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Plus... rental hike rights, 132Mb broadband £22/mth, £9.50 hols?, £150 make-up £34

                                                           

11 July 2023 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Martin: Mortgage crisis worsens - my key help, including... - Finding cheapest deals - Support if struggling - Prepping for a cheap fix to end New. Energy-switch deals are back... FREE £200 just for switching bank £1 to £6 ex-high street shoes, dresses, tops & more New. Renters: your rights if rent is hiked HUGE 120GB Sim '£7.84/mth' Amazon 'Prime Day' NOW ON - we sort the deals from the duds Ends Wed. Superfast Virgin broadband '£22/mth' £150 of beauty dupes £34 all-in AI say... Play with MSE ChatGPT Martin's podcast: Uni costs to increase 50% for many - what you need to know 80,000 teens with special needs or disabilities have their Child Trust Fund money locked away 'Free' swimming, dancing & more when you buy Heinz Sun '£9.50' holidays - are they really that cheap? 'I got a £8,400 council tax refund' Claim disability benefits & didn't get £150 cost of living help? Apply now Summer sales NOW ON, including up to 70% off Asos, 60% off H&M This week's best buys, including 4.36% savings, 30mth 0% debt shift, Compare+ Car Insurance tool Should my husband pay back the Child Benefit we've lost due to his pay rise? BEST BUYS & TOOLS MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club including free credit report 0% balance transfers Compare broadband deals MSE Car Insurance Compare+ Best bank accounts Top savings accounts Credit cards for bad credit Credit Card Eligibility Calculator Loans Eligibility Calculator Mortgage comparison Compare travel money Cheap Energy Club, with Pick Me A Tariff Best Sim-only deals

