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DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads |
Important. Martin's Energy Price Cap Preview At 7am on Thursday, the predictions will stop, and regulator Ofgem will tell us its new Price Cap to start on 1 July lasting three months. This dictates what almost every home in Eng, Scot & Wales pays (apart from a few on fixes) regardless of the firm. It's mostly based on wholesale energy rates from mid-Feb to mid-May. Remember though, there's NO TOTAL CAP on what you pay, it's a cap on the underlying rates, so use more, you pay more. Now let me take you through what we know, what we expect and what it means for your bills... 1. The regulator's CONFIRMED "what we currently pay will come down considerably". I pressed Ofgem's strategy head on Good Morning Britain. He wouldn't confirm the new rate, but watch him confirm what we pay will drop. 2. Price Cap rates will likely drop 35 - 40%, but what we pay will drop an average 15 - 20%. Since last Oct, what we pay hasn't been at the Price Cap, but a lower rate set by Government. It's called the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), and kicks in when the Price Cap is too high - the state pays the difference. From July, the new lower Cap will be under the Guarantee level, so we'll pay that. Here are Cornwall Insight's average direct debit predictions (other payment methods will move a similar percent, though there can be some variance. From July, prepay will match direct debit). In a nutshell, for every £100 you pay on energy now, you'll likely pay £80 - £85 from July PS: The EPG rate rises 20% from July, but that shouldn't impact as the Price Cap's now cheaper (it had been due to rise in April, but thankfully the Chancellor agreed to my request to delay it). 3. Next winter, most'll likely still pay similar to the winter just gone (double the one before that). For most, the drop in the rate paid won't make up for last winter's £66 per month support. Lower users will fare worst, as the £66 was proportionately a bigger reduction on their bills. If the predictions are right, it'll still leave people paying around double or more what they did before the energy crisis hit in autumn 2021. The Price Cap seems unlikely to ever drop close to pre-crisis levels again, unless there's wholescale worldwide economic recession, not something we hope for. See help if you're struggling to pay. 4. Further government support for lower to middle income households is unlikely. From July, the state will no longer be subsidising all home energy bills via the Guarantee. This means it's spending many billions less than it expected to. So on Sunday's BBC One Kuenssberg show, I asked the Environment Secretary if any new support for lower/mid earners was due (spoiler, it's unlikely). 5. High standing charges likely to remain, it'll cost £300/yr just for the facility of having gas and electricity. It's likely it's the unit rate (cost of gas/elec) not the daily standing charge that will drop. In my view, this leaves a moral hazard that the less you use, the less you save. I have lobbied Ofgem hard on this, sadly to little avail. 6. Will this kick-start firms offering fixes? From Thu, there'll be some short-term price certainty, which may be the catalyst to restart deals. Based on current predictions, if any firm offers a fix for not much more than the July Price Cap, for the sake of certainty it's worth considering. Our Should I fix? calc will be available to help if it happens. 7. Some prepay payers should run down credit before July. We'll do more practical energy management tips as July nears, but if you've a non-smart prepay electricity meter, as you usually pay the rate from the day you top up, aim to run your credit down to the minimum by 1 July, and then top up (even a quid) to kick-start the new cheaper rates. 8. There are cost of living payments to come for those on benefits, with disabilities, & state pensioners. The first £301 benefits payment (of £900 total) has been paid. If you haven't received it, submit a claim. See full cost of living payments info. |
New. Huge new top easy-access variable savings best-buy 4.25% (or quick fix at 4.6%). Hanley Economic BS branch or post account (not online) pays a huge 4.25% AER - yet only allows one withdrawal a month. App-based Chip's 3.82% AER is next highest, allows unlimited withdrawals but has a few quirks - the link goes to our guide which tells you more. Top big name: Sainsbury's 3.6%* AER limits you to three withdrawals a year, while Post Office 3.47%* AER has unlimited withdrawals. Top short fix: If you can lock the money away, Isbank's 4.6% AER 9mth fix* also pays £25 cashback if you're saving £10,000 via Raisin using code RAISIN25. Full info & options in Top savings. Code gets at least £250 off Shark cordless vacuums. MSE Blagged. Two models, normally £500+. 8,800 available. Excludes Northern Ireland. Shark New. Longest 0% balance transfer - shift debts to 31mths interest-free. A balance transfer's where you get a new card that pays off old cards for you, so you owe it instead, but at 0% interest. Virgin's 31mths 0%* for a one-off 3.5% fee is now the longest, though if you can repay quicker, others have lower fees. Full options in our Top balance transfers guide. Will you be accepted? The 0% Eligibility Calc shows your odds for most top cards. Golden rules: Repay at least the monthly minimum, and clear the card before the 0% period ends, or Virgin jumps to 23.9% rep APR. Secret Sales code gets extra 20% off already-reduced Nike, Ted Baker, Converse and more. MSE Blagged. High-street & designer stock at reduced prices. 4,000 codes available. Secret Sales It's not a scam! Nationwide really is paying some existing customers £100. You don't have to do anything to get it, if eligible. See who gets the Nationwide £100. Not with Nationwide? Get £200 free. See free cash bank switches. From Thu. £25 M&S summer beauty bag (worth £132) if you spend £30. The 11-piece set is always popular and sells out quickly. M&S beauty bag Are you due new energy compensation? Plus renters' rights (& wrongs)... This and more in this week's episode of The Martin Lewis Podcast - listen via BBC Sounds, Spotify, Apple and more. PS: Martin's up for Top Presenter (page 5) & Top Factual Show (page 6) in the NTA Awards longlist if you want to vote. |
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Whooooooooooooosh... If you've a need, a need for (serious) speed - or, less romantically, you just want to save some cash and get faster broadband, this is for you. As always, it's about pouncing on short-lived promo deals, and this week's are short and fast. So if you're one of the seven million homes out of contract, ditch, switch, save and rev it up. Four million homes still get speeds below 30Mb (so the slowest of these fast deals is almost four times faster)
