9 big financial boons of marriage, free Lego, cheap British Gas fix - save 15%, £20k ISA limit to end?, Sky TV £13/mth ends

Plus... urgent top spend-abroad card, Shark SpeedStyle £80, Chase saver boost, 'free' National Trust

                                                           

29 April 2025 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Ends Thu. New cheapest energy fix... - Save 15% with British Gas 12mth fix - Infographic I: Average wholesale rates - Infographic II: Price Cap over 12mths+ - FAQs including 'Should I wait to fix?' Urgent. Top card for spending abroad 9 big financial boons of marriage FREE Star Wars Lego Shark SpeedStyle hairdryer/styler £80 Martin vid: '£20k cash ISA limit to end?' Ends Wed. Sky TV '£13/mth' 'Free' National Trust family day pass Revealed: Holland & Barrett's 'Subscribe & Save' often costs more Ends Thu. 264Mb broadband '£21/mth' £72 summer plant bundle £12 Must-listen pod. Get £100s of energy credit back | Shrinkflation Nation BT customer on benefits? Check its social tariff before Fri Got car finance? Test our refinance guide & tool Keep potatoes in the fridge?! Chase customer? Check if you can get boosted 4.8% saver Don't get your passport by post... Save, or have a loan/credit card, with Sainsbury's? New. 3mths' FREE Spotify for newbies This week's best buys: 32mth 0% debt shift, 5.8% loan, 10GB Sim £3/mth Money Moral Dilemma: Should we return furniture we thought was a gift? BEST BUYS & TOOLS MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club including free credit report 0% balance transfers Compare broadband deals MSE Car Insurance Compare+ 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