Martin: Mortgage crisis worsens Typical fixes now cost more than 6.5%. Will rates keep rising? How can you find the cheapest deals? And what to do if you just can't afford it Martin: "The average 2 year fixed rate hit 6.6% today, worse than after the mini-budget, worse than at any time since 2008. Someone coming off a typical fixed rate shifting to even the cheapest fix will see repayments jump by a sobering £200/mth per £100,000 of mortgage. "Yet nobody should think this pain is an accidental by-product of the Bank of England's 'inflation fighting' rate rises. It's deliberate. The economic aim is to squeeze consumers & businesses to take money out of the economy. "However, only roughly 1/3 of people have mortgages (1/3 own outright and 1/3 rent, see rent help below), and even among mortgage-holders, many on longer fixes are as yet unaffected. That means rate rises are a blunted policy, with only those on variable rates or coming off fixes feeling the full impact, so to make the policy 'work', they'll need to be squeezed hard. "And there's little immediate relief in sight. The markets think there are more rises to come, with the rough consensus being that the Bank of England base rate will rise to 5.5% to 5.75%, and stay there till 2024, but some analysts' worst-case scenarios could rise as high as 7% (& all these predictions can change rapidly). "How UK base rate impacts mortgage rates. Tracker and variable mortgages tend to move roughly with the UK base rate. Yet the rate that new fixed deals are set at moves more with the markets' view of future UK rates. In the graph you can see they jumped when expectations of future borrowing costs rose rapidly (after the mini-budget last year, and following the recent worse-than-expected inflation stats). "Will rates return to 'normal'? Some homeowners coming off sub-2% rates tell me they're considering waiting till 'rates return to normal' to fix. Though historically, today's rates aren't abnormal. This may feel perverse for anyone under 35, but the uber-low rates we've had since 2008 are the anomaly - they were far lower than we'd ever seen before in the 300-year UK history of rates. "So there is no guarantee we'll ever return to those lows again. That's not me saying it won't happen, just that there are no rules that it must. "And that's my scene setter for the rather unpleasant situation for mortgage-holders. Now the team and I will go through the need-to-knows, split into three..." - Finding the cheapest new deals - Support if you're struggling - Still on a cheap fix? Start prepping for it to end Martin takes the Chancellor on over mortgages... Tonight (Tue), at 8pm on ITV, in an emergency special of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, Martin puts your and his mortgage questions to the Chancellor. Plus alongside a series of mortgage specialists, he'll answer your practical 'mortgage what to do' questions. Step by step: Find the cheapest new mortgage Our free 62-page PDF Remortgage guide has FULL info on what a remortgage is and how it works, but here's a quick summary...  1. Gather details of your current mortgage. Collect the following information, as it'll help when searching for a new deal: - What's the rate? Plus monthly payments & outstanding debt. - What type is it? Fix, tracker or variable rate? See fixes vs variables. - When's the intro deal over? For example, when does your fix end? - When must it all be repaid? In 10, 20 or 25 years? - Will you be penalised to switch deals? Does your fix or tracker have an early repayment charge? When does the charge end? - What's the loan-to-value (LTV)? This is the proportion of the home's current value you borrow - for example, a £280,000 mortgage on a home worth £350,000 is 80% LTV. See LTV help. 2. Check your existing lender's 'product transfers'. For the past year or so, many providers have been offering competitive rates to existing customers on 'product transfers' - new deal, same lender - which may even beat those for new borrowers. These can involve less paperwork, fewer fees and be easier to get (as your existing lender may forgo affordability checks if you're not borrowing more). See product transfer options in our comparison tool. 3. Always then speedily compare to see if it's cheaper elsewhere. While rates are far higher than they used to be, finding a new deal is still likely to be significantly better for most than staying on your lender's standard variable rate, now typically 8%. Our mortgage comparison tool shows what's available. Sample cheap rates (+ fees) 2yr fix (90% LTV) 5.64% + £35 5yr fix (60% LTV) 5.18% + £995 10yr fix (75% LTV) 4.94% + £999 2yr tracker (60% LTV) 5.14% + £1,034 Typical standard variable rate  8% 4. Check what you'll be paying. We've lots of powerful tools as part of our Ultimate Mortgage Calculator, including... - Basic mortgage calculator - Compare two mortgages - Compare fixed-rate mortgages  5. Should you fix, and if so, for how long? As a general rule, the more you value budgeting certainty - knowing exactly what you'll pay and that it can't rise - the more you should consider fixing, and fixing longer. In normal times, you pay more to fix longer. Yet for months now we've had what's called an 'inverted yield curve', meaning you can fix for 5 or 10 years for less than 2 years - as the markets think rates will drop again over the longer term. Now even some 30 year fixes are undercutting some 2 year deals (see our how 10yr+ fixes work analysis for more). Fixing when rates have gone up may seem like a bad idea, so some are thinking of moving to a variable rate for the short term, hoping to bag a cheaper fix later. However, there's no certainty they will be cheaper or happen quickly so that's a risk too (Martin will be discussing options with specialists on his ITV show tonight). It's a very tough call right now, so it's worth chatting to a mortgage broker for bespoke guidance. 