Check your Council Tax - are u owed £1,000s?, 5 x £175+ FREE cash bank switches, Eurostar 20% off all fares, £154 M&S beauty bag £35, top travel card boost

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03 June 2025 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Martin: Council Tax is broken - check if you're owed £1,000s... - Reduction 1: In too high a band? - Reduction 2: Due a discount? - Reduction 3: On a lower income? - Reduction 4: Owed a share of £141m? - Plus why Council Tax needs to change! 5x £175+ FREE cash bank switches Ends Thu. 500Mb broadband £25/mth Did you miss: Due £70 from Mastercard? New. Top 33mth 0% debt shift deal Rare Eurostar 20% off Misleading Child Trust Fund ad BANNED after MSE complaint It's back! Top travel card boosted £154 M&S summer beauty bag £35 'I got £1k compensation for cancelled flight - thanks Martin' 5p Walkers, 9p noodles, 36p 500ml Coke Grind coffee 30% off code Free kids' West End theatre tickets Poll: Have you haggled this year? Father's Day's deals, eg, 50% off cards Will you get Nationwide's free £100? Get £30 cashback on £5+ spend From Thu. Ikea 50% off restaurant food This week's best buys: 4.85% ISA, 35GB Sim £3/mth & more Money Moral Dilemma: Should my tenant pay for missing the gas engineer's visit? BEST BUYS & TOOLS MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club including free credit report 0% balance transfers Compare broadband deals MSE Compare+ Car Insurance 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 Best Sim-only deals

