Business

British Airways has unveiled major changes to its Executive Club loyalty program, leaving many frequent flyers disheartened.Financial expert Martin Lewis is warning travellers to brace themselves for the British Airways changes that customers have called a “hugely disappointing” overhaul.The Loyalty Revamp Scheme will make earning perks significantly harder and more expensive starting April 1 2025.The changes primarily impact how passengers earn tier points, which determine Executive Club status levels: Blue, Bronze, Silver, and Gold.Firstly, the tier points will now be earned based on spending (£1 = 1 point) rather than flight distance or travel class.Taxes and fees, which form a significant portion of economy fares, won’t count, making it tougher for budget travellers to climb the ran...

Many people receiving higher or enhanced rates of disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA), may not be aware that they could be eligible for free driving lessons through a grant provided by the Motability Scheme. The 'Driving Lessons Grant Programme' offers grants towards the cost of learning to drive for disabled individuals who hold a provisional licence and wish to obtain a full one.It also provides grants to disabled individuals who already have a licence but need familiarisation lessons, which could be beneficial for anyone needing to adapt to a new vehicle. For those with a provisional driving licence, the scheme offers up to 40 hours of driving lessons to help them pass their driving t...

Households could save up to £119 a year on their energy bills by adopting better energy habits, according to research by comparison and switching service Uswitch.com.A staggering 96% of households admit to at least one bad energy habit, such as leaving devices on standby or failing to use appliances efficiently. This could be costing them money.Among the top culprits are kitchen appliances, like washing machines and dishwashers -  some of the biggest energy consumers in UK homes. Small changes, such as using these appliances more efficiently or less often, could lead to significant savings.For example, Uswitch said more than two-thirds of households (67%) set their washing machine to more than 40C, potentially adding an extra £17 to their yearly energy costs compared to washing at 30C.A...

Ramsey Solutions personality Jade Warshaw on younger generations living with their parents, 'buy now pay later' risks and how to best diversify stock allocation. Credit card swipe fees, which are among the highest operating costs for retailers, are taking a bite out of household budgets, according to industry experts.  When a credit or debit card is used, banks and credit card networks will charge retailers a fee to process the transaction. It's known in the industry as an interchange fee, though some experts have also coined it a "swipe fee." Swipe fees average just more than 2% of the transaction for credit cards, but they can be as much as 4% for some premium rewards cards, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the nation's largest retail trade group.  For debit car...

HMRC is urging Britons to make a check to see if they can boost their state pensions by filling gaps in their National Insurance records.The check is becoming more urgent, as people only have until April to plug gaps dating back to 2006.After April 2025, people will only be able to date back six tax years to make contributions, which can lose people thousands of pounds.People accumulate National Insurance (NI) years through active employment or by receiving NI credits, which are granted during periods of unemployment, illness, or while fulfilling parental or caregiving responsibilities.Most people need around 35 years of contributions to receive the full new state pension, but some may need more.Those who have gaps, which may have occurred when credits weren’t claimed, can increase thei...

Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. The new year has only been underway for just over a week, and fast-food companies have been busy bolstering their value offerings for customers.  Several big-name chains have already added or announced deals meant to appeal to fast-food eaters looking for value.  NANUET NY - JUNE 28: A general view from a Wendy's store on August 9, 2023 in Nanuet, New York.  (Kena Betancur/VIEWpress / Getty Images) Wendy’s brought a limited-time "2 for $7" deal to its app. It revealed the offer, which can be found in the "Meal Deals" section, on Monday.Under the deal, customers can make two different selections from Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Classic Chicken Sandwich, Dave’s Single and 10-piece Chicken Nuggets or "stack two" of one of those ite...

The Treasury Committee has launched an inquiry into whether the Lifetime ISA remains fit for purpose, seeking evidence from the finance industry, consumers, and experts.Introduced by former Chancellor George Osborne in the 2016 Budget, the Lifetime Individual Savings Account (LISA) was designed to help younger people save for retirement and property purchases.The account allows individuals under 40 to save up to £4,000 annually until age 50, with HMRC providing a 25% annual bonus on contributions.While the scheme offers attractive incentives, it comes with strict rules. Withdrawals are penalty-free only if used to buy a qualifying first home (up to £450,000) or for retirement after age 60. Otherwise, savers face a 25% penalty on withdrawn funds.Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has long ...

Martin Lewis has warned taxpayers to file their self-assessment tax return or face an £100 fine.The TV star's website Money Saving Expert urged people to “do it now” with the deadline for online filing to HMRC for the 2023/2024 tax year coming up, on January 31.Those affected must act soon as those who miss the deadlines face fines of at least £100 – plus 7.25% interest on any late tax payments.As of Monday, January 6 over 5.4 million people were yet to file their tax return, according to the latest available figures from HMRC. Almost 25,000 celebrated the New Year by filing on January 1.Most people’s taxes are taken automatically from their wages, pensions or savings, and won't need to file a tax return.But tax returns are due from individuals or businesses that haven't had tax automa...

‘Barron’s Roundtable’ panelists Ben Levisohn, Al Root and Megan Leonhardt discuss the top three stories from the week. As the new year gets underway, some Americans may be on the hunt for new jobs.  The 2025 edition of LinkedIn’s "Jobs on the Rise" report released on Tuesday identified positions that have been seeing notable growth in the U.S. in the past few years. Two roles related to artificial intelligence – artificial intelligence engineer and artificial intelligence consultant – placed first and second in the U.S., according to the report. The 2025 edition of LinkedIn’s "Jobs on the Rise" report released on Tuesday identified positions that have been seeing notable growth in the U.S. in the past few years. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)The career...

One of the major changes in the workforce over the past few years has been the dramatic increase in sickness and disability that has rendered millions of people unable to work and dependent on the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefit.PIP is worth up to £737 per month for those with the most severe disabilities and mobility problems. Over 3.6 million Brits are now reliant on this Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) disability benefit, a surge of 50 per cent since February 2020, largely due to a rise in poor mental health with approximately half a million PIP claimants citing anxiety or depression.After the pandemic halted all in-person disability assessments, most PIP claims started being evaluated remotely or through paper application. According to the latest DWP data, release...