March 2022

As the looming energy price cap increase draws ever closer, MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis offers three tips to try and prepare you for the hike. Watch the video below or read the transcript to find out more.

Over two million households have been switched to a new energy supplier they didn't choose in the past year after their previous provider went bust. But very few caught by this 'safety net' – especially those moved to British Gas – reported having a good transfer experience, with many left waiting months for credit refunds as well as being "left in the dark" about the transfer process. 

Experian will become the second credit reference agency (CRA) after TransUnion to include buy now, pay later (BNPL) data in customer credit files from this summer, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal. Below we explain how the move may affect your credit file and score.

If you have old Christmas stamps you CAN continue to use them after 31 January 2023 following a Royal Mail U-turn. The postal service had initially announced, as part of a wider shake-up, that Christmas stamps would be replaced by new barcoded versions from 31 January 2023. This would have rendered old festive stamps useless unless swapped.

Low-income households eligible for the Government's Healthy Start vouchers have just a few days to apply for a prepaid card to avoid missing out on payments. The existing paper vouchers are being phased out this month and families and expectant mothers must switch to the new system to continue to get help with food and milk costs.

Standard stamp prices are to rise by up to 12%, Royal Mail has confirmed. From Monday 4 April, the cost of 1st class stamps will be hiked to 95p (up 10p), while 2nd class stamps will increase to 68p (up 2p).

The winners of March’s Premium Bond draw have been unveiled, with NS&I handing out nearly £100 million in cash prizes - so make sure you check to see if you’ve won. We have the full details below on how to check and on whether the investment is worth it. 

Applications for university loans for the 2022/23 academic year are now open for students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and will shortly open for those in Scotland. Both new students and those returning to university can apply. But the process can take up to eight weeks, so make sure you submit yours as soon as possible.

A cap on the fees claims management companies charge customers has been introduced by the financial services regulator today, which it says will leave some people £1,000s better off.  

Barclaycard has launched two new credit cards that give customers British Airways Avios points for every pound spent, while users can also get seat upgrade vouchers. We have the full info below, as well as analysis on whether the new cards beat similar options from American Express.