Ayodele Oyewole

Energy giant E.on sneakily took advantage of last week's big freeze to become the first Big 6 provider to announce price hikes in 2018. It's a backdoor hike, because while its rates won't change, from April it'll ditch some 'dual fuel' (ie, gas & elec) discounts and up some standing charges - a rise of £22/yr on average.

The big question is WILL OTHERS FOLLOW? Every E.on customer - and anyone else who's not checked their bill in the last six months - should sort their energy now, especially as for switchers there's hot competition out there.

The best thing to do is a whole of market comparison through our Cheap Energy Club to find the cheapest deals on the market - your winners will depend on where you live and what you use. Benchmark against the average Big 6 standard tariff, costing £1,136/yr for typical use, then use the filters to narrow your search.

It can save you big. Matthew tweeted: "Thank you Martin. Switching suppliers once more using the Energy Club. £250/yr savings. Happy days." And Frances: "Thank you for helping me save £277/yr by switching suppliers. And you are right, it was easy."

Two top cheap deals that may be easier...

The link above compares every provider on the market. Yet you tell us you've two big switching turn-offs: first that you don't want firms you've not heard of, and second, you want to know the service will be decent. Well, for those usually scared of switching, we've two suggestions (with avg savings based on the figure above)...

Special British Gas £260/yr cheaper 1-year deal, and even existing customers can get it. £876/yr with typical use incl MSE cashback.

This special tariff is not available direct from British Gas, by phone or online. To get it you have to go via a comparison site such as our Cheap Energy Club. Use our special 'Big name suppliers' comparison to see how it compares against other names you've likely heard of (and then use the filters to see whole of market).

- It's dual fuel only, fixed till 31 Mar 19.
- You'll need to get a smart meter fitted by 31 Jul 18 (if you can and you've not already got one), which helps ensure you only pay for what you use. They can go 'dumb' if you switch again, but it just means you'll need to do meter readings yourself.
- You'll need to pay by monthly direct debit, have paperless billing and sign up for the free British Gas Rewards scheme.
- It has £60 early exit fees (but you can take it with you if you move).
- Existing British Gas customers can also switch, and any exit fees will be waived, plus you'll get cashback.
New. Or Ovo, mid-sized firm with TOP CUSTOMER SERVICE for the same price (on average). £875/yr with typical use incl MSE cashback.

Ovo was a top scorer in our latest customer service poll with 80% rating it 'great' (from 511 votes). It's launched a new tariff competing with British Gas. Use our special 'Top customer service' comparison to see how it compares against others with a superb rating (and then use the filters to see whole of market).

- It's for dual-fuel and elec-only custs, incl Eco 7 (go for the online-only version, otherwise it's £60 more).
- Early exit fees are £30/fuel and it's NOT portable (ie, you can't take it with you if you move - if you do move though, you won't be charged exit fees).
- Existing Ovo custs can switch to it, but you'll need to go direct to Ovo (so won't get MSE cashback).

You'll likely see a few other smaller firms we've had decent feedback on that could save you even more, including...
- Avro 1yr fix: £840/yr - it scored 73% 'great' (176 votes)
- Tonik 1yr fix: £842/yr - it scored 86% 'great' (154 votes)
Switching's easy - it takes just 5 mins. It's the same gas, same electricity, same pipes - but at a better price.

No one visits your home, and you don't need to contact your old supplier. The only things that change are price (for the better) and service. You don't even need a bill (we'll guesstimate it for you), but it's more accurate if you have one.
Don't want to switch firm? Find YOUR PROVIDER'S cheapest.
EVERY Big 6 firm and many other providers have a much cheaper deal than their standard tariff. So while you SHOULD be switching for the best deals, if you won't, at the very least switch tariff with your current provider.

Use our Cheap Energy Club 'My Current Supplier' comparison which filters out all but your existing provider's best tariffs.
Want prepay, green tariffs or live in Northern Ireland? You could still switch and save.

- Prepay customers: Try our prepay comparison. Savings are smaller, typically £100/yr, but it's still worth doing. For bigger savings see if you can switch to a credit meter. Full help in Cut the cost of prepay energy.

- Want a green tariff? There are some cheap green tariffs. Do a full Energy Club comparison and from the results, click '100% renewable energy' in the filters.

- Northern Ireland: No UK comparisons include NI, but see Cheap NI Electricity or the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland's tool.