Ends 5pm Thursday  New cheapest fixed energy deal British Gas 12mth fix. Save over 15% (typically £285/yr) compared to today's Price Cap Already a British Gas customer? You can get it too (even if you're already fixed) Wholesale gas & electricity rates - those retail energy firms pay - have dropped in recent weeks. Yet the Price Cap that 2/3 of homes are on remains stubbornly high, as its time-lagged rates are based on prices from months ago, and it won't move until July when it's expected to drop 8% or 9% (more on that below). With new fixes, however, firms set their rates based on current and predicted future prices. And today, a big name has gone cheapest - the new British Gas 12mth fix undercuts the current Cap by an average 15.4% (including MSE cashback via this comparison link), so switch to it and you can take advantage of lower energy rates right now. It's also substantially cheaper than where the Cap is predicted to be over the next year. The BG fix is available to both new switchers and existing British Gas customers (if you're on a BG fix already, it won't charge you early exit penalties if you move to this). Now let me go through it step-by-step including more best buys and what'll happen to prices... 1. Are you on the Price Cap? Unsure... you likely are. Two in three homes in Eng, Scot and Wales (see N. Ireland help) are on capped tariffs. Unless you've consciously moved to a fixed or special tariff, you almost certainly are. The Cap applies to all firms' standard default tariffs - those you're on if you've never switched, or not switched since your last fix ended. Here are the most common ones: On one of these tariffs? If so, you're on the Price Cap British Gas Standard Variable | EDF Standard (Variable) | E.on Next Next Flex | Octopus Flexible Octopus | Ovo Simpler Energy | Scottish Power Standard  The Cap doesn't limit the total paid. It sets a maximum daily charge and cost per unit of energy used in each region (see April Price Cap rates) and while it's called a Cap, in reality most firms take it to the max. 2. Best Buys: Save over 15% compared to the current Price Cap with the cheapest fixes. A fixed tariff is where you lock in a rate for a set time (you still pay more if you use more, though), giving you the peace of mind of price certainty, and currently instant savings too. Yet many still tell us they're nervous, as often the top player is a name they don't know. Not today though...  Ends 5pm Thu. MSE Blagged British Gas 12mth fix Average 15.4% cheaper than current Cap We've blagged a new British Gas v63 Fixed Tariff which locks your rate in until April 2026, via our Cheap Energy Club comparison. It is, on average, today's cheapest fix. It's available direct from BG too, yet it's cheaper via our comparison as you also get MSE's £20 dual-fuel cashback (£10 for gas or elec-only switches).  And it's important to do it via a comparison, as, like with all tariffs, how it stacks up for you depends on your region and usage. - It's an average 15.4% cheaper than the current Cap (which lasts until 1 July). So you'll save a decent whack as soon as you're switched over. The rate is also a chunk cheaper than the current predictions for the July Cap. Average rate compared to Price Cap (Direct Debit) Current Price Cap British Gas Fix Standing charge Gas: 32.67p/day Elec: 53.80p/day Gas: 25.87p/day Elec: 48.58p/day Unit rate Gas: 6.99p/kWh Elec: 27.03p/kWh Gas: 5.93p/kWh Elec: 23.35p/kWh Important: Rates vary by region for both the Price Cap and this tariff. To see the actual rate for you, when you do the comparison, in the specific tariff, click the 'More info' link. kWh stands for kilowatt hour. - It is only for monthly Direct Debit. Though it can be for gas-only, electricity-only or dual-fuel (ie, have both) customers. - No smart meter needed. Though it's no problem if you have one.  - It's agreed to MSE enhanced service. Ie, if there's an issue, go to it first, but if it doesn't sort it, contact our Energy Club and we can and will escalate it and try to help. - £50 per fuel early exit penalties, but they needn't be paid if you move to another BG fix (a key benefit). As with most fixes, early exit penalties are payable if you leave 50+ days before the fix ends. The exemption here to early exit penalties if you switch to another BG fix is useful during a time of huge global uncertainty. It means if prices did fall very substantially more than expected, you would be free to shift to a cheaper BG fix, which is a little bit of peace of mind. You do pay exit fees if you move to its variable tariffs. There are other cheap standalone fixes out there. They'll all be shown when you do a Cheap Energy Club comparison (including via the British Gas link above). And again, your exact winner depends on your region and usage. To give you a flavour, here's how they compare on average to today's Price Cap (including any MSE cashback) at typical use... - E.on Next 1yr fix - 15.1% less. £50/fuel early exit fees - Outfox the Market 1yr fix - 14.7% less. £25/fuel early exit fees - Outfox the Market 18mth fix - 14.5% less. £50/fuel early exit fees - Outfox the Market 2yr fix - 14.4% less. £75/fuel early exit fees - Elec-only fix: Fuse - 18.5% less. £50 early exit fee - No exit fee: EDF Simply Fixed Direct Jul26 v9 - 13% less - Smart prepay: EDF Simply Fixed Direct Jul26 v9 - 13% less It's worth noting the very cheapest dual-fuel fix is the Ovo 1 Year Fixed+ Boiler Cover, which is 16.6% less than the current Price Cap, but to get that price you must also get its £17/mth boiler cover. This tariff will be included in your comparison too. Q. What is 'MSE cashback'? Some providers pay energy comparison sites to facilitate the switch (you still get the same price as going direct). Unlike other sites, we don't default to hiding tariffs that don't pay. Instead, we show them all, but when we get paid to switch you, we give you a chunk of this money as cashback. So those that pay us are relatively cheaper for you, and it's likely more people switch to them. Win-win. Quick tip: In credit on your Direct Debit? If you switch firms, you should be given all the credit back (once final meter readings are done). If you're in debt, you can usually switch, but will need to pay what's owed. 3. Key Infographic I: The Price Cap will drop in July, but even then it's extremely unlikely to be as cheap as fixing. On 1 July the next Price Cap comes in, and it will last three months. Its level moves primarily with average wholesale rates from mid-Feb to mid-May. As we're now three-quarters of the way through this period, predictions are firming up. It will undoubtedly get cheaper, and the range is closing in to DOWN 8% to 9%... Latest predicted July Price Cap change by each set of analysts EDF -8.2% | British Gas -8.5% | Cornwall Insight -9.0% I often see graphs on social media showing big falls, with people asking why prices aren't dropping further - I get the frustration. Yet some of it is as people focus on peaks and troughs, often it's harder to see the patterns unless you look at the average each three months, so I've had this graphic designed which I hope shows it visually.  