6. Boost your chances of acceptance. It's not just rising rates, acceptance is getting tougher too... Affordability check. Lenders carry out strict checks to see if you can afford mortgage repayments on top of your other expenses. Living expenses are going up, meaning acceptance can be harder. Lenders also 'stress test' how you'd cope if interest rates went up further, meaning you'll need extra leeway in your finances. So it's best to consider being more frugal in the run-up to a mortgage application. See 17 ways to boost mortgage chances. Credit check. A poor credit history can torpedo a remortgage application. So check your credit file (for free) to ensure there are no errors, then minimise other credit applications, and pay down debts if you can. See 38 tips to boost your creditworthiness. However, even if you've done everything right with your credit report and minimised outgoings, know that lenders' acceptance criteria differ from one to the next, meaning not everywhere will accept you. So... 7. Most should use a mortgage broker. On top of guidance for those who find sorting a mortgage tough, they have details of most lenders' acceptance criteria (not usually publicly available). Plus there are sometimes top deals, and even some product transfers, which are only accessible through brokers. See our full find a good broker help. New. Support schemes if you're struggling Martin: "I met the Chancellor (and separately the Shadow Chancellor) a couple of weeks ago to discuss the mortgage crisis. As little will be done to reduce the deliberate income squeeze, my focus was on better help to protect people from arrears and repossessions. "The idea was for easy access to help to get over the hump of big cost increases, in a way that would allow borrowers to reverse it, if & when things improve, and not hit their credit files. It seems he listened as two days later he & the Financial Conduct Authority met with the banks and agreed a new mortgage charter. "Info on that and other help is in our new step-by-step Struggling with your mortgage guide, but, again, in brief, these are some things to look at..." Reassess your finances. Do a money makeover to cut spending, then a proper budget to see if you can reallocate it. Check your benefits entitlement. If you've household income under around £40,000 (especially if you've kids or high rent), check our 10-minute Benefits Calc to see if there's any help available (it won't be for many, but it's worth a check). Claim on any mortgage payment protection insurance or similar. This pays out if you're unable to work through accident or illness, or redundancy. If you're working but still struggling, it won't help. Can you get government support? Some on benefits are eligible for support for mortgage interest, which'll pay some of your mortgage interest directly to your lender, but it's a loan. Mortgage charter - short-term lower payments support. It will likely be available from August from most lenders, without an affordability test, at the click of a button (though if you're unsure/confused, speak to the lender and discuss options first). There are two options, both lasting for six months, for those who are up-to-date with payments but worried they'll struggle to make future payments... - Extend your mortgage term. Eg, if you've 15 years left, changing it temporarily to 25 years. - Moving to interest-only. So you stop repaying the borrowing itself and just cover your interest. Doing this won't have a negative impact on your credit file. Yet you will have to make up the missed cost later (and a little more due to interest). After 6 months it automatically reverts. If you still need help then, you may be able to extend it but that will often involve affordability checks and credit file impact. Far more info is in mortgage charter support. Speak to your lender - it should provide tailored help. If you're having serious problems, or are already in arrears, speak to your lender to sort a payment plan ASAP. Under 'forbearance' rules, lenders are normally able to offer tailored support to make your mortgage more manageable, including: - Temporary payment concessions (including to zero) - Temporary switch to interest-only - Permanent extension of your mortgage term While these can affect your credit file, so does missing a payment, so this is a better route. See more mortgage arrears help. Still on a cheap fix? Start prepping for it to end  If you're sitting pretty on a cheap fix, great. Yet double-check you're sure when it ends, as unless it's a VERY long fix, and the world moves again, it's likely you'll have bill shock when it does. Use our compare two mortgages calc to get an idea of how much more it'll cost (on say a 6% fix) so you're ready to budget. A few quick tips... Diarise SIX MONTHS TO THE DAY before your fix ends. Some mortgage lenders let you secure a product transfer up to six months in advance, and as part of the mortgage charter, they've all now been asked to do this. So a decent technique is to lock in their best rate today, to start in six months. You won't usually pay any upfront fees to do it. See it as insurance against rates rising. If things get cheaper, you can usually ditch the locked-in rate penalty-free if a better rate comes along in the meantime. Our own MSE Helen S did it: "Mortgage was due to end in June 2023. Booked the best rate of 4.74% in Feb in case rates went up. But they went down, so called my lender in May to cancel, and booked its new best 4.04% rate, saving £100s a year." Though there are risks to locking in early, such as if you pay an upfront fee to do so. Full pros and cons in lock in early help. Even if you don't do this, always ensure you know the date, so you can move on the day your fix ends, to minimise any time on the standard variable rate you'll automatically be moved to.  Save owt you can today, to reduce your future mortgage debt. Assuming you're debt-free elsewhere, reducing a costly mortgage is one of the best risk-free uses of money. Your mortgage isn't costly yet, but as it will be, the concept applies. As most on cheap fixes can earn more saving than their mortgage costs, for now it's best to put cash in top savings instead of overpaying, ready to use to reduce your mortgage when the fix ends (timing fixed savings to end at the right time is useful). Play with our mortgage overpayment calc to see the impact. Yet do always keep an emergency cash fund - Martin suggests three to six months' worth of outgoings, accessible in savings. Only use money above that (unless you've a specific offset mortgage) towards the mortgage. Full help in Should I overpay my mortgage? Saving now may also bag you a better deal. Mortgage rates tend to improve as you move down to 90%, 80%, 75% and 60% loan-to-value, so if you can use any spare cash to get you below one of those thresholds, it may be beneficial. Start managing your credit score and affordability early. With six months to go, if acceptance for a cheap new deal may be a struggle, then as discussed above, go extra frugal to help affordability, and be careful about any excess credit applications (and definitely no missed or late payments), to help your credit score.