Martin: Council Tax is broken! It needs fixing. That may be coming, but for now... Try my Council Tax check & challenge - 100,000s may be overpaying & due £1,000s back Plus... are you missing out on a discount? Does your council owe you unclaimed credit? There's a lot wrong with Council Tax - unsurprisingly, as in Eng & Scot, we still rely on a supposedly stopgap valuation done 34 years ago, to dictate what band a home's in... even though much of the country is now unrecognisable compared to then. Yet there is some hope. A fortnight ago, while interviewing cabinet minister Pat McFadden on Good Morning Britain, I questioned him about the counter-productive Council Tax debt collection methods used by many councils (so aggressive, they'd make the banks blush!). He replied that the Govt would soon launch a Council Tax consultation (Eng), and to my delight promised me he'd ensure preventing the rapid escalation of debt collection would go in it (currently, within 6wks, you can go from missing a monthly payment to bailiffs wanting a year's money, plus costs). I even recorded an admittedly teary video after a win on such a destructive issue. Yet MSE is always about putting the practicals first, so I'll leave till later details of other changes I hope to see in the Council Tax consultation. First, let me run through the four crucial reductions to explore... 1) In too high a band? 2) Missing a discount? Singles, students, physical/mental health disabilities? 3) On a low income so due Council Tax Support? 3) Owed Council Tax credit back? Reduction 1: Are you in one of up to 400,000 homes in too high a band? Like the 1960s pop charts, with Council Tax, bands are almost everything. What you pay depends on which valuation band, from A to H, you're in. Yet in England & Scotland the valuation was done back in 1991, as a stopgap to urgently set the system up, via 2nd gear valuations - ie, often estate agents driving past homes to classify them. By 2007, it already felt outrageous that a proper full valuation hadn't yet been done (barring in Wales, which did it in 2005 - so there are likely fewer errors there), so I launched my 'check & challenge system'. Little has changed since... an estimated up to 400,000 homes are still thought to be in the wrong band. The one bright spark is the check & challenge system has had possibly tens of thousands of successes, not only getting bands lowered, but as Lisa who emailed in Feb found out, a backdated payout too: "I challenged and heard that they had downgraded [it] from a C to a B, backdated to 1997. We've just been paid £3,240 in back pay. Our attached neighbour has been automatically reduced too. Thank you for sharing the information on this." The Council Tax Check & Challenge System Part I: The CHECKS To see whether you're likely in too high a band, there are two checks. Do both, as you can't ask for your band to be lowered, only reassessed, and you don't want yours or, worse, your neighbours' band, to go up. Check 1: The Neighbours Check. Find whether you're in a higher band than your neighbours in very similar or preferably identical properties. Don't worry, you won't need to ask them what their band is - you can check your band and neighbours' online. Check 2: The Valuation Check. The first check indicates something's wrong, but is it that your band's too high, or theirs too low? This is why I developed a safety check to calculate which band you likely fit in. As bands are still, ridiculously, valued at 1991 prices it's a two-step process. First assess your home's value, then use our tool to show what it was worth in 1991 and thus which band it should be in. Only consider a challenge if you clearly pass BOTH checks. Even if you pass The Neighbours Check, you may be in a higher band than neighbours because theirs is too low, not yours too high. Challenge and you risk seeing their band rise (which won't make you popular).  That's why The Valuation Check is so important. While it can't be used as evidence when you challenge, it gives peace of mind. So if you've passed both checks, the work starts... The Council Tax Check & Challenge System Part II: The CHALLENGE If you passed both checks, now it's time to challenge. We upgraded this part of the system six months ago, to provide more detailed help. There's far more in our Council Tax Check & Challenge guide, but let me run through it in brief... Step 1: Submit a formal or an informal challenge. Formal is better as it's a set process, but it's available to fewer people. - Who can formally challenge? In general, you must've lived in the property for six months or less (renters can do this too, though courtesy would indicate you notify the landlord). So everyone should look at this ASAP after moving home. (Note: This 6mth limit is something I'm asking them to consult on - see below.) You may also be able to formally challenge if the property has fundamentally changed (eg, house to flats), its use has (eg, some of it is now used for business), the local area has changed (eg, nightclub being built next door), or in Scotland also if there have been material, significant drops in property prices where you are. If you can challenge formally, while you needn't officially provide evidence, we'd strongly suggest you do, as it helps. - Can't formally challenge? In England & Wales you can do it informally. Over the years, many have got back to me saying "they won't let me challenge as I've lived there too long", yet the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a statutory duty to uphold the integrity of the Council Tax bands list. This means you can still submit an informal review request (use our template to help), but then it is tougher to do, and the burden is on you to provide compelling evidence that your band is wrong, to persuade the VOA to do the review. In Scotland? There's only the formal process, no informal review. To manage expectations, it'll be very tough if you don't fall into the 8 formal appeal reasons - for example, if you've just discovered you're in a wrong band but nowt's changed in years, it's unlikely to work. Though I'm told it isn't totally impossible with very robust evidence. Step 2: In England or Wales? Get your 'Property Attribute Details' (PAD). The VOA