4. Key Infographic II: The Price Cap isn't predicted to get significantly cheaper over the next year (if correct, a cheap fix now will save you cash & give peace of mind). Admittedly, the further out you go, the more crystal-ball-gazing it is, but fixing now at 15% below the current Cap is far cheaper than staying on the Price Cap for the next year, if the analysts' predictions, based on current market forecasts, are right. (Of course, our uncertain world means many things could happen that kick trend lines in wildly different directions.) And, certainly, factor in the value a fix's certainty gives you and it makes it a very strong option for most. Now let's look at what'd happen if those predictions are wrong, especially further out (which is possible)... - If energy prices don't fall as much as predicted. Savings from fixing now would be bigger. So it's not a worry if you lock in a fix. - If energy prices fall more than predicted. This is possible, for a host of reasons, perhaps due to a peace settlement for Ukraine meaning Russian gas starts flowing to Europe again. Or if US tariffs were to lead to a worldwide downturn meaning continued lower oil demand (there are a lot of ifs).  Yet remember we know you'd save substantially until July, and again are almost certain to save a decent chunk until October. To make fixing not worthwhile compared to sticking on the Price Cap, to overcome what you'd have already saved by then, you'd need much, much bigger, rapid and substantial drops after October than currently predicted.  If that possibility is a concern, remember you are always free to leave a fix. You may just need to pay the exit fee, so focus on keeping them low (it's one reason I included the cheapest no exit-fee deal above). These are now usually c. £50 per fuel for a 1yr fix, so just a few percent of a typical annual bill (though a bigger relative hit for lower users). If prices really dropped a lot though, it'd be a smart move and you'd have saved in the meantime. 5. The specialist tariffs worth considering too (lower standing charges, time of use, EV tariffs)... While fixing is simplest, there are other deals worth considering for some. Though a few are tough to display via the traditional comparison site model, so let me walk you through the main ones... Lower user? Get £50 off standing charges. The EDF Simply Tracker tariff* tracks the Price Cap for around a year, but with £50/yr lower standing charges (£25/fuel). So for those who have very low usage (under roughly £80/mth), where the standing charges make up a larger portion of the bill, this can beat fixing. It doesn't require a smart meter, unless you're on prepay, and the early exit penalties are £25 per fuel. Octopus rapid-change time-of-use tariffs. These are best for sophisticated users with smart meters, who get how energy markets work. With the Octopus Tracker tariff, rates change daily based on wholesale costs. It's been 30% cheaper than the Price Cap on average over the last year - though the key is it is variable, so there's uncertainty to what you pay. Rates of the elec-only Octopus Agile tariff change half-hourly, based on wholesale prices, so much so it can be free, or even pay you, to use energy in the middle of the night, but very costly at peak times. It's good for those who can nimbly shift their usage to take advantage of super-cheap times, or who have battery storage. These Octopus tariffs are only available for existing customers, though to get 'em, you could first try switching to the Octopus Price Cap tariff then, once in, switch to one of these. Got an EV? Consider a dedicated tariff. Several suppliers offer specific tariffs which let you get cheaper electricity overnight for charging your electric vehicle (EV). Full details on what's available are in our EV tariffs guide, but in brief, there are two types: a) 'Add-on' tariffs, where you can only charge your car on the cheaper rate. Ovo and Scottish Power offer these, so you can add EV charging to whichever of their tariffs you're currently on, and you'll get a cheap rate to charge your EV at any time. All other electrical use in your home will be charged at your existing tariff rates. So if you can get a decent fix from these firms (Ovo has one 12% less than the current Price Cap - do a comparison), the fact you can charge your EV for less is a boon. b) Two-rate tariffs giving you cheaper elec overnight. Most EV tariffs offer five to seven off-peak hours a day (eg, from midnight to 5am) and charge around 7p to 10p per kilowatt hour of electricity used. Then the rest of the time you usually pay the Price Cap unit rates. The benefit here is if you've other appliances that you can use overnight, they'll cost less too. 6. FAQ I: 'How will fixing impact my monthly Direct Debit level?' If everything works right, fixing at a much cheaper rate should mean not only will energy cost you less, you'll have a lower monthly Direct Debit. Yet sadly you can't assume things will always work right. The level Direct Debits (DDs) are set at depends mainly on two things... a) The cost of each unit of energy used (plus standing charges). b) The amount of energy the firm estimates you use.  The big variable is their estimating accuracy. When you move firm, it may well mis-estimate, so there's a chance you go to a cheaper rate but it wants more each month. In that case, just ask the firm to lower the DD a little as you think it is too high (assuming your DD worked well before, ie, you weren't in debt and gave meter readings). Even if it is set higher though, ultimately you only pay for what you use, so a lower rate saves you cash. If the DD is too high and you build up credit, then see how to get your credit back. 7. FAQ II: 'If the Price Cap is falling, should I wait to fix until it does?' A fall in the Price Cap has virtually no impact on fixed prices. People get very confused about this. Remember, the Price Cap is on a time-lag - it moves based on what was happening two to five months ago. Fixes move based on predictions of future wholesale rates. The rate you can get a cheap fix at has dropped as wholesale rates have dropped. The rate you will be able to fix at in future primarily depends on whether wholesale rates rise or fall (and no one knows that). The Price Cap falling in the main doesn't affect that (barring possibly meaning firms may need to be relatively more competitive to gain switchers, but it's still primarily all about wholesale rate movements). 8. FAQ III: 'What do I do if I'm struggling to pay?' It's always worth talking to your energy firm. Be polite and straight with it, and make sure you explain if you're vulnerable and ask to be put on the Priority Services Register. There can be hardship & debt grants from energy suppliers. For far more guidance, see our full What to do if you're struggling to pay energy bills guide. 9. Can you cut bills by cutting your use? Obviously, cutting use cuts bills, so we've some detailed guides that can help: 70+ ways to save energy includes a mix of hardcore savings and some thrifty crowd-sourced tips. From cutting your boiler flow rate to tactical curtains and more. Energy mythbusting covers less clear-cut issues, including the thorny question of 'Is it better to keep the heating on low all day or just when needed?' 10. There's no Price Cap in Northern Ireland. You're on a different energy system with different firms from the above. It's worth taking five minutes to go through the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland's energy comparison, or our Cheap Northern Ireland electricity guide.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

