Money | The Guardian

Home batteries: a ‘gamechanger’ for cutting energy bills?

Jillian Ambrose — Sat, 09 May 2026 06:00:49 GMT

As fuel prices soar, millions of Britons could reduce their electricity costs by installing home storage

Consumers across the UK are bracing for the war in the Middle East to deliver a sharp rise in home energy bills from this summer.

The looming energy cost crisis has prompted a record number of households to investigate green home upgrades to try to keep bills down, including heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicles.

Worried Britons ‘prepping’ for major disruption with stash of tins and cash, survey shows

Rupert Jones — Sat, 09 May 2026 05:00:48 GMT

Fears over a natural disaster or cyber-attack are pushing households into contingency planning, Link survey shows

Millions of Britons are “prepping” for a potential “major disruptive event” by keeping a stash of cash at home, stockpiling tinned goods or ensuring they have a battery-powered torch close to hand, new data suggests.

With war raging in the Middle East and Ukraine, extreme weather becoming more frequent, and warnings that the UK’s critical infrastructure is at risk from cyber-attacks and power outages, many people feel the world has become a more dangerous and chaotic place.

UK house price growth halved as Iran war fallout hits housing market

Mark Sweney — Fri, 08 May 2026 07:30:21 GMT

Halifax says cost of typical home fell by 0.1% in April, the second consecutive monthly drop, with pace of annual growth down from 0.8%. to 0.4%

Business news – live updates

UK house prices fell for a second consecutive month in April, as Halifax halved its estimate for the annual rate of growth owing to the conflict in the Middle East.

Halifax, which is part of Lloyds – Britain’s biggest mortgage lender – said that the cost of a typical UK home fell by 0.1% in April, to £299,313. This followed a 0.5% fall in March.

Airlines still have to pay compensation if flights cancelled due to fuel crisis, EU says

Lisa O’Carroll — Thu, 07 May 2026 11:12:33 GMT

Ryanair says that unlike others it will not be cancelling summer flights, as it hedged fuel contracts before Iran war

Business live – latest updates

Airlines that cancel flights because of fuel shortages this summer will still have to compensate passengers under European law, the EU transport commissioner has said.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas told the Financial Times that jet fuel prices or shortages do not meet the criteria that protect EU airlines from passenger claims.

Dawn airport drinkers call out Ryanair boss on proposal to ban ‘holiday ritual’

Sammy Gecsoyler — Thu, 07 May 2026 13:37:19 GMT

Stansted passengers disagree that stopping airports serving alcohol before early flights will reduce bad behaviour

For most people, the idea of a pint with breakfast is pretty grim. But at the Wetherspoons in Stansted’s departure lounge on Thursday morning, it appeared to be the beverage of choice.

“It’s a holiday ritual,” said Dee Wood, 60, a waste policy officer, who was enjoying a pint while waiting to board her Alicante-bound morning flight. “It’s like the start of holiday,” said her friend Rachel Almond, 59, a community planner, who was treating herself to a lager. “We don’t get drunk, we just have a pint, say cheers and off we go.”

Cut UK speed limits to reduce Iran war impact on consumers, thinktank urges

Alex Daniel — Thu, 07 May 2026 04:00:40 GMT

Cap of 20mph in towns and cities and 60mph on motorways would cut fuel demand and combat rising prices, IPPR says

Britain should lower speed limits for drivers as part of a package of measures to reduce the impact of the Iran war on consumers, a thinktank has said.

Capping legal speeds at 20mph in towns and cities and 60mph on motorways would help reduce fuel demand and combat soaring oil prices triggered by conflict, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

German tourist awarded €1,000 after losing out on sunloungers at Greek hotel

Kate Connolly in Berlin — Thu, 07 May 2026 12:14:53 GMT

Court in Hanover says man entitled to payout after he and his family had to lie on concrete

A German holidaymaker has won a payout of almost €1,000 after being unable to find a sunlounger for himself and his family because other guests had got there first.

The man, whose identity is not known, holidayed on the island of Kos, in Greece, with his family in 2024. He said that, despite waking up at the crack of dawn every morning to carry out a 20-minute search, he had not been able to lay claim to a lounger.

‘RAMageddon’: is the era of cheap phones and laptops over?