Key energy switching info...
For more, see full Cheap Energy Club FAQs

Q. What info do I need to switch? It's best if you have a bill, and input kilowatt hours (kWh) into Cheap Energy Club, rather than cost. But DON'T WORRY if you don't know your usage - the tool can guesstimate for you. While the answer won't be perfect, it's usually far better than doing nowt.

Q. How does Cheap Energy Club work? It does 3 things:
1) We compare ALL market tariffs to show your price and saving.
2) You get £25 dual-fuel cashback (£12.50 single fuel) if we can switch you. It's paid roughly 90 days later.
3) We check for better deals. You set a 'trigger saving', eg, £150/yr, then we alert you if you can save this by switching again.

Q. Can I still switch with a smart meter? Yes, though it may go 'dumb'. However, there are plans to upgrade the software in these meters to make them smart again. See Smart Meters for more.

Q. Does MSE make money from this? Yes. Like all energy comparison sites, we're paid each time you switch through us, and we give you about half in cashback (money you don't get if you go direct). The rest helps cover our costs and hopefully makes us some profit.

Q. What happens if my supplier goes bust? New rules mean any credit is protected and your energy stays on as you'll be transferred to another supplier. But you could lose any cheap deal you're on.

Your most common queries answered...

Q. How come it's put my price up when I'm fixed? The rate's fixed, but your bill depends on usage. See Unfair direct debits.
Q. How do I find the standing charge and kWh cost? They vary by region, so we display yours in the comparison result.
Q. Can I pick a date for the switch? No. Providers don't allow this.
Q. I'm in credit. You'll get your credit back if you switch. See Reclaim credit.
Q. I'm in energy debt. You can usually switch while in energy debt.
Q. I've solar panels. You can still switch. See Solar info.
Q. Is monthly direct debit cheapest? Yes, but do regular meter readings.
Q. Why do you show a different cost from my bill? Enter kWh and we show the avg each month, yet your direct debit's an estimate so can differ. Direct debit help
Q. I have an independent gas transporter. You can still switch. See IGT help.

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First Direct wins no.1 service award & right NOW gives a free £125

The results are in from MSE's biannual banking Oscars. If your bank's frankly pants, you can ditch and switch...

What a surprise. The winner of our latest banking customer service poll is... First Direct (again). In fact, it's won every service poll we've ever done, with 91% rating it 'great' over the last 6mths. And right now it's offering its off-again, on-again £125 switching bribe - so if you're unhappy with your bank, switch. It's easy, takes just 7 working days and the new bank closes your old account and moves all payments for you. All accounts credit-check you when you apply.

No.1 service + FREE £125 + linked 5% savings. Apply via this link and First Direct* gives £125 to new customers who switch to it (£100 if you go direct). Plus you get access to its 5% fixed regular saver, and some get a £250 0% overdraft.

How do I get it? After switching, pay in £1,000/mth to get the cash and keep the account free - if not, it's £10/mth. You'll get the cash within 28 working days of your first pay-in.
So who's top for service AND gives a great deal? Here are the customer service rankings - if there's a link it means it's a best buy financially, and it takes you through to our full write-up.

BANK	RATING	PERKs offered
First Direct	91% great, 2% poor	FREE £125 to switch + 0% overdraft + linked 5% reg saver
Nationwide	77% great, 5% poor	5% interest on up to £2.5k + 0% overdraft + linked 5% reg saver
Co-op and Smile	63% great, 8% poor	Up to £5.50/mth in rewards (Co-op only)
TSB	62% great, 8% poor	Up to £10/mth cashback until Dec 2018 + 3% interest on up to £1.5k
Santander	61% great, 8% poor	1-3% cashback on bills + linked 5% reg saver (£1/mth fee)
Tesco Bank	57% great, 11% poor	3% interest on up to £3k + Clubcard pts on debit card spending
Halifax	51% great, 13% poor	FREE £125 to switch + £3/mth in rewards
Clydesdale & Yorkshire	48% great, 20% poor	0.5% interest + linked savings 'pots' (B account)
Barclays	45% great, 18% poor	Up to £7/mth in rewards (£3/mth fee)
Lloyds	45% great, 21% poor	2% interest on up to £5k
NatWest	42% great, 19% poor	2% cashback on bills (£2/mth fee)
HSBC	41% great, 21% poor	FREE £150 to switch + FREE £50 if you stay 1yr + linked 5% reg saver
RBS	28% great, 29% poor	2% cashback on bills (£2/mth fee - must apply in branch)
Results from Feb 2018, showing banks with 100+ votes, although digital banks Starling and Monzo scored well - 91% and 78% 'great' respectively (with 42 votes each). See full results.