This year's new top ways to spend abroad Perfect exchange rates, no ATM fees & sign up by 11.59pm Wed for 0.5% cashback OR switch bank for a FREE £175 Don't pay to pay. Prep your pocket now, so it's cheaper when you go We're heading for summer, and if you're planning to go abroad, there are a host of hidden costs to avoid - however you pay. Yet a set of specialist overseas cards give you the same near-perfect exchange rates the banks get, EVERY TIME YOU TRAVEL (so sort it now, and you needn't do it again). And recently there's been a shake-up as to which is the overall winner, so we want to take you through the current best buys... Prefer cash? Eg, for budgeting, or if you prefer to have some handy on arrival. While the best plastic gives better rates, our TravelMoneyMax comparison finds the best cash rates from over 18 bureaux. The top specialist overseas cards - it's all about the 'exchange fee'. Spend on your plastic abroad, and the banks & card firms get a virtually perfect exchange rate for that moment, but then they charge us an up to 3%-ish 'non-sterling exchange fee' on top. That means, spend £100 worth of euros and it costs you £103 - and that's just the start of the fees. The specialist cards DON'T do this, so you get the same perfect rate as the bank, ie, £100 of euros costs you £100. Plus the top-pick cards in our table also have no ATM withdrawal fees and can give cashback too. Our three top-pick overseas spending cards All give near-perfect exchange rates in every country Best overall card Barclaycard Rewards Visa CREDIT card Link goes via our eligibility calc so you can check how likely you are to be accepted (then apply). Best easy-to-get card Chase Mastercard* DEBIT card Via app (no bank switch needed, can be used alongside your existing bank). Best if you'll switch bank First Direct Mastercard* DEBIT card Via First Direct's current account (top rated for service). Cashback on spending abroad? ✓ Yes. Ends 11.59pm Wed. Boosted 0.5% on UK and overseas spending till 30 Sep, 0.25% after (sign up after Wed & it's just the standard 0.25%). No, it's stopped overseas-spending cashback (it now just pays 1% on UK grocery, transport & fuel spends). See Chase cuts cashback. No but yes, for bank switchers. No cashback on spending abroad, but new customers who switch bank to it get a FREE £175 (see bank account info & eligibility criteria). Can you get it without a hard credit check? No, there's a hard credit check, though our eligibility calc shows your odds of acceptance. ✓ Yes (it does a soft credit check, which doesn't impact your credit file, so most can get it, it's more just for ID purposes). No, there's a hard credit check. Interest-free SPENDING? ✓ Yes, if paid IN FULL each month (avoid if not, as it charges 29% rep APR interest). ✓ Yes (as it's a debit card, and there's no overdraft facility). ✓ Yes (as it's a debit card, unless you go over the interest-free overdraft which many get). Fee-free ATM cash? (Individual ATMs may charge) ✓ Yes, up to £500/DAY. ✓ Yes, but less, up to £1,500/MONTH. ✓ Yes, up to £500/DAY. Interest-free ATM cash? ✓ Yes, if paid IN FULL each month (avoid if not, as it charges 29% rep APR interest). ✓ Yes (as it's a debit card, and there's no overdraft facility). ✓ Yes (as it's a debit card, unless you go over the interest-free overdraft which many get). Does it have Section 75 protection? ✓ Yes, full Section 75 protection. No, though has lesser chargeback protection. No, though has lesser chargeback protection. There are a range of other specialist cards too, but whether it's worth switching is questionable. If you've already got a specialist debit or credit card (eg, Club Lloyds, Halifax Clarity, Monzo, some Nationwide debit cards, some NatWest credit cards, some Santander cards, Starling and some Virgin Money credit cards), the above do beat them (generally due to the cashback/perks), but it's marginal so most needn't bother switching. Full details/options in top overseas cards. Which is YOUR winning card? It's clearer-cut than it has been for a while, partly as we picked the cards for their specific features which make them stand out from the rest of the pack: - Willing to switch your current account? If you're new to it, First Direct wins as it pays you £175 cash to switch, is top rated for service, has a linked 7% regular savings account & many get a £250 0% overdraft. We thought this deal might be ending last week but it looks like it's been extended. See top bank accounts. - Overall best card: Barclaycard, as it's a top cashback credit card abroad and in the UK, meaning you're paid to pay (provided you pay it off IN FULL each month, preferably by Direct Debit, to avoid any interest). Plus it's the only one you get Section 75 protection on, important if you make big purchases. - Easiest to get, with no hard credit check: It's Chase, as there's only a soft credit check, not a full one, and you needn't switch bank accounts; you can just open it alongside your existing bank. When abroad, always pay & withdraw cash in the local currency, not pounds. With these cards, you only get the special rate if the card does the conversion. So if overseas ATMs/shops ask: "Do you want to convert to pounds?", say no. See Martin's Pay in euros blog. Santander current-account holder? You can get more cashback, for a fee. You can get the Santander Edge credit card*, which also has near-perfect exchange rates, and while it charges a £3/mth fee, it pays 2% cashback on UK & overseas spending for a year (max £15/mth) then 1% cashback after. It's unlikely a winner just for spending abroad but can be if you also plan to make it your main UK cashback card. When abroad, try to just spend on it, not withdraw cash, as it has a 3% ATM fee (min £3) and 29.9% ATM withdrawal interest (even if you fully repay). Want to lock in the rate today, rather than on the day you spend? Get a top prepaid travel card. The cards above give you the top exchange rates on the day you spend. Specialist prepaid cards let you load on to them in advance, and choose the day the currency's converted. So you're taking a punt on how you think rates will move. App-only Revolut* costs £5 (for the physical card, the digital one's free) and gives the perfect interbank rate midweek on up to £1,000 exchanged in a 30-day period. Exchange more, or at weekends, and there's a 1% fee. Plus you can only do £200/mth of fee-free ATM withdrawals (max 5 free withdrawals a month). Revolut won't credit-check you, but you'll be ID-checked. Our full review and more options are in Prepaid travel cards.