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21 top MoneySaving tips for renters. In last week's email, we gave you our 21 renters tips, then just afterwards the Government announced planned renters' rights reforms. Plusnet Mobile customer? It's closing - you need to switch. You can leave penalty-free. See Plusnet Mobile help. What are your local foodbanks running short on? They're a lifeline for many, and if you're able to help, there are sites showing what donations are needed. Go to Bank the Food app or Donation Genie to help. Are/were you with E.on Next, Good Energy, Octopus or Ovo? You may be due compensation. Four energy firms have to pay customers back after failings. See energy firm compensation to find out if you're due. How kids can earn a Blue Peter badge to get FREE entry to 200+ attractions. Find out how to earn one in time for the summer holidays, and how it compares with other deals. The Government has chosen not to protect you from ticket touts. It has rejected official Competition and Markets Authority proposals for a fresh clampdown on professional resellers charging inflated prices. See ticket troubles. |
AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS
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CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK Got friends or family who might benefit from support with digital skills? The charity Good Things Foundation works to help excluded people gain the support and skills they need to improve their lives through digital - from help accessing devices and data to free online training. Its Learn My Way platform offers a range of free online courses, including basic digital skills, help managing money online and assistance in applying for Universal Credit. Help someone you know get started with Learn My Way, or use this interactive map to find the nearest of over 1,000 in-person, community digital inclusion hubs they can visit. |
THIS WEEK'S POLL How long have you been with your broadband provider? Millions overpay for broadband when their original contract ends - but there are legitimate reasons to stay with a provider (such as coverage, speed or service). So this week, we want to know how long you've been with your provider and what's encouraged you to stay. Vote in this week's poll. British Gas leaves customers cold with its service. In last week's poll, we asked what you thought of your energy provider's customer service. Of those with more than 100 responses, Octopus came out on top, with 83% of its customers rating it 'great'. British Gas took the wooden spoon, with 65% of its customers rating it 'poor'. See the full energy provider service results. |
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MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I give some of the money I received in my stepfather's will to my mother? My stepfather's will named his children and stepchildren, including myself, as beneficiaries of his estate, bypassing my mother, who thought that each of their wills had been written so that their estates passed to the surviving spouse. Following my stepfather's passing, I'm now in line to receive a large sum of money. Should I give some to my mother, given what she thought they'd agreed on? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I give some of my late stepfather's money to my mother? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma |
MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 24 MAY ONWARDS) Thu 25 May - Co-hosting Good Morning Britain, ITV1, from 6am MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECT TBC) Tue 30 May - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 10.45am |
HOLIDAYS, DISHWASHERS AND A HORSE - WHAT'S THE BEST FREEBIE YOU'VE BAGGED? That's all for this week, but before we go... with most Nationwide customers set to get £100 each in June, we asked what's the best freebie you've ever received. Many bagged travel-related freebies, including free business-class upgrades, a holiday in Canada and an all-expenses-paid trip to a Champions League game in Europe. Others picked up free TVs, dishwashers and fridges. But we have to doff our cap to the MoneySaver who managed to gallop their way into getting a free horse - a neigh-mazing freebie. Tell us your best freebie in our Facebook and Twitter discussions. We hope you save some money, |
Important. Please read how MoneySavingExpert.com worksWe think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of this email and the site. We're a journalistic website, and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques - but can't promise to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. 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. We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned, how likely they are to go bust, but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips). We often link to other websites, but can't be responsible for their content. Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion. Please read the Full Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, How This Site is Financed and Editorial Code. Martin Lewis is a registered trade mark belonging to Martin S Lewis. More about MoneySavingExpert and Martin LewisWhat is MoneySavingExpert.com? Who is Martin Lewis? What do the links with an * mean?Any links with an * by them are affiliated, which means get a product via this link and a contribution may be made to MoneySavingExpert.com, which helps it stay free to use. You shouldn't notice any difference; the links don't impact the products at all and the editorial line (the things we write) isn't changed due to them. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, it's still included in the same way. More info: See How This Site is Financed. As we believe transparency is important, we're including the following 'un-affiliated' web-addresses for content too: Unaffiliated web-addresses for links in this email natwest.com, hsbc.co.uk, firstdirect.com, sainsburysbank.co.uk, postoffice.co.uk, raisin.co.uk, uk.virginmoney.com, nationwide.co.uk Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Note MoneySupermarket.com Financial Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 303190). MoneySavingExpert.com Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales. Company Registration Number: 8021764. Registered office: One Dean Street, London, W1D 3RB. MoneySavingExpert.com Limited is an appointed representative of MoneySupermarket.com Financial Group Limited. To change your email or stop receiving the weekly tips (unsubscribe): Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips. |