holds a Property Attribute Details document about most residential properties. It includes... Age or period | Type (semi-detached, end-of-terrace etc) | Floor area | Number of bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms | Number of floors So as long as you verify you are the Council Tax-payer, you can get your free PAD from it. This can be as quick as within five days online, but in busy periods it may take a month (and this email may create more demand than normal). Once you've got it, it's important to check line-by-line that it's correct, for two reasons: - Incorrect details could be enough to see your property rebanded. - Knowing how your property is described will help you ensure you can spot neighbouring properties that are really similar in a lower band, which can be submitted as compelling evidence. In Scotland? No PAD is available, but think about similar factors for your home, as they're what really counts.   Step 3: Identify neighbouring or nearby properties. You've already done a brief check, but now it's the real deal. This is the most important and time-consuming evidence-gathering step (especially if you're only able to ask for an informal review of your band). See our how to find & research similar properties info. You need to submit other addresses as evidence (capped at five in England & Wales), and they should be really similar to your own property, ie: - Same street/estate (or max 10-mile radius in very rural areas). - Similar style/features (can't compare semi-detached to a flat). - Similar age (new-build can't be compared to a Victorian property). - Similar size (a max difference of about 10%). And it's worth doing the work, as Alec emailed last month: "I made an informal appeal on my band G house, sparked off by MSE and an online sale ad for an identical local band F house. I provided a brief review citing that the three houses and mine were built to a standard plan. Nine months later our band was amended to an F, fully backdated to 1993 and the refund was £9,000 with an annual reduction of £600. Sincere thanks." Step 4: Submit your challenge. Normally easiest online, but you can also challenge by letter (and in England, phone and email too). Submit a description of your own property, the addresses of neighbouring properties in lower Council Tax bands to yours along with a brief description of each, plus any other supporting evidence you've got. To help start you off, we've a template example. You've sent in your challenge - what next? Hopefully you succeed, in which case, well done! Expect to have your band lowered, and a backdated rebate from when you moved into the property (or 1993, whichever's later). See backdated payout rights. However, your challenge may be rejected. If it's a formal challenge in England, you can appeal (if you have very strong reason to think the VOA is wrong) to the Valuation Tribunal within three months (in Wales the appeal is automatically done for you). In Scotland, you've usually six months to appeal to the Local Taxation Chamber, though it may be sooner depending on the reason. If it's an informal challenge and it's turned down, you can't appeal and that's probably it - unless you find further evidence to support a new review (in which case, you'll need to start the process again). Reduction 2: Due a Council Tax discount? Eg, single adults, carers, students, those with Severe Mental Impairments It's possible to get your Council Tax bill reduced in a number of other ways. If your property has been adapted for someone with a disability, you could drop a Council Tax band, though this has to be reconfirmed each year. Then there are discounts... the full Council Tax bill is based on two or more qualifying adults living in the property. If this isn't your living arrangement, you may be overpaying.  Our Are you due a Council Tax discount? guide has full details, but I designed this little graphic to hopefully speedily let you see whether you may be due a reduction. Whether refunds are backdate-able is a council-by-council issue. Just to be really clear, let's run through some common scenarios... - Only adult in household? You may be due a 25% discount. - All full-time student household? There's no Council Tax to pay. - Have a live-in carer? See whether you can cut your bill by 50%. As Jenny emailed last year: "I'm a carer for my brother who has a learning disability and he's lived with me and my family for over 10 years. As there are 3 adults at the property, we pay the full Council Tax bill. Having looked at the carer and Severe Mental Impairment (SMI) eligibility criteria, I wrote to the council. We've successfully reduced our Council Tax bill for the current financial year and are due a six-year refund of just over £1,600." Do you or a household member have a Severe Mental Impairment (SMI)? You may be due a discount In 2016, we started campaigning about the SMI ('severely mentally impaired' - a horrid term, I know) Council Tax discount after our research showed not only was it under-claimed, some frontline council staff didn't know it existed and wrongly put people off. It's something I've pushed hard via my telly show too...  Julie is one of many who have got in touch, emailing in March: "Hello, I can't thank you enough for the amazing advice you have given on your show, which has been invaluable in dealing with my disabled brother's affairs since losing our dad. I am very happy to tell you that I filled in the SMI forms for my brother, who had a brain tumour, and now not only does he never have to pay Council Tax ever again, he received a refund of over £2,000! Thank you!" Someone with an SMI is disregarded for Council Tax purposes, and as many with SMIs live with just one other adult, this effectively means their home is eligible for the single person 25% discount (50% if it's their carer). To be eligible, someone must both... Be medically certified as being 'SMI'. This is often via a form your doctor must sign available from your council. The definition of an SMI is 'a severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning that appears to be permanent'. This can come from dementia, profound learning difficulties, brain injuries, severe strokes, some with severe Parkinson's and more. Be