 

FREE Star Wars Lego: May the 4th be with you. At Lego & Smyths stores this weekend, limited stock. Free Lego £120 Shark SpeedStyle hairdryer/styler for £80 with code. MSE Blagged. You've heard of hot handsets - we're told this is a hot hairdryer (shouldn't they all be hot? - Martin) that many have on their buy lists. So as this is the cheapest we've ever seen it (code also gives 15% off any accessories) we're including it. Yet the aim's to save money for those buying it anyway, not to tempt others in. Shark hair tool Martin video: 'Is the £20,000 cash ISA limit about to be killed off? If so, what should savers be doing now?' For a full explanation, watch Martin's ISA warning. Related: Top cash ISAs | Top savings. Ends 11.59pm Wed. Sky Stream (with Netflix) just '£13/mth'. Not had Sky TV for at least 12mths (or ever)? Use this specific link to apply for Sky Stream* to get all the basic Sky channels for £15/mth (it also includes Netflix with ads, normally £5.99/mth). Plus, apply by tomorrow (Wed) and you'll be emailed a choice of a £40 prepaid Mastercard or shopping voucher within 4mths (do check your junk folder). Factor that in as a discount, and it's equivalent to £13.33/mth over the 2yr contract. What is Sky Stream? It allows you to stream TV using your broadband (so no dish required). 'Free' National Trust family day pass (normally £35ish). Via papers. Excludes Scotland & bank hols. Family pass Revealed: Holland & Barrett's supposedly cheaper 'Subscribe & Save' often costs more - it's promised a review after our investigation. See our Holland & Barrett news and how to get the best price there. Ends Thu. 264Mb Virgin broadband '£21/mth'. This 264Mb Virgin broadband-only deal is available to 60% of homes. You pay £25/mth till Apr 2026, when it rises to £28.49/mth. Yet it gives an automatic £100 bill credit - factor that in and it's equivalent to £20.80/mth over the 18mth contract. Want more options? Use our broadband comparison. £72 summer plant bundle £12. MSE Blagged. Excludes Northern Ireland/parts of Scotland. Thompson & Morgan Must-listen pod. Why now's the perfect time to get £100s or £1,000s of your energy credit back | Shrinkflation Nation - what's not as big as it was? Are you due £100s of energy credit back? If so, how do you get it? Is your Direct Debit set at the right level? What are the cheapest alternatives to monthly Direct Debit? All these questions and more answered. Plus, what products have gone up in price and down in size, in our Shrinkflation Nation, and lots more, all in the new The Martin Lewis Podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify or wherever you get your Martin fix.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - £120 Shark SpeedStyle hairdryer for £80 6,000 available - £72 summer plant bundle for £12 delivered 15,000 available	DID YOU MISS? - Coupons: £1.90 off Loyd Grossman pesto & 50+ more - Top cash ISAs now pay up to 5.07% tax-free monthly - Get freebies & vouchers for recycling, eg, £10 Lush face mask - Grüum face, body & hair bundle £5 delivered (normally £39) - Can you bag £30 theatre tix for MJ The Musical, Titanique etc?

