Business

Figures show 62% of Premium Bond holders have never won (Image: Getty)Premium Bond savers are being urged to reconsider where they park their hard-earned cash as new figures show 62% of holders have never won. Investment management firm, Vanguard, said on Tuesday (March 3) that while 23 million people in the UK hold a combined £135.7billion worth of Premium Bonds, about 14.3 million haven't won.Vanguard put this down to 15.1 million people holding £0 to £100, meaning the probability of winning is "extremely low". It said even those with "significant amounts" have a "very slim" chance of "winning big". The company said Premium Bonds can play a useful role as part of a wider savings strategy, but when money is being set aside for the long-term, it is important to consider whether it could...

Brits have been told to “go check your change now”for a rare £2 coin that could be worth significantly more than its face value. An expert has suggested that this particular coin could fetch over £1,000, but only if it bears a specific error.The coin of interest is referred to as the Lord Kitchener £2 coin due to the depiction of Lord Kitchener on its reverse side. It was minted in 2014 to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.“Let me show you why this £2 coin sells for £1,000. This is the Lord Kitchener £2 coin, released in 2014 to mark the centenary of World War One.He continued: “Normally, every £2 coin should have the words £2 on the obverse (head) side underneath the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.But some Lord Kitchener coins were accidentally struck without these words...

Drivers are being urged not to rush to the pumps as conflict in the Middle East pushes oil prices higher - with industry leaders insisting Britain has plenty of fuel.Fears of shortages have flared amid the fall-out of the ongoing conflict in Iran and the resulting missile and drone strikes across Israel and Arab nations. The conflagration has seen the price of Brent crude surge by around $9 to $84 a barrel - an increase of 12%. But motoring bodies stress there is no repeat of the 2022 panic-buying chaos - and any rise in pump prices will be gradual, not overnight.Despite images of queues circulating online, forecourt operators say the situation is under control.Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents sites selling about 65% of UK fuel, sai...

Rachel Reeves' claim we'll be £1k better off has been blown apart (Image: Getty)Rachel Reeves' claim that Brits will be £1,000 better off have been blown apart after new analysis shows incomes growing by just £40. Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) modelling shows under Labour annual household disposable incomes are projected to grow by £40 to the end of the current parliament in 2029.The charity said growth of £40 was "simply not enough" and urged the Government to focus on driving up living standards so struggling families start to feel better off. JRF estimated incomes would fall by £580 from April this year until April 2029. The figures differ sharply with the £1,000 increase the Chancellor detailed over this parliament during her Spring Statement on Tuesday (March 3). READ MORE: 5 t...

Aldi has been crowned the cheapest supermarket across the UK for the second month running this year. The budget grocer was £55 cheaper than the most expensive supermarket, and has held the title for 10 months over the past year, beaten only by Lidl in July and October.Consumer champion Which? revealed the results after comparing the costs of 89 common grocery items across eight supermarkets. This included popular branded products such as Hovis sliced bread and Cathedral City cheese, as well as own-branded groceries such as potatoes and baked beans. Aldi's shop came to an average of £161.56 for the items, roughly £1 cheaper than Lidl, which came to £162.75.Asda came in third with the list of items costing £181.06, around £20 more than the winner. Which? never shares the full list of item...

Car finance compensation update as millions could get cash in 2026 under new rules (Image: Getty)Millions of people mis-sold car finance could be eligible for compensation this year under plans to set out final rules for a redress scheme later this month, the City watchdog has said.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it is likely to make several changes to the proposed compensation scheme following more than 1,000 responses to its consultation on the proposals, which also arrives amid a backlash in the lending sector. However, it said a final decision has not yet been made on whether the scheme should go ahead. If it gets the green light, it expects to give lenders a three-month implementation window to pay out redress, with up to five months for older motor finance arrangements ...

A mortgage expert has revealed five key mistake homeowners make before an important upcoming Bank of England (BoE) decision, warning that one can lead to "real financial damage".The BoE’s next base rate decision is scheduled for March 19, and many people who own property in the UK are watching closely to see whether borrowing costs will start decreasing further this year. The current base rate is 3.75% at the moment, having been held in February. It came after a close vote within the institution, and economists are divided on whether the central bank will cut rates later this month or wait a little longer. UK-based brokering specialists Mortgage Lane say the waiting to see what's decided presents a familiar dilemma. Some homeowners are holding fire on mortgage decisions hoping to see th...

If we ever needed a reminder of the importance of having a secure supply of affordable energy, this is it. The Middle East is in uproar again. As the US blitzes Iran, the Ayatollahs are fighting back by trying to blow up the world energy supply. Their drones have knocked out half of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas exports and oil tankers daren't navigate the crucial Strait of Hormuz supply route. This is sending our already sky-high energy prices through the roof.The cost of a barrel of Brent crude has soared from $70 last week to $84 today. UK gas prices have more than doubled to 147p per therm. JP Morgan is warning of a “catastrophic” energy supply loss if the war drags on for a few weeks, which it easily could. It’s yet more evidence, if any were needed, that fossil fuels remain at the...

Question à un expert Si le sujet du plafonnement des loyers revient régulièrement dans les débats, à plus forte raison depuis la prolongation de ce dispositif expérimental dans de nombreuses communes ces prochaines années, il ne s’agit pas de la mesure la plus répandue dans les zones tendues. Toutes les communes situées en zone tendue sont sujettes à l’encadrement des loyers à la relocation, moins connu que le plafonnement des loyers, qui est optionnel. Lire aussi | Article réservé à nos abonnés Encadrement des loyers : quel manque à gagner pour les propriétaires bailleurs ? Lire plus tard L’encadrement des loyers ne concerne pas le prix fixé pour louer un bien, mais empêche tout bailleur dont le logement...

Around 26,000 unpaid carers across the UK could be missing out on a combined £182million as a result of the increase in the state pension age. The state pension age marks the earliest opportunity to start receiving state pension and other pension-age benefits from the DWP.For unpaid carers, this means waiting an additional year before they can access the pension-age versions of their existing carer benefits. Carers UK estimates this could create a shortfall of roughly £7,011 during the extra year they must wait. An estimated 26,000 carers who cannot work because of their caring duties will encounter this prolonged wait. This represents approximately £134.82 per week they'll lose compared to unpaid carers who have already reached state pension age.Analysis by Carers UK found that before ...