receiving a qualifying benefit. This includes means-tested and non-means-tested benefits, eg, Attendance Allowance (itself highly under-claimed), Personal Independence Payment, Severe Disablement Allowance and some parts of Universal Credit. In England & Wales, you must actually be receiving them; in Scotland, just being eligible can be enough. See all qualifying benefits. While there's no legal rule that requires local authorities to backdate, some do, back to when both criteria are first met. Though in 2019, the Welsh Government took up our campaign recommendations, streamlined the process, printed brochures to help aid awareness, and ensured all Welsh councils' payments are backdate-able (diolch Cymru!). (Note: Consistent rules on backdating, and better communication of SMI, is another of the things I'm asking them to consult on below.) Reduction 3: Up to 2.25 million people on lower incomes miss out on Council Tax Support worth up to £1,500/yr Separate from discounts, every council runs its own Council Tax Reduction scheme, so what you get depends on where you live, but it can cut your Council Tax bill by up to 100% (though it varies wildly by council). Who's likely to get it? If you already qualify for a means-tested benefit, such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, you may be due this. The most important thing to understand is you won't get it automatically - YOU MUST APPLY SEPARATELY, which is why so many miss out. See How to claim a Council Tax Reduction. Reduction 4: Are you due a cut of £141m in overpaid Council Tax? 808,000 homes are Last year, our investigation found local authorities across Britain were sitting on £141m in overpaid Council Tax, from 808,000 households. You're MOST likely to be able to claim if you've moved out of a council area since 1993 and weren't paying by Direct Debit. If that sounds like you, check out our Council Tax overpayments guide. PS: What do all these reductions do to councils? Local government is struggling for funding and some councils are in trouble - it's not a pretty picture. And, of course, refunds and lower Council Tax won't particularly help that - though central government funding of councils does look at their ability to raise funds.  Overall, though, it's worth factoring in the impact on councils based on your situation and examining the strength of your case. Yet don't let a sense of guilt overly hold you back from claiming when you're legitimately due. This is money you've paid, that you shouldn't have. And finally... Council Tax needs to change! As I explained at the top, the Minister for Local Government, Jim McMahon, is due to launch a consultation soon on modernising and improving the administration of Council Tax.  I'm delighted they already promised that tackling aggressive and rapid debt collection practices will be in it. The legwork for that campaign was done by the brilliant team at my charity, the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute. Read more about its Council Tax debt collection dangers research & sign the petition. Yet, swapping hats, there are a couple of other things MSE and I have long been submitting evidence on (and there will be many more from other organisations, I'm sure) that hopefully will fall within the scope of this. I'll be keenly looking out to see whether they appear... The Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI) Council Tax discount must be consistent and far better communicated. The SMI rules are poorly understood across society, including by some frontline council staff. It's made harder to claim due to poor communications, inconsistent forms (meaning issuing general guidance to GPs is hard), and a general lack of oomph from some (not all) councils to push it.  Plus, there's the postcode lottery of whether claimants get it backdated or not. That's a real injustice when you consider one of the reasons too few claim it - and why it can take a long time for many to get it (including some of society's most vulnerable) - is due to the complexity and inconsistencies. We're calling for better communication, unified information and claims forms, better education for frontline staff and a consistent backdating policy. I don't think it's an outlandish call. End the 'you've only six months to formally appeal' rule. Taxes need to be administered fairly and correctly. The valuation of Council Tax bands has been shaky from the start, so it's outrageous that barriers are in place to stop people requesting to be put in the right band. This is especially as the mis-banding has been a systemic problem for decades, and there's been what feels like a conspiracy of silence on it from councils and politicians - it's not even being raised as an option for those who are struggling. When people finally do hear that there is a route to change it, it's often years too late.  Everyone should be allowed to formally challenge their band once (based on proper evidence, of course). The whole thing is too complex and made too difficult for people, and making it easier is the least the Government can do if it won't do a wholesale rebanding... We need a wholesale rebanding (but it won't happen). Admittedly I think there's more chance of Elon Musk opening a nail salon in Swindon. Yet if we're going to stick with Council Tax as our form of local taxation (and that's a different discussion), then for fairness the banding system should be updated. Yet politicians aren't brave enough to face the flak, as alongside many winners, there would be many losers too. - Least disruptive & easiest. Use the bands exactly as now, just do a proper full valuation to ensure they're more accurate (or, at worst, give everyone the right to challenge their band). - Fairer, more up to date, bigger change. Reset the bands based on current values, and revalue on that. Then uplift the bands based on property price rises each year. This would nod to the huge imbalances in property prices (and property wealth) across the country, but is clearly more controversial. Keir Starmer told us in the MSE Leaders' Debate this wasn't going to happen. Few other major parties did either, though some did suggest alternative forms of local taxation.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