Samuel Gibbs Consumer technology editor — Wed, 06 May 2026 06:00:03 GMT

Bargains are disappearing and the cost of gadgets such as MacBooks and PS5s is rising as AI competes for memory chips

The end of the cheap laptop, the bargain phone and affordable games consoles may be on the horizon. Not because new models are more hi-tech, but because the cost of computer components has shot up.

Recently, the biggest manufacturers of laptops and phones, including Microsoft, Samsung and Dell, started putting up prices and pulling cheaper models – which is going to make finding budget phones and laptops under £400 much harder.

Four in five Britons worried Iran war will make food more expensive, poll finds

Alex Daniel — Wed, 06 May 2026 04:00:01 GMT

Shoppers concerned about effect of Middle East conflict, as UK retailers say government running out of time to cut costs

Four in five people are worried that the Iran war will make food more expensive, according to a new poll, as businesses warned the “window is closing” for ministers to cut energy costs for UK retailers.

Research by Opinium found that 80% of people are worried about the rising price of groceries, which would come from retailers passing on cost increases to consumers, while 73% expect the conflict to push up prices of other products.

I got £8,500 in Ulez fines after my car number plate was cloned

Anna Tims — Tue, 05 May 2026 06:00:45 GMT

I’ve received 77 unpaid PCNs from TfL but it won’t accept they weren’t from my vehicle

Someone cloned my car number plate back in October and racked up £8,500 in Ulez fines. I appealed, but this was rejected.

Unfortunately, the cloned car is the same make, model and colour as mine. I’ve now received 17 “order for recovery of unpaid penalty charge” notices from Transport for London (TfL). The bailiffs will arrive next week, according to their letters.

How can care homes charge fees after a death?

Anna Tims — Mon, 04 May 2026 06:00:16 GMT

Charges set out in a new contract for Aver Healthcare’s homes appear to contradict advice from the regulator

I hold power of attorney for my aunt who is in a care home run by Avery Healthcare. Avery recently sent relatives its new contract, which states that care home fees are payable for 14 days after a resident’s death, and levies an upfront £595 charge for “dilapidations” (damage or wear and tear).

These charges contradict advice given by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and are probably unenforceable.

EE couldn’t change pricey broadband and TV deal after my husband died

Anna Tims — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:00:43 GMT

It cheerily addressed letters to my late spouse, and threatened penalties if he terminated his contract

After my husband died suddenly, I discovered he had been paying £171 a month for our EE broadband and TV contract. EE initially offered me a monthly deal at £44.99 on the phone.

There followed two letters, one day apart, cheerily addressed to my late husband. The first stated that he would have to pay £1,007 to terminate his contract; the second giving a termination fee of £520. The letters told him he could take the contract with him when he moved house.

We booked £4,000 in EasyJet flights – but it won’t let us postpone them all after devastating news

Anna Tims — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:00:36 GMT

The airline refused a refund or credit for our group of 14 after a brain tumour diagnosis for my two-year-old child

We were organising our wedding for this June when the happiest period of our lives became a nightmare.

Our two-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive grade 4 brain tumour requiring immediate life-saving surgeries. The prognosis is devastating.

AI chatbot fraud: the ‘gift card’ subcription that may cost you dear

Shane Hickey — Sun, 03 May 2026 06:00:46 GMT

After subscribing to the Claude chatbot, mystery payments started to appear on one family’s credit card bill. They are not alone

David Duggan* was so impressed with the ability of the Claude chatbot to answer medical questions and organise family life, that a $20-a-month (£15) subscription seemed like money well spent.

But then his wife spotted two $200 payments on his credit card bill for gift cards to use the artificial intelligence tool.

Ghost MOTs: drivers warned over fake certificates that lead to huge repair bills

Shane Hickey — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:00:07 GMT

Secondhand car buyers urged to carefully inspect vehicles, while owners told to beware tests that are suspiciously quick

Rise of the ‘ghost owner’: 18,000 UK vehicles in use without proper records

You have just bought a secondhand car. It was older than you wanted, but were reassured because it had recently passed its MOT.

Within a few days, you notice a problem with the steering and take it into a garage to be checked. As well as that issue, they find the tread depth of the tyres is so low it should not have passed the test.