 

 

DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads Lots of scam ads litter social media and even newspaper websites - some of these lie that we or Martin promote Bitcoin, binary trading etc. See Fake ads warning.

 

 

 

New. Energy-switch deals are back... British Gas & So Energy now offer fixes to new as well as existing customers. Time to lock in? The last two years of the energy crisis have seen bills double, at least 25 firms go bust, and switching decimated. Now, at last, things are finally starting to improve, if only marginally. A week ago, we saw the rate most people's energy is capped at drop by an average 17%, and now we're starting to see some competition, with firms offering switchers' tariffs. Though with many rapidly-moving variables, the answer to 'Should I fix?' is more complex than it used to be... The Price Cap moves every three months. It's predicted to fall an average 3% over the next year. If, like most people, you're on the Price Cap, this is your benchmark to compare any fix against. Yet it is only a prediction and it moves regularly, and the further out you go, the more crystal ball gazing it is. For price certainty, a fix for a little less than the current Price Cap level looks a good bet. If the predictions above are in the right ballpark, a fix for less than the current Price Cap looks a decent move if you value knowing your rate won't go up (see Price Cap standing charge & unit rates). Of course, in hindsight fixes higher than the current Cap may end up being good if the situation deteriorates. The table below is based on average rates for each fix, but it's all regional, so if you can, compare the EXACT rates you're offered using our Should I fix? calc. Standalone 1yr fixed energy deals - all have £150 (BG £200) dual-fuel exit penalties Tariffs change all the time - for our updated list, see the Is it time to fix? energy guide Supplier Avg cost compared to current Price Cap Who can get it? E.on Next 3% less   Offered to existing customers on fixes ending between Dec 2022 and Sep 2023 So Energy 1% less NEW and existing customers British Gas 1% more NEW and existing customers with smart meters Ovo 1% more Existing customers only Octopus 1% more Existing customers only EDF 1% more Existing customers with smart meters Who is So Energy? Of the two new-customer deals, we're assuming you'll have heard of British Gas. The other, So Energy, is a mid-sized supplier (300,000 customers) launched in 2015, and bought in 2021 by ESB Energy, a major energy firm in the Republic of Ireland. Octopus Energy has two variable tariffs that currently substantially undercut fixes. Top customer service firm Octopus's Tracker tariff's energy cost changes daily, while its elec-only Agile tariff's cost changes half-hourly, based on wholesale prices. They've often been far cheaper than the Price Cap recently, but clearly it can swing. Yet for some, especially those who can control their energy usage peaks (eg, charging electric cars), they look good. To get either, you must first move to Octopus's standard tariff, then to these, and you'll need to have/get a smart meter. Utility Warehouse has a cheaper fix - but you must get two other products to get it. Its one-year fix is 5% cheaper than the current Cap, but you need to switch to other products too. See Utility Warehouse fix - is it worth it? These tariffs are for Eng, Scot and Wales. Northern Ireland's system is different. The government subsidy for UK energy bills ended on 1 July, and while some NI suppliers have cut tariffs to compensate, many will see bills rise. It's worth checking if you can save by switching electricity supplier using the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland's comparison tool. Full help in Cheap NI energy. Struggling to pay your bill? Energy hardship grants may help. See our full Struggling to pay energy bills help. PS: It should be easier to find out about new fixed deals thanks to Martin's letter to Ofgem. The energy regulator asked suppliers to clearly publish details of all their energy tariffs after receiving Martin's letter.

 

£1 to £6 ex-high street shoes, clothes & accessories via 5% off code, plus free delivery. MSE Blagged. Everything5pounds (well, it's not all £5) sells a mixture of ex-high street & non-branded items. Everything5pounds New. Renters: what are your rights if your rent is hiked? Our new guide takes you through your rent rise rights in England. (Versions for NI, Scotland & Wales due in the next few weeks.) HUGE 120GB Sim '£7.84/mth' - cheapest we've seen for 100GB+. With unlimited mins & texts, this Three Sim is £12/mth, but you can CLAIM (don't forget) a £50 Amazon voucher within 3mths. Factor that in over the 12mth contract and it's equivalent to £7.84/mth. Want less data or a different network? Cheap Mobile Finder. Amazon 'Prime Day' NOW ON - sort deals from duds, including £22 Echo Dot. Full 'Prime Day' analysis. Ends Wed. Cheap superfast 132Mb Virgin broadband: '£22/mth'. Newbies can get a Virgin Media 132Mb broadband-only deal (available to 58% of homes) for £26.50/mth and CLAIM an £80 Amazon voucher within 4mths. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £22.06/mth over the 18mth contract. Can't get/don't want Virgin? See our broadband comparison. £150 of beauty dupes from Lottie London £34 all-in. MSE Blagged. 26-piece bundle, including 'dupes' for Kylie Cosmetics, Laneige, Huda Beauty and more. 2,000 bundles available. Lottie London AI say... play with MSE ChatGPT, our new artificial intelligence chatbot. If you missed it last week, we've just launched a revolutionary new tool to help answer your money questions. It's initially available in the MSE app - download it from Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store for Android. Important. Uni costs to increase 50% for many - everything you need to know. Key info for students and parents (even of 10-year-olds) in the new The Martin Lewis Podcast - listen through BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify & more.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - Ex-high street clothes and shoes £1 to £6 with code Ends Sun - £150 of Lottie London beauty for £34 2,000 bundles available	DID YOU MISS? - £133 of No7 beauty & skincare for £40 - Premium Bond prize rate to rise to 4% - worth it? - Lycamobile switches customers from O2 to EE's network - Free kid's West End theatre ticket with paying adult