The FREE CASH price war hots up Earn up to '£310' by switching bank as FIVE now pay you. So unless your bank makes you smile, check 'em out More banks are now willing to pay for your current-account custom, via bonuses (legal bribes if you like) to switch to them. Better still, most are top bank accounts anyway with strong financial perks and/or top service. In the last week, the competition's further heated up with two new players and one boosted deal (while another, NatWest, has dropped out). Switching's usually quick & easy. In Martin's recent social media poll, 90% of the 5,500 who'd switched said it was easy & hassle-free. To get the free cash, you need to use the bank's seven-working-day switch service (so roughly 10 days), which moves across your standing orders & Direct Debits for you, closes your old account, and from that point auto-forwards any payments made to it to your new one. You'll also need to pass a not-too-harsh credit check. The five new-customer FREE CASH switch bonuses Top all-rounder deal First Direct 1st Account* FREE £175, top service & 7% linked saver. New. Possible boost to £205 Min monthly pay-in: None Service rating: 92% 'great' You open it by app unless joint, then it's online. Can't get it if you've... had any First Direct account before, or opened one with HSBC since Jan 2018. First Direct's* been near-top of every customer service poll we've ever run, with currently a 92% 'great' rating. Factoring that in, its package is the most well-rounded. For who can get it & more, see full First Direct eligibility & review, but in brief, switchers get... - FREE £175 if you switch 2+ Direct Debits/standing orders, make 5+ payments on your debit card within 45 days, pay in a total of £1,000+ (no problem if you then immediately withdraw it). - Ongoing £250 0% overdraft for many. - Top overseas debit card, so you get near-perfect exchange rates. - Linked 7% AER 1yr fixed regular saver for up to £300/mth (maxed out: £136.50/yr interest). New. Boost it by up to £30? Apply via MoneySupermarket* & you can join its SuperSaveClub. If you do, you'll be paid £30 into your SuperSave wallet after 14 days of account opening, and you can immediately withdraw this as credit on a prepaid Mastercard or as an Amazon/Sainsbury's etc gift voucher. Alternatively, apply via uSwitch* before 8 June and you can get a £25 Amazon voucher. Top overall reward TSB Spend & Save* FREE £190 cash & '£120' reward (so '£310'). Min monthly pay-in: None Service rating: 38% 'great' Can't get it if you've... had a switch bonus from TSB since 1 Oct 2022. TSB* cleverly structured its free cash to incentivise you to stick with it till at least Jan 2026. For who can get it & more, see full TSB eligibility & review, but in brief, switchers get... - FREE £100 if you make 5+ debit card payments and log into its app by 19 July. - Then £15/mth FREE for six months (so £90 total), provided you make 20+ debit card payments in the month (if it's a struggle, just split your shopping into smaller amounts). - Choice of £120 hotel voucher or 12mths' UK activity tickets if you make 20+ debit card payments in Dec 2025. The voucher is for £120 credit on Expedia's Travel Credits website (no min spend), which mostly seems to have the same prices as the main Expedia site. The activity tickets are for the National Activities Network (eg, theme parks, trampoline parks, escape rooms and museums) but are for one person only, so aren't the best for families. - Linked 5% AER 1yr fixed regular saver for up to £250/mth (maxed out: £71/yr interest). Existing customers only New. Nationwide FlexDirect FREE £200, 5% in-credit interest, 1% cashback. Minimum pay-in: None Service rating: 82% 'great' Can't get it if you've... had its switch bonus before (unless on joint account & this is single or vice-versa). A strong all-rounder, but the FREE £200 switch bonus is ONLY for those who already have a Nationwide personal savings account (including cash ISAs) or residential mortgage. Its existing current account customers can also get the £200 but only if switching a different current account in from another bank. For exact details on who can get it & more, see full Nationwide eligibility & review, but in brief, switchers get... - FREE £200 for existing customers who switch over 2+ Direct Debits, pay in £1,000+ and make at least one payment using the debit card within 31 days. - 5% interest on up to £1,500 in the current account for a year. - 1% cashback on most debit card spending for a year (max £5/mth, must pay in £1,000/mth). - Ongoing £50 0% overdraft for many. - Linked 6.5% AER 1yr variable regular saver for up to £200/mth (maxed out: £84/yr interest). Good for bills New. Santander Edge FREE £180 cash & 1% bills cashback but £3/mth fee. Min monthly pay-in: £500 Service rating: 62% 'great' Can't get it if you've... had its switch bonus before. Unlike the other accounts here, which are fee-free, Santander Edge charges a £3/mth fee, but you can get 1% cashback on a variety of household bills. For who can get it & more, see full Santander eligibility & review, but in brief, switchers get... - FREE £180 if you have 2+ household Direct Debits (link opens PDF) & pay in £1,500+ in 60 days. - 1% cashback on energy, Council Tax, broadband, TV, mobile & water bills (max £10/mth). - 1% cashback on supermarket, fuel and train spending BUT ONLY till 9 Sept (max £10/mth). - Top overseas debit card, so you get near-perfect exchange rates. - Linked 6% easy-access saver for up to £4,000 (maxed out: £234/yr interest). Decent alternative  Ends 11.59pm Wed. Co-op Bank FREE £175 cash, linked 7% regular saver. Min monthly pay-in: None Service rating: 45% 'great' Can't get it if you've... had its bonus since 1 Nov 2022. This is a decent alternative if you don't qualify for some of the others (maybe as you've done them in the past). For who can get it & more, see full Co-op eligibility & review, but in brief, both new & existing customers switching an account in from elsewhere can get... - FREE £100 if you deposit £1,000+, have 2+ Direct Debits, register for online/mobile banking and make 10+ debit card transactions, all within 30 days of switching. - Then a FREE £25 for three months. After you get the £100 bonus, to get this each month you must deposit £1,000+, make 10+ debit card transactions and have 2+ Direct Debits. - Linked 7% AER 1yr variable regular saver for up to £250/mth (maxed out: £114/yr interest). Easy to get, up to £180/yr cashback on top. The app-based Chase current account* is a different beast, and you can combine it with the switch bonus accounts above. It's fee-free and easy to get, plus you DON'T need to switch to it to get it. There's also only a soft credit-check, so it won't affect your credit file.    Spend on its debit card and you'll get 1% cashback for at least the first year, on UK groceries, transport and fuel (exclusions apply), max £15/mth. It's easy to do. Just use the other accounts to pay your salary into and pay bills from, then fund Chase and spend on its debit card. It's also a top card for spending abroad (though there's no cashback on that). Yes, you CAN repeatedly switch to make £1,000s. It takes work and you need to follow our make £1,000s by repeatedly switching banks guidance, yet there's an ever-growing tribe of bank-profiteers who do it. Sully's one of them... "Your article prompted me to finally have a go at a bank switch. After doing one and realising how easy it was, I got addicted and did 11 switches between me and my wife and made £1,910 in the last 6 months. Thank you so much MSE." Can switching bank affect your ability to access credit? In the short term, yes. It's a credit application, so that has an impact by itself, but also lenders like to see evidence of stability. It usually isn't a big deal, but if you've an important credit application soon (eg, a mortgage), it's probably best holding off. More in how switching banks affects your credit.