‘London Marathon place for sale’: fraudsters chase after runners’ cash

Shane Hickey — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:00:34 GMT

As excitement mounts for the 2026 event on 26 April, fraudsters are cashing in by trying to persuade disappointed hopefuls they can run after all

You didn’t get a place for the London marathon on the ballot and had given up on the hope of taking part this year. But then someone in a discussion group on your running app posts that they are injured and are selling their place.

After contacting them on WhatsApp, they say they can transfer the place once you pay £79 via bank transfer, and give your full name and email address.

‘Your photos will be deleted’: Apple users warned over ‘nasty’ iCloud storage scam

Rupert Jones — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:09 GMT

Fraudsters send emails claiming storage is full or nearly full, then trick people into clicking on links that can expose bank and personal details

For a while you’ve been getting messages from Apple saying “your iCloud storage is full”. They say you have exceeded your storage plan, so documents are no longer being backed up, and photos you take aren’t being uploaded.

You have been resisting Apple’s efforts to get you to pay a minimum of 99p a month for more storage. But it seems that you can’t keep putting off the inevitable: you have received an email which says your iCloud account has been blockedand your photos and videos will be deleted very soon. To keep them you need to upgrade immediately, it says.

Stocks and shares Isas: are they right for me, and where is best to invest?

Hilary Osborne — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:00:30 GMT

Some people are put off by myriad investment options. Here is a guide to the key decisions to help you choose

‘Savvy Squirrel’ ad campaign looks to push Britons towards investing

The UK government is keen to encourage people to invest. If you are thinking of dipping your toe into the stock market, an Isa is often the best way, as it lets you protect any gains from tax. Here’s how to get started.

Side hustles: what you need to know about paying tax in the UK

Tom Duggins — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:26 GMT

Whether it’s buying and selling clothes online or some freelance work on the side, plan ahead for potential tax issues

Since the start of 2024, online platforms such as Vinted, eBay and Airbnb have been required to share data with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for any users who sell more than 30 items a year or earn more than about £1,700 (the threshold is set at €2,000) a year. However, this does not necessarily mean that those users owe any additional income tax.

Cheaper commuting: the best ways to save on the costs of your travel to work

Emma Lunn — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:12 GMT

From railcards to route tweaks, here’s how to stop your daily train or car journey breaking the bank

For regular rail travellers, season tickets remain one of the biggest cost savers. A weekly, monthly or annual season ticket will work out much cheaper than paying daily fares, especially if you commute most days.

Buy now, pay later: how to use it without getting into risky debt

Rupert Jones — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:00:04 GMT

BNPL can be a fee-free way to manage cashflow for an essential purchase but keep track of the payment schedule

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is a form of credit that lets you spread payments for everything from clothes, jewellery and white goods to concert tickets, hotel rooms and takeaway meals.

The best lawnmowers in the UK to keep your grass in check, tested

Andy Shaw — Fri, 08 May 2026 09:00:05 GMT

Embracing No Mow May, but planning a tidy later in the summer? We’ve rounded up the top electric mowers, from cordless to rented options

• How to create a more eco-friendly lawn: six things you can do right now

Leaving your lawn to develop naturally into a meadow of pollinator-friendly wildflowers is the best option from an ecological perspective. However, many of us still like to have at least a small area of grass, whether it’s to break up your flower beds or provide space for the kids to play. And while we encourage everyone to take part in No Mow May, you may be looking to buy a mower for the rest of the summer.

Your family’s lawnmower might have been a fossil fuel-guzzling petrol beast, but today, an electric model is far more energy-efficient and kinder to the planet. I’ve tested 10 electric mowers from nine manufacturers to find out which are the best.

Best overall and best cordless lawnmower:
Makita DLM432PT2

Best budget lawnmower:
Einhell GC-EM 1600/37

Grade II-listed homes in England for sale – in pictures

Anna White — Fri, 01 May 2026 06:00:38 GMT

From a quintessential ‘chocolate box’ cottage to part of a grand stately home

Homes for sale in England with smart storage – in pictures

Anna White — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:00:31 GMT

From a country cottage with double-height bookshelves to a new-build flat in London with ‘period’ panelling hiding tech

Homes for sale in England near marathon routes – in pictures

Anna White — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:00:25 GMT

From running through open countryside in historic beauty spots to pounding the streets of London

Canalside homes for sale in England and Scotland – in pictures

Anna White — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:00:11 GMT

From a modernist townhouse in London to a historic farmhouse overlooking Bridgewater canal