New. Ikea HACKS incl store shortcuts, free coffee & 'try before you buy'. Beat the flat-pack blues. Ikea hacks

Big freeze refund rights - incl water outages, trains, deliveries, power cuts & potholes. How to reclaim if you were a victim of last week's cold and snow. Easier than you thaw-t

170,000+ water-saving freebies - eg, £20 shower heads, £2 Save-A-Flush bags. With water shortages in the news, now's a good time to think about using less, especially if you've got a meter. Free gadgets (mostly Eng)

New. 1.3% cash ISA (or 1.4% for existing Nationwide custs). Get the highest rate we've seen in months with Nationwide's 1.3% ISA (though withdrawals are limited). Full details and more options in Top Cash ISAs.

Martin: 'An urgent warning for all parents paying for childcare'. Read his new Don't lose out on £1,000s blog.

Mother's Day restaurant deals, flowers from £2, £5 prosecco & gifts. Yep, it's THIS Sunday, but you can treat mum without overspending. See our full Mother's Day deals round-up.

BLAGGED FOR MSE

- 2 pairs of prescription specs £17 Ends Mon
- 15mths' car breakdown cover £43 Ends Sat 31 Mar
- Holland & Barrett 20% off code Ends Sun
- £26 Illamasqua beauty box (£80ish indiv) 2,000 avail

DID YOU MISS?

- Can you reclaim £1,000s of council tax?
- 5 MILLION cards blocked at some petrol pumps
- Sky to hike TV & broadband prices
- Vanquis to repay £169m to cardholders
- Eurostar London-Amsterdam from £35 1-way

50+ wedding (cost) crashers, incl £4k all-in at Wetherspoon's

Planning to get hitched? Congratulations. Here's how to say 'I do' to the one you love... not £10,000s of debt

Valentine's Day has been and gone, and for some lucky couples it's now wedding planning season. The average cost may be a heartbreaking £27,000, but don't assume you need to spend like Meghan and Harry or risk a married life of debt for one perfect day. Work out what you can AFFORD to spend, and use our 50+ Wedding Tips to help get more confetti for your cash. Here's a taster...

New. Book a £4,000 ALL-IN wedding reception... at Wetherspoon's. Incl a 3-course meal, wine and DJ for 100 guests (plus another 200 in the evening) at a central London venue - we've all the details. Plus see other options across the UK for £1,000 wedding packages, and 10 questions to ask the venue.
Marry on Friday 13th - lucky for some. The 'wrong' date can save 50%. Slash costs by getting married on an unconventional day. See how to pick a cheap date.
New. Buy someone else's cancelled wedding to bag 60% off venues. If you're flexible with dates, snapping up a cancelled wedding package can get you a bargain (and it's not always about heartbreak for the original couple - people cancel for all sorts of reasons, incl if a loved one suddenly can't make it).
Save £100s on invites, photography, decorations, confetti and more. Harness your loved ones' skills for homemade cakes, flower-arranging and so on. Also see free place settings, cheap invites and make your own confetti.
Create a FREE website to help plan and keep costs down. You can track RSVPs, update guests on timings and more by creating a free personalised website, or using free wedding planning apps.

Also see: Wedding haggling tips, alternative venues and don't let your bank grab your wedding cash.

Urgent. Got a Maplin/Toys R Us gift card? Use it NOW. Both chains went into administration last week - we've full info on gift cards, return rights, online orders and more. See Maplin and Toys R Us (incl layaway scheme) help.

2 pairs of prescription specs £17, incl delivery. MSE Blagged. Via online code. Ends Mon. Glasses Direct

Oscar-winning cinema deals incl 5 Odeon tix £20, 2for1 for a year, £3 IMAX. See our round-up of blockbuster cinema deals and tricks.

15mths' car brrr-eakdown cover with home start & onward travel for £43. MSE Blagged. Last week's weather got the better of many cars. So until Sat 31 Mar we've blagged 15mths' AutoAid* cover for the price of 12, for £43.31. It covers you, your spouse or civil partner (and now common-law partners) in any car you drive. The firm's got good feedback and similar AA/RAC cover can cost £100+. Full info in Cheap Breakdown Cover.