 

 

'After 30 yrs living together, we tied the knot in 15 mins, after listening to Martin' Martin: 'Is being married financially worth it? The nine big benefits and how to use them to your advantage' If my recent mailbag is owt to go by, I may be inadvertently responsible for more people tying the knot than some vicars. Yet it's more about financial feelings than romantic ones. A few months ago, I cemented a hodgepodge of issues into the 9 big financial benefits of marriage & how to take advantage blog. It's a must-read for those in long-term partnerships - including if you're already married, in case you're missing out on any of the benefits. Now, many people are telling me they acted on it... To: successes@moneysavingexpert.com From: Ann Date: March 2025 "After 30 years of cohabitation and raising our four children to adulthood, we listened to your guidance and tied the knot in a 15-minute no-frills, no-guests marriage ceremony. Thanks for the earworm about 'getting nowt if you're cohabiting'. Your guidance gave us the push we needed to make an important and financially-sound decision. A few friends have noted our decision and are now considering doing the same. Thanks again!" So, what are the benefits? Well, they're explained in full in the blog and my marriage & divorce help ITV show. But here's a quick summary, and remember these DON'T apply if you just cohabit, even if you've been together 35 years and have 34 children. You have to be married or in a civil partnership (below where I write 'married', that includes civil partnership). A marriage tax break of up to £1,260 is available to basic-rate taxpayers married to non-taxpayers. Your spouse WON'T pay any Inheritance Tax on anything you leave them, and the real BIGGIE... You can pass your UNUSED Inheritance Tax allowance to your spouse (it can mean leaving up to £1m tax-free). Use your tax-free allowances better, as you can move savings & investments between spouses tax-free. And maximise Capital Gains Tax allowances too for shares and property sales. There are more protections if the relationship ends. If your spouse dies, older partners may get a bigger State Pension. You can inherit your spouse's ISA allowance. If you die will-less and are unmarried, your partner may get nowt, but die will-less and married and you've some protection. PS: Not marrying DOESN'T protect you from disadvantages of being a couple. Eg, for benefits, living together counts. Of course, there are some who don't like the idea of marriage, or see it as a hangover from religion or a patriarchal society that they're uncomfortable with. That's personal choice. If so, look at a civil partnership, which confers exactly the same legal and financial rights as marriage, without the baggage. We've had people do that too... To: successes@moneysavingexpert.com From: Trish Date: March 2025 "After reading your email about Inheritance Tax, my partner (of 25 years) and I had one of the difficult conversations. We have never wanted marriage, but have decided to enter a civil partnership to safeguard us both from Inheritance Tax, and any worries about it at a difficult time, when one of us dies. It's now all booked for a few months' time. Thanks for the push!" So, I want to wish all the 'happy couples' joyous and fiscally fantastic lives together. Thanks so much to everyone who got in touch, I'm sorry we can't publish them all. If you're in the same boat, or perhaps even decide it's time for nuptials on the back of this, do let us know via email. And why not, let's have one last (begrudging) success to finish... To: successes@moneysavingexpert.com From: Angel Date: March 2025 "The weekly email said to let you know if we're getting married after hearing Martin Lewis talk about it - yep! My partner and I have been very happily-together for 13 years. I have NEVER wanted to get married and hate the whole institution. He isn't fussed either way, so we were in agreement it wouldn't be something we would do. In our hearts, a piece of paper changes nothing. "We have a joint mortgage, joint bank accounts, joint wills and are planning to get our Lasting Power of Attorneys done this year too. [That's also important, see free & cheap wills and Power of Attorney guides - Martin.] We're also each other's beneficiaries on all pensions. [Pensions don't go in your will, ensure you don't accidentally leave your pension to your ex - Martin.] "I've been a huge Martin Lewis fan for a long time and often heard him highlighting the benefits of marriage. But I used to ignore them. We would not benefit from the Marriage Tax Allowance and it's unlikely we'd ever be hit by the Inheritance Tax (IHT) limit. We also don't have and never want children. However... the older we get, the more concerned we become about protecting each other if the worst happened. We also realised that there is actually a chance that individually, we could potentially hit the IHT limit after all! "So this year, we have finally bitten the bullet and very grudgingly booked a 'you + 2' ceremony at our local registry office. We have told 5 people - three immediate family members, plus two friends who will be witnesses. We'll be rocking up on 10 July in jeans and trainers - no vows, no rings, no name changes, no after-party. To us, it's just an appointment to sign a legally binding document that grants us protection and security. "Total cost for the notice, ceremony and 2 x marriage certificates - £165. Bargain! I hope Martin is proud of us. [Abso-bloomin'-lutely! Caring about each other enough to protect each other, and ensure better financial safety, is a romantic and sensible act. I wish you many more happy years together - Martin.] "So yeah, well done Martin and the MSE team, as stubborn as we have been on this one, we finally give in and accept that you're right... as always!"

