Family & Health

A third of respondents to a major new survey have said their financial situation has worsened as a result of the pandemic, though some say their spending and saving habits have improved – and the poll also suggests issues related to coronavirus are proving more divisive than Brexit.

The Government will increase the minimum pension age for accessing private pensions to 57 from 2028, a minister has confirmed.

The Government has proposed new rules for private parking firms to tackle unfair penalties, including grace periods and new maximum caps for parking fines.

The Government's 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme is running throughout August, giving 50% discounts up to £10 per person on sit-down meals out from Monday to Wednesday – and over 35 million discounted meals were claimed in the first two weeks alone. It works at over 85,000 restaurants, cafés and pubs – including independents, many big chains such as McDonald's, Nando's and The Ivy Collection, and Michelin star restaurants such as The Angel at Hetton and Aquavit London.

The Financial Ombudsman Service has received about 3,500 coronavirus-related complaints so far this year – and issues with travel insurance providers were the most common.

More than a million patients in England paid more than they needed to for prescriptions last year and could have saved an average of £40 with an NHS 'prescription payment certificate', new data obtained by MoneySavingExpert.com reveals.

The Government has announced a last-minute extension of the eviction ban in England and Wales, which will now last until mid-September, amid warnings that thousands of renters could lose their homes when the ban ends.

The competition watchdog has said the funeral market must be reformed after its investigation of the sector found high fees and "unacceptably low levels of care" – but it's warned it can't push ahead with major reforms, including caps on prices during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Up to 16,000 self-employed people who received Government grants to support their income during the coronavirus crisis have been paid too much after their payments were miscalculated. If you've been overpaid, the good news is you WON'T have to pay anything back – but you may now receive less than expected if you apply for the second income support grant.

Much of the UK is set to be hit by a heatwave in the coming days, with temperatures in parts of England to go well above 30°C. Whether you want to enjoy it outdoors or simply keep cool, we've dug out the top MoneySaving tips to survive the sizzle – but remember, the coronavirus pandemic hasn't gone away, so be sensible and follow the Government's guidelines.