 

Did you miss it? Check whether you're due up to £70 from Mastercard - even if you've NEVER had one. We published our new guide last week - it's been huge - so if you missed it, see Mastercard compensation. New. LONGEST 0% balance transfer, and a LOWER fee, and it's a DEFINITE 33mths. Pay interest on existing credit card debt? Check whether you can get this card! A 0% balance transfer's where you get a new card that pays off old cards for you, so you owe it instead, but interest-free for a set period. And there's a new top deal. Tesco Bank's 33mth 0% is joint-longest but has a lower 3.19% one-off fee (of the amount shifted) and, crucially, all accepted will be able to shift debt to it interest-free for the full length, ie, until Mar 2028. Golden rules: Repay at least the monthly minimum & clear the card before the 0% ends, or it jumps to 24.9% rep APR interest. Full help in top balance transfers. Rare Eurostar 20% off ALL standard fares, eg, Paris return £62 (plus trick gets extra 5% off). Its strongest deal so far this year. For travel June to Sept, though frustratingly there are some blackout dates. See Eurostar offer.  Misleading Child Trust Fund ad BANNED after MSE complaint. See why it got banned, plus full details on how you can trace your Child Trust Fund for free, in our MSE News story. Related: Top Child Trust Funds. It's back! The no.1 card for spending abroad now gives 0.5% cashback UK & overseas. The fee-free Barclaycard Rewards credit card was already our top pick, as it gives near-perfect Visa exchange rates in every country, no ATM fees, and cashback on all UK & overseas spending. But apply now and the cashback's boosted from the usual 0.25% to 0.5% on all retail spending (except gambling & buying currency) till 30 Nov. Just ensure you pay it off IN FULL each month, preferably by Direct Debit, to avoid interest. See Top cards for travelling abroad for full info & more options. £35 M&S summer beauty bag (worth £154) including Estee Lauder, Ren, Color Wow. This 11-piece set is always popular - it'll be in 200+ stores from Thu. See M&S beauty bag. 'I got £1,040 in flight compensation after listening to Martin's pod.' Our success of the week comes from Brian: "My wife and I had our LA to London flight cancelled 6hrs before departure. Although British Airways booked us on the next available flight, I was aware from Martin's podcast that we may be due compensation. I checked your flight cancellation article & used the tool to generate a draft claim letter. BA agreed to pay compensation of £1,040 for two passengers. A great result. I'm indebted to Martin & his colleagues." If we've helped you save (on this or owt else), send us your successes. 5p Walkers, 9p noodles, 36p 500ml Coke, etc - via 10% off code for already-reduced, past 'best-befores'. MSE Blagged. Approved Food sells very cheap groceries near or past their 'best-before' dates (NOT past their 'use-by' dates, which are a safety rule). Min £22.50 spend, delivery's £3+. Approved Food