 

 

Need cash? Grab a FREE £200 just for switching bank It's one-in, one-out in the race to win your banking custom, and here are the latest runners & riders. So unless your bank tickles your back, why not make 'em pay for your custom? Do you feel loved and rewarded by your bank? If you do, great. Stick with it. If not, some banks are willing to legally bribe you to ditch & switch, and many have better products too, so grab their cash - it's better in your pocket! Switching is usually easy & hassle-free: At least according to Martin's recent Twitter poll, where 84% of the 30,000+ voters said just that. To do it you'll need to pass a not-too-harsh credit check and use the new bank's switching service. It automatically closes your old account and moves over your money, direct debits and standing orders within seven working days. Any payments that still go to the old account after that will automatically be forwarded to the new one. TOP FREE CASH SWITCH OFFERS FOR NEWBIES (1) Account Key perks Why should I get it? NatWest Reward* RBS Reward* - Service: NatWest 62% 'great', RBS 46% - Full NatWest/RBS eligibility info & review - FREE £200 - £3/mth cashback - 6.17% regular saver Top for upfront cash. These sister banks pay the £200 bonus within 7 days. There's a £2/mth fee BUT £5/mth cashback, so you'll be £3/mth (£36/yr) up. To get it all, you need to pay in £1,250/mth (equivalent to a £16,150+/yr salary), then every month have 2+ direct debits of £2+ going out, and use its app. Just want the switching cash? Try NatWest/RBS Select. New. TSB Spend & Save* - Service: 35% 'great' - Full TSB eligibility info & review - FREE £200 (£125 paid upfront, £75 later) - £5/mth cashback for 6mths - 5% regular saver Less upfront cash, but £230 in total possible. A few hurdles to jump, but none too arduous if you're using it as your normal bank: - To get the first £125 you must switch, including 2+ direct debits, and use your debit card and mobile app at least once (by 31 Aug). - To get the £75, each month till Feb '24 use the debit card 5+ times, pay in £500+ and have 2+ direct debits. - To get £5/mth, use the card 20+ times a month for the 1st 6mths. First Direct 1st Account* - Service: 90% 'great' - Full First Direct eligibility info & review - FREE £175 - 7% regular saver - £250 0% overdraft - Fee-free overseas spending Free £175 upfront cash, easier to qualify for and TOP SERVICE. First Direct has been top or near it in every bank service poll we've ever done. To qualify, simply pay in £1,000+ within 3mths (if needed put, eg, £200 in and take it out, five times). You can put up to £300/mth in its linked 7% 1yr fixed regular saver, and it offers many an ongoing 0% overdraft. So if you're overdrawn up to £425, the free cash pays some off and £250 is interest-free. Ends Mon. Club Lloyds - Service: 50% 'great' - Full Lloyds eligibility info & review - FREE £150 - 6.25% regular saver - 12mths' Disney+ OR 6 cinema tix OR mag sub OR Gourmet Society Less upfront cash but strong ongoing rewards. The Disney+ subscription for example is worth £79.90. You must put in the most to qualify though: £2,000/mth (equivalent to a £29,250/yr salary) OR there's a £3/mth fee, in which case it's much less lucrative. (1) Usually means you must switch from another bank & not have had an account/switching bonus from the new bank for a few years. Earn 1% cashback ON TOP of all these switch bonuses. While you must switch to these banks to get the bonuses, you don't need to switch to the app-only Chase* current account to get it. Chase doesn't do a hard credit check either, so you can use it alongside one of the banks above. Chase gives a year's 1% cashback (up to £15/mth) on almost all normal daily debit card spending, so pay bills from your main bank account, and top Chase up for spending (unless you're trying for the £5/mth cashback with TSB). Chase also has the top debit card for spending abroad, and has a linked 3.8% AER easy-access saver. See full Chase review. Switch and switch and switch again to make £100s or £1,000s. Like Meghan, who emailed us to say: "Thanks for the constant reminders on sign-up bonuses. Created a dummy account and have successfully switched four times since February and bagged over £800! Helped a ton." See how to play the multiple bank-switch game.

