top cash ISA, Trading 212 at 4.55%* (min £1; newbies only; transfers get lower rate). Never mind the fact that with typical luck, most people will earn less than the prize-fund rate. Read Premium Bonds - are they worth it? and see Top savings. Chase is boosting its debit card cashback to 2% - though how and where you get it is changing. Chase news. Ending. Can you grab £225 Amazon vouchers, free airport lounge passes AND Deliveroo cashback? Till next Tue (26 May), newbies who successfully apply for the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold card get a boosted 45,000 Amex points if you spend £5,000+ on it in the first 6mths. That's worth £225 in Amazon, M&S or Sainsbury's vouchers, and there's also £10/mth Deliveroo cashback & four airport lounge passes. For bigger spenders, that means shifting your normal spend to this card is very lucrative, provided you always pay the card off IN FULL each month, or the 29.1% APR interest dwarfs the gain. Note the card's only fee-free in year one, then it's a hefty £195/yr - so diarise to cancel then. See full Amex Gold review. 100 days' free access to 6,000+ digital mags, eg, Vogue, Gardeners' World, Elle. 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%: HSBC (check eligibility; existing customers use this link), 36mths 0%, 3.19% fee, 24.9% rep APR No-fee 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 14mths 0%, 24.9% rep APR Top energy deals Use our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Vodafone '£19.50/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Sky '£22.67/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: M&S Bank (check eligibility), 5.7% rep APR Top savings accounts Top easy-access savings: Chase 4.5%, min £1 Top easy-access ISA: Trading 212 4.55%, min £1 Top one-year fix: United Trust Bank 4.75%, min £5,000 Best bank accounts Free '£210' + 1% on bills + top overseas card: Santander Edge 4% Direct Debits cashback + top overseas card: Zopa Biscuit Free £200 + 5% fuel cashback: Barclays Free £200 + top service + top overseas debit card: First Direct Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.89/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£2.92/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£2.96/mth' for 15GB 31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£3/mth' for 40GB

 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK Want to brush up on your numeracy skills? Tomorrow (Wed) is National Numeracy Day, so it's the perfect time to boost your confidence. Money-saving and knowing your numbers go hand in hand, so try the National Numeracy Challenge to start improving your real-world maths in just 10 minutes.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: British Gas to pay £70m in compensation and debt write-offs to those forced onto prepayment meters - Face-to-face banking access under review - Martin: 'We need to protect it'

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I insist my friend pays me back, even though they're struggling? I lent a friend over £4,000 across four and a half year after they fell on hard times during the pandemic. They're a single parent with no help from their ex and say they've no money as they're not working. I'm sympathetic, but I've now retired and could really do with getting it back. Do I ask them to start paying, or sit tight and hope their situation improves? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I insist my friend pays back the money I loaned them? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

QUICK DEALS - Pret: 10% off for NHS staff, emergency services & teachers - Cineworld: Tix for £2.50 in Clubcard vouchers till 31 May - Co-op: £10 for two pizzas, a side & four-pack of drinks - Drayton Manor: Kids go free with paying grown up till 31 May GAMING DEALS - Epic Games Store: Two FREE Batman PC games, normally £20+ - PlayStation: Sale games under £10, eg, Lego Star Wars, was £50 - PC: Eight indie games for £9, eg, Citizen Sleeper - Xbox: Up to 47% off Game Pass subscriptions

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 20 MAY ONWARDS) Thu 21 May - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 12 noon

 

 

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