Holland & Barrett 20% off EVERYTHING code incl existing 50% off sale. MSE Blagged. Online only + free del. Can be stacked with other offers. Ends Sun. Holland & Barrett

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

Longest 0%: MBNA* up to 37mths 0%, 1.89% fee (19.9% rep APR)
No-fee 0%: Halifax* up to 29mths 0%, no fee (19.9% rep APR)

Get comparison site quotes in this order:

Then check insurers they miss:
Direct Line*
Aviva*
Admiral MultiCar

Cheapest for £5,000-£7,499: Admiral* 3.3% rep APR
Cheapest £7.5k-£15k: M&S Bank* 2.8% rep APR (1-7 yrs)

Standard b'band & line rent: Sky equiv £14.58/mth
Fibre b'band & line rent: Plusnet equiv £20.55/mth

£150 to switch + £50 if you stay a year: HSBC
5% interest fixed for a year: Nationwide FlexDirect

Top easy-access: ICICI Bank UK 1.3%, min £750
Top one-year fix: Masthaven 1.9%, min £500

Martin's plea for help: 'Spread the word... don't believe Facebook ads'

A new plague of scam Facebook ads using Martin's name, face & supposed recommendation has hit

I don't do adverts. If you ever see one with my face or name on it, it is without my permission, and usually a scam. Admittedly some are supposedly legit firms bending the rules to imply a link (though do you really trust firms that'd do that anyway?).

The latest Facebook ad plague with me in is the 'Bitcoin Code' or 'Bitcoin Trader' scam, which lies saying I suggest investing in it. In fact they're not even about Bitcoin (see my real view on Bitcoin) but about binary trading, something no one should touch with a bargepole.

Sadly we've already heard of people who've lost over £20,000 saying: "I only pursued it because I thought it was recommended by Martin." The thought of that makes me feel physically sick. I've spent my career trying to campaign for financial justice and now these b*****ds leach off that trust to rob vulnerable people.

Please help by doing two things (thanks in advance)...

1. Spread the word. An easy way is to share this Facebook post or retweet this Twitter post.

2. Report the scam. If one pops into your timeline, report it to Facebook (or elsewhere) and post in the comments that "This is a fake ad, Martin Lewis warns against this, do not trust it."

And yes, it's been reported to Facebook many times. Yet its systems are abysmal - instead of using image recognition to proactively block, it takes scammers' money and relies on people reporting them.

PS: Not an ad, but you will occasionally see my pic on other sites, such as Resolver. If so, and it's approved, I always require they put a link back to where it's explained on MoneySavingExpert.

More info: Martin Lewis fake ads gallery | How to stop scams | Facebook Messenger scam warning

MARRIAGE TAX ALLOWANCE - SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
"Thank you for highlighting the marriage tax allowance [which can be backdated even if your spouse is now deceased]. My husband passed away last year, yet I claimed and received £432."
(Send us yours on this or any topic.)

£26 Illamasqua beauty box - contents £80ish indiv. MSE Blagged. Incl lipstick, mascara. 2,000 avail. Lookfantastic

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK

Help MSE get the Government to improve how housing complaints are handled. Whether you've had a dodgy estate agent, unhelpful landlord or problems with a new build, we want to hear from you. Take our quick survey to tell us what happened, if you complained, and whether it was sorted. Tell us your home truths

THE GREAT HUNT

Think you've been mis-sold car finance or 'add-ons'? If you've bought a car in the last couple of years and think you were sold a finance deal you didn't fully understand, or were persuaded to buy extras (eg, wheel and paint protection) you didn't need, we want to hear from you. Email news@moneysavingexpert.com or share your experience and read others' in the Mis-sold car finance forum thread. Past Great Hunt topics: View all

THIS WEEK'S POLL

Energy smart meters: Great tech or a pain in the neck? Over eight million smart meters have been rolled out. They automatically send meter readings to your supplier so you don't have to. Yet many have issues. So what's your view? Great tech or a pain in the neck?

Zen tops our broadband customer service poll. Last week we asked you to rate your broadband provider's service. Following 7,000 responses Zen emerged triumphant, with 90% of its customers rating it 'great' and 2% 'poor'. Origin Broadband came bottom, with a huge 70% of its customers considering its service 'poor' - just 15% voted it 'great'. See full broadband customer service poll results.