 

80,000 teens with special educational needs or disabilities have their Child Trust Fund money locked away. The Government holds the key, but isn't turning it. Read Martin's letter to the Children's Minister. 'Free' swimming, trampolining & dancing sessions, plus entry to a few zoos and theme parks. Just buy promotional packs of Heinz beans, soup or sauce, then redeem the code. 'Free Dayz Out' The Sun '£9.50' holidays are back... but are they ever really £9.50? Our analysis suggests otherwise, though savings are still possible. For hols from now until June 2024. Sun holidays 'I got an £8,400 council tax refund thanks to Martin.' Our success of the week comes from Jennifer, who checked & challenged her council tax band: "We have two neighbours who have the same house as us - but were in a lower band. Contacted the Valuation Office Agency, who were very helpful, and today we received a payment of £8,419. A wonderful surprise. Thanks to you & your programme, Martin." Please send us your MoneySaving successes (on this, or owt else). Claim disability benefits & didn't get £150 cost of living payment? Apply now. Most were paid between 20 June and 4 July. If you weren't, claim online. Summer sales NOW ON, including up to 70% off Asos, 60% off H&M, 50% off John Lewis & Next. See our full summer sales round-up.

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: NatWest (check eligibility / apply*) - 30mths 0%, 2.99% fee (23.9% rep APR) No-fee 0%: NatWest (check eligibility / apply*) - 19mths 0% (23.9% rep APR) Best bank accounts £200 to switch + £36/yr cashback: NatWest / RBS New. £200 to switch (£125 upfront, £75 later) + £5/mth cashback for 6mths: TSB Top savings accounts Top easy access: Tandem 4.36%, no min Top one-year fix: FirstSave 6.1%, min £100 Car insurance Try our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: AIB (NI) (apply), 5.6% rep APR Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*), 5.3% rep APR (need Nectar card) Broadband top picks Standard (10Mb+): Shell Energy '£16.88/mth' Fibre (30Mb+): Shell Energy '£19.38/mth' Fast fibre (55Mb+): Vodafone '£20.80/mth' Superfast fibre (100Mb+): Virgin '£22.06/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.70/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£3.45/mth' for 5GB 10GB+ data: Three Mobile, '£7.84/mth' for 120GB

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL How do you rate your bank account's service? Every six months, we ask for your help to track the quality of banks' customer service. By comparing your answers with last time, we can see which have got better or worse. Let us know how you rank your bank. 1pMobile and Smarty lead on mobile customer service. More than 5,000 people voted in last week's poll, which asked you to rate your mobile provider's service. Of firms to receive more than 75 votes, 1pMobile and Smarty scored highest for service, with 84% and 72% of customers who voted respectively rating them 'great'. At the other end of the spectrum, just less than one in five of Vodafone and Three customers rated their customer service 'great'. See full mobile poll results.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Beware frightening new 'deepfake' Martin Lewis video scam - NatWest and RBS to close 36 more branches in 2023/24 - Just three weeks left to use non-barcoded 1st and 2nd class stamps

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should my husband pay back the Child Benefit we're losing following his pay rise? My husband and I have separate bank accounts and each month pay a fixed amount into a joint account to cover bills. My husband recently got a pay rise, and now his income means we have to repay some of the Child Benefit we received. I think my husband should pay it back, as he's had the pay rise and hasn't increased the amount he puts into our joint account each month, but he thinks it should be paid from our joint account, as it's a 'family bill'. Who's right? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should my husband pay back the Child Benefit we've lost? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma

 

 

MARTIN'S BLOG - 80,000 teens' Child Trust Fund cash is locked away. Government holds the key - I write to the Children's Minister	MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Berlin, bailiffs & bird baths

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 12 JUL ONWARDS) Tue 18 Jul - Good Morning Britain, ITV, 8.30am MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECT TBC) Tue 18 Jul - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 10.45am

 

FRIENDS REUNITED AND BEBO - WHAT SOCIAL NETWORKS DID YOU USE BACK IN THE DAY? That's all for this week, but before we go... the launch of social network Threads (follow us here) got us all nostalgic about the social networks of yesteryear, so we asked what ones you used. It's easy to forget just how many have been and gone, as people reminisced about Friends Reunited, Friendface, Bebo, Lookitsme, ICQ, Usenet, AOL and MSN. Some even met their partners on Myspace or Faceparty, while others wanted to know how Tom was doing now (if you know, you know). Our Forumites, however, argued that the best social network they used back in the day was a visit to the pub during happy hour. Let us know what you used in our Facebook and Twitter conversations, or in our MSE Forum thread. We hope you save some money, The MSE team

 

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