2022

Today, I'm pleased to say the new free guidelines 'A warm welcome: Setting up a warm space in your community' has been published by CILIP, the library and information association. It's jam-packed full of useful information for councils, libraries, public buildings and others who want to open a warm space this winter. Below is my introductory foreword, which explains my connection, but better, download the PDF.

Energy firms met the new Liz Truss administration yesterday, and it's strongly rumoured that top of the agenda was freezing the price cap at its current level (£1,971/yr for someone on typical use) and adding small business to the cap too. This is similar to suggestions made by the main opposition parties – though likely to be funded in a different way.

Ignore what you've read in the papers. Ignore the political spittle that flies across Parliament. And in some cases, ignore what parents tell you too. There are more myths and misunderstandings about student finance than any other subject (my polite way of saying there's a lot of bull spoken).

With the announcement of the Government's energy cost of living plans due out at lunchtime, I thought I'd speedily bash out a note down of what (from memory) I'd asked the Chancellor for when we spoke on Monday – and the other general suggestions I've been making.

Press the rewind button and go way back – before Covid, before Brexit – to April 2015, then picture a devastatingly handsome man at home, on the sofa, talking about money with his wife. Well, he has nowt to do with this, but possibly on the telly in the corner, I was on-air at the time urging savers as usual to use their new tax-free cash ISA allowance – because 'money was nicer in an ISA'.

I set up MoneySavingExpert.com nearly 20 years ago – when arguably the modern web was still in its infancy. With an abundance of self-belief (something I had too much of then, as I realise now) I decided not to read any books, or follow prevailing wisdom on how a site should operate – and just do it my way.

It's hard to believe the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) charity is now six years old. In that short time, it has established itself as the go-to place for politicians, regulators and firms for help on how to divorce the marriage made in hell that is debt and mental health issues.