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - Extra 10% off past 'best-before' food Ends Wed 11 Jun - 30% off Grind coffee Ends Mon 9 Jun - Topcashback extra £30 cashback on £5+ spend 10,000 available	DID YOU MISS? - Passport alert. 'My daughter was turned away at the plane' - Amazon Resale: Save 50%+ on often as-new returned goods - Updated. Can you really get paid to walk? - Ends Sun. £270 Vax carpet cleaner £115 - £37 Ted Baker prescription specs or sunnies (normally £135)

 

 

New... but ends Thursday Seriously fast 500Mb broadband £25/mth (& more deals) Do you pay double that for less than half the speed? If so, ditch & switch Don't think of broadband as a monthly cost, but as an annual bill. Then it's easier to see whether you're being ripped off, shelling out £100s/yr more than needed for paltry speeds. About seven million people are out of contract on broadband, therefore free to switch, and many are paying vastly over the odds. As an idea, the typical out of contract costs for big firms are BT £870/yr at 67Mb, Sky £550/yr at 30Mb, Virgin £740/yr at 132Mb. So compare those with the deals below... which, like all the top deals, are short-term promos, generally punted out on to comparison sites (and not offered direct, or firms would have to offer existing customers the same). Our broadband comparison tool collates these new-customer offers from 29 providers, including a growing cohort of low-cost local firms. The cheapest broadband deals include... All via our broadband comparison as which you can get is postcode-specific Ends Mon (9 June) Community Fibre 500Mb broadband-only '£18/mth' (2yr contract) Service rating: 7.5/10 (good) Local Available in many London boroughs and parts of Surrey and Sussex. This deal is £20/mth (rises by £2/mth in April 2026 & 2027), so you'll pay £516 over the 2yr contract. Plus you'll be emailed a choice of a £75 voucher for Amazon, Tesco, Selfridges etc within 4mths of your first bill (do check your junk folder if not received). Factor that in and it's equivalent to £18.38/mth.  Ends this Thu Sky 500Mb broadband & digital line '£25/mth' (2yr contract) Available to 70% of homes Service rating: 5/10 (OK) National Cheapest 500Mb+ full fibre. You pay £28/mth (so £672 over the two year contract), plus you'll be emailed a choice of an £80 prepaid Mastercard or an M&S, Tesco etc voucher within 4mths (do check your junk folder if not received). Factor that in and it's equivalent to £24.67/mth. Note: Sky opts out of giving price rises in advance, but that means if it does raise prices mid-contract (usually in April), you can leave penalty-free. Ends this Thu Virgin 264Mb broadband-only '£21/mth' (18mth contract) Available to 60% of homes Service rating: 3.4/10 (poor) National Cheapest 100Mb+ full fibre. You pay £25/mth (rises by £3.50 next April), but you get an AUTOMATIC £100 credit added to your first bill, so there's nothing to pay for the first four months. With that and the price rise factored in, you pay £374 over the 18mth contract, making it equivalent to £21.19/mth.  Ends this Thu Sky 150Mb broadband & digital line '£21/mth' (2yr contract) Available to 70% of homes Service rating: 5/10 (OK) National Cheap 100Mb+ full fibre with decent service. You pay £24/mth (so £576 over the two year contract), plus you'll be emailed a choice of an £80 prepaid Mastercard or an M&S, Tesco etc voucher within 4mths (do check your junk folder if not received). Factor that in and it's equivalent to £20.67/mth. Note: Sky opts out of giving price rises in advance, but that means if it does raise prices mid-contract (usually in April), you can leave penalty-free.  PS: There's also a cheaper, but slower, 61Mb broadband & digital line deal for '£20/mth'. On Universal Credit or similar benefits? Try a social tariff. Many providers offer special discounted social broadband tariffs, which give long-term cheap prices of usually £13/mth to £20/mth for 30Mb+. Add your postcode via the link above and, within your search results, you'll see the social tariffs local to you. Deals ordered by speed. Our 'equivalent cost' adds all costs, deducts promo credits & averages over the contract so you can compare easily. Broadband service ratings tend to be worse than other sectors, so all scores are lower. See broadband service poll results. You no longer need to contact your current provider to switch. Until recently, switch broadband and with some providers you had to contact both your old and new firm (sometimes leaving you paying both during the overlap). Now, regulator Ofcom has rolled out a 'One Touch Switch' service, so the new firm should seamlessly sort it for you. Don't want to switch? Haggle. In our December poll, the vast majority of those who'd haggled with the big broadband firms were successful. Use the deals above as a benchmark. Read full broadband haggling tips. Slow broadband? Before switching, test your speed - is it the Wi-Fi or the connection? Do a speed check - first via Wi-Fi, then by plugging your device into the router (if you can). If Wi-Fi's a lot slower, try our speed-boosters. At least 50% of customers must get the advertised speeds at peak times. Plus all bigger providers must also indicate your estimated minimum speed pre-application. Switching usually only means about 2hrs' downtime. You're told the switch time, and most don't need an engineer, even if you're getting fibre to the premises, though someone may need to look at the externals of your home (you needn't be there). There are exceptions, eg, if moving to or from Virgin (you're told before applying). Members of cashback sites can sometimes undercut deals. In some cases, the cashback can mean these sites undercut promos elsewhere, though sometimes the deal differs - so check carefully. More in Top cashback sites.

