James Heppe-Smith
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Premium Bonds rise to 3.8% from July: are they finally worth it again?
Read more: Premium Bonds rise to 3.8% from July: are they finally worth it again?NS&I has raised the Premium Bonds prize fund rate to 3.8% from the July 2026 draw, the first rise in nearly three years, alongside four other accounts including the Direct ISA at 3.80% AER. We compare the new rate against the best easy-access savings, cash ISAs and NS&I’s own shelf, and explain who actually benefits.
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July 2026 Energy Price Cap: Ofgem Confirms £1,862, +13.5%. What it Means and Whether to Fix Now
Read more: July 2026 Energy Price Cap: Ofgem Confirms £1,862, +13.5%. What it Means and Whether to Fix NowOfgem confirmed the July 2026 energy price cap at £1,862 per year, a 13.5% rise on April’s £1,641. Why the cap landed where it did, what changes for your bill, and the fixed-rate tariffs already pricing below it.
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Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Who Must Sign Up Now, What Happens If You Don’t, and What the Penalty-Free Year Really Means
Read more: Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Who Must Sign Up Now, What Happens If You Don’t, and What the Penalty-Free Year Really MeansMTD for Income Tax is now in force. Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income above £50,000 must keep digital records and submit quarterly updates, with the first deadline on 7 August 2026. The threshold drops to £30,000 in 2027 and £20,000 in 2028. Here is exactly who is in scope, how the soft-landing year…
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FOS Reform 2026: How the ‘Fair and Reasonable’ Test Is Changing, and What That Means for Your Right to Complain
Read more: FOS Reform 2026: How the ‘Fair and Reasonable’ Test Is Changing, and What That Means for Your Right to ComplainThe FCA and Treasury have proposed the most significant reform of the Financial Ombudsman Service in two decades. CP26/9 closed for consultation on 11 May 2026. What’s changing, when, and what consumers with live or future complaints should do now.
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Why UK gilt yields matter for your mortgage, savings and ISA decisions right now
Read more: Why UK gilt yields matter for your mortgage, savings and ISA decisions right nowUK 10-year gilt yields hit a 17-year high above 5.1% in May 2026. This article explains what gilt yields are, why they spiked, and what the move means for your mortgage, savings accounts, ISA decisions, and pension drawdown.
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Car Finance Compensation 2026: What the Legal Challenges Mean for Consumers and When You Might Get Paid
Read more: Car Finance Compensation 2026: What the Legal Challenges Mean for Consumers and When You Might Get PaidThe FCA’s motor finance redress scheme has been pushed to November 2026 at the earliest, after three lenders and a consumer group filed legal challenges. Around 12.1 million agreements are affected. Here is what you can still do today, free of charge, and why a claims management company is not necessary.
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Buy Now Pay Later Is About to Be Regulated: What Changes for Shoppers from July 2026
Read more: Buy Now Pay Later Is About to Be Regulated: What Changes for Shoppers from July 2026From 15 July 2026, BNPL providers in the UK have to follow FCA consumer credit rules, including affordability checks, clear pre-contract information, FOS access for complaints, and fair treatment in financial difficulty. What changes for Klarna, Clearpay, PayPal Pay in 3, and other BNPL users.
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Should you use a claims management firm for your car finance claim? The FCA has concerns
Read more: Should you use a claims management firm for your car finance claim? The FCA has concernsThe FCA launched a sector-wide review of CMCs on motor finance claims on 7 May 2026. Here is what it found, and why you probably do not need one.
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Mortgage rate cuts are back, but here’s why the average rate is still nearly 6%
Read more: Mortgage rate cuts are back, but here’s why the average rate is still nearly 6%Major lenders cut mortgage rates in the week of 7–13 May 2026 — Santander by up to 50bps, Halifax by up to 35bps, Nationwide by up to 25bps. Yet the average two-year fixed rate sits at around 5.78%, up from 4.84% in early March. This article explains why: gilt yields hit 17-year highs amid UK…
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UK crypto regulation explained: the FCA’s 2026-2027 authorisation timeline for investors
Read more: UK crypto regulation explained: the FCA’s 2026-2027 authorisation timeline for investorsOn 15 April 2026 the FCA published CP26/13, its consultation on the perimeter of the UK crypto regulatory regime. The full regime goes live on 25 October 2027. This guide explains every milestone in between, what changes for retail investors, and what the new rules do (and do not) protect you against.
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Latest news
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