MONEYSAVING NEWS

- Top story: Sky Q and Now TV customers will soon be able to watch Netflix
- Back-billing ban to apply to all energy firms
- Passengers to be able to pee for free as major train stations scrap toilet charges
- New Ofcom rules to help those with slow broadband from 2019
- Vodafone to discount next month's bill if your broadband speed drops

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Should I pay more than my partner as I earn more? I've been with my partner for nearly eight years and we've always split everything 50/50 (bills, meals out etc). But recently he brought up that I'm earning 25% more than him - so should I pay more? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I pay more than my partner? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs

THE QUICKIES

- Debt-Free Wannabe chat of the week: Helping partner out of debt
- Competitions thread of the week: MacBook Air
- Old-Style board thread of the week: Tea bags vs loose tea leaves
- Family, marriage, relationships chat: Kids and cyberbullying
- Discussion of the week: School appeals help

Max Factor - free £31ish make-up set with £15+ purchase
Travelodge - £10 off 300,000+ rooms code. Starts Fri
Baileys - 1-litre Original, Coffee or Orange Truffle bottle £12
Latest in Beauty - £24 beauty box (products worth £100ish)
Halfords - free car health check incl screenwash top-up

Frankie & Benny's - 'free' main for mums on Mother's Day
Pizza Express - Mother's Day meal and drink £18-£20
Beefeater - Mother's Day meal from £17
Carluccio's - Mother's Day meal and drink £23
Prezzo - Mother's Day meal and drink from £20

Thorntons - free £3 chocolates via O2 app
Burton - 25% off everything online
Rustlers - free £2 'Gourmet' burger coupon
Gift cards - 20% off Pizza Express, Odeon, Gap, New Look
Yellow stickers - reductions in places you might not expect

FREE pint of Brewdog Punk IPA beer. Grin and beer it
£47 Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream set (worth £94). Have a nose
£10 M&S dine-in meal deal for two. What's the big meal?

MARTIN'S BLOG

- An urgent warning for parents paying for childcare...

DEALS HUNTER BLOG

- Long-term illness/disease? How to cut the costs
- 10+ MoneySaving Ikea hacks - incl free coffee, beat queues & 'try before you buy'

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 7 MAR ONWARDS)

Thu 8 Mar - Good Morning Britain, ITV, Deals of the Week, 7.40am
Fri 9 Mar - This Morning, ITV, Martin's Quick Deals, from 10.30am
Mon 12 Mar - This Morning, ITV, from 10.30am
Mon 12 Mar - BBC Radio 5 Live, Lunch Money Martin, noon. Listen again

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECTS TBC)

Wed 7 Mar - BBC Cumbria, Money Talks with Ben Maeder, from 6pm
Fri 9 Mar - BBC South West stations, Good Morning with Joe Lemer, from 5am
Mon 12 Mar - TalkRadio, Breakfast with Julia Hartley-Brewer, 9.45am
Tue 13 Mar - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire with Jeremy Sallis, 2.20pm

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: Can I get paid to switch my First Direct current account to HSBC, even though they're part of the same banking group? Pat, via email.

MSE Rosie's A: You can indeed - we often get questions like this. HSBC will let you switch from First Direct or M&S Bank (also part of the HSBC Group) and still get its switch bonus. This is currently £150, plus another £50 after a year, as long as you meet certain conditions including switching two direct debits/standing orders.

For full eligibility info, and more switching options, see our Best Bank Accounts guide.

Please suggest a question of the week (we can't reply to individual emails).

COULD YOU FOOL YOUR KIDS INTO EATING OWN-BRAND?

That's all for this week, but before we go... a MoneySaver's daughters were complaining about the lack of branding on their box of supermarket own-brand cornflakes - so he drew it on. While his was a tongue-in-cheek effort, lots of you have tricks to keep your kids (and bank balance) happy, from serving frozen pizzas in old Pizza Express takeaway boxes to squeezing ketchup into Heinz bottles. Tell us the lengths you've gone to in our Facebook post.

We hope you save some money,
The MSE team

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What you need to know

This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances - and remember we focus on rates not service.

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Who is Martin Lewis?
Martin set up and is chairman of MSE. He's an ultra-focused money-saving journalist and consumer campaigner with his own ITV prime-time show The Martin Lewis Money Show and weekly slots on Radio 5 Live, This Morning and Good Morning Britain, among others. He's a columnist for publications including the Telegraph, Sunday Mirror and Woman magazine. More info: See Martin Lewis' biography.

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