 

Grind coffee 30% off code. MSE Blagged. Valid on coffee, beans, pods and more. Grind Free kids' West End tickets with a paying grown-up - 50+ shows including Lion King, Matilda. The annual 'Kids Week' promo is returning soon. Full info in 'free' kids' theatre. Haggled with Sky, BT, the AA or others this year? Did you succeed? Haggling can land big savings on insurance, broadband, breakdown cover, plus more. Every 6mths, we try to gauge the success rates of those who have done it. If you've got cheaper prices, extra goods or better deals, please vote in this week's haggling poll. Father's Day's a week on Sunday (15 June). Don't feel forced to buy stuff - we've free gift cheques. If you are buying, see 50% off cards, £68 of grooming products for £20, and our full Father's Day deals round-up. Nationwide customer? Check whether you're due a free £100. Its 'Fairer Share' bonus is back, and here's who'll get Nationwide's £100 payment. PS: Thanks for all the kind notes from people who read our article earlier in the year about how to max your chances of getting it, and are now going to get it. We loved reading 'em. Get an extra £30 cashback when spending £5+ online. MSE Blagged. Topcashback newbies can grab a no-brainer £30 bonus by signing up using our link and spending a fiver or more via it. Topcashback boost From Thu. Ikea 50% off restaurant food, eg, £2.75 meatballs meal, £3 fish & chips. Weekdays till August for Ikea Family members (free to join). Swe-dish deals

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Tesco Bank (check eligibility) 33mths 0%, 3.19% fee, 24.9% rep APR interest No-fee 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 14mths 0%, 24.9% rep APR interest Best bank accounts Free £175 + bonus £30: First Direct 1st Account Free £100 + £15/mth cashback for 6mths: TSB Spend & Save Broadband top picks Fibre (55Mb+): Sky '£19.92/mth' Fast fibre (100Mb+): Virgin '£21.19/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Sky '£24.67/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Cheap insurance Car: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Home: Try our Compare+ Home Insurance tool Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: Santander (check eligibility), 7.1% rep APR interest Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: M&S Bank (check eligibility), 5.9% rep APR interest (1 to 7 years) Top savings accounts Top easy-access cash ISA: Plum 4.85%, min £100 Top easy-access savings: Atom Bank 4.75%, no min Top one-year fix: Hampshire Trust Bank 4.45%, min £1 Top energy deals Use our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.70/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£2.72/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£2.74/mth' for 10GB 31GB+ data: Lebara, '£2.80/mth' for 35GB

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL Have you haggled with Sky, BT, the AA or any others this year? Did you succeed? Whether it's digital TV, broadband, breakdown cover or car insurance, haggling can net you huge savings on all kinds of different products. And each year, we try to gauge the success rates of those who have done it. So, have you nabbed cheaper prices, extra goods or better deals? Let us know how successful you've been in this week's poll.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Forced on to a prepay energy meter? You could be due £1,000 - How to avoid HyperJar's new £3-a-month inactivity fee

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should my tenant pay for missing the gas engineer's appointment? I'm a landlord and have to get a yearly gas safety certificate for the property I let. With my tenant's agreement, I gave the gas safety engineer her telephone number, so they could arrange the visit. On the day itself, my tenant forgot the appointment and was out at the arranged time, and the engineer has now issued a call-out charge to cover his time. But who should pay: me or the tenant? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Who should pay for missed gas engineer visit? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

A few Father's Day competitions...  - Win a Red Arrows watch - Win a gift bundle including picnic hamper & decanter - Win a chocolate hamper ... from the MSE Forum - Win a PlayStation 5 Minecraft set - Win a prize bundle worth more than £1,000 - Win a B&M hamper

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Second cars, secret fares & simple TVs

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 3 JUN ONWARDS) Thu 5 Jun - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, noon Tue 10 Jun - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.20am

 

 

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