 

BT broadband customer on benefits? Urgently check whether you can get its social tariff before Friday. BT, like many providers, offers a social tariff - which gives those on Universal Credit, Pension Credit & Income Support etc long-term cheap broadband. Prices start from £15/mth (plus £12 postage) for 30Mb, but they rise by £1/mth on Fri. Apply NOW to lock in the current price for a year. See BT broadband tariff info. Related: All broadband social tariffs. Got car finance? Test our trial guide & tool to see whether you can refinance & save £100s or £1,000s. Our new guide allows you to check whether you can save on PCP or Hire Purchase deals by car refinancing. It's brand new territory for us, so do have a read, see whether you understand the topic, whether the guide and tool make sense, and whether the savings materialise. In return for this early access we'd love you to feed back on it. Keep potatoes in the fridge?! Since it's Stop Food Waste Day (Wed), we've lots more a-peel-ing tips to reduce waste. Chase customer? Check whether you can get boosted 4.8% easy-access saver. Chase says 2m+ customers can get the rate (made up of a 1.8% AER fixed 6mth bonus + its standard 3% AER variable rate). It'd top our best-buy easy-access savings table if all could get it (yet it's beaten by top easy-access cash ISAs). See Chase rate boost check. Don't get your passport by post - 360,000 people paid more than needed last year. See cut passport costs. Do you save or have a loan or credit card with Sainsbury's? Important update on NatWest's takeover of its banking arm and what it means for you... New. 3mths' FREE Spotify Premium for newbies OR oldies get 2mths for £6. £12/mth after trial ends. Spotify

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) 32mths 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 + TOP service: First Direct 1st Account Free £150 + £36/yr cashback: NatWest Reward Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Sky '£20.67/mth'    Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Sky '£29.09/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Cheap insurance Car: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Home: Try our new Compare+ Home Insurance tool Cheap loans £5,000 to £7,499: People's Choice (check eligibility), 7% rep APR interest (6.5% rep APR interest on £7,000 to £7,499) £7,500 to £25,000: People's Choice (check eligibility), 5.8% rep APR interest Top savings accounts Top easy-access cash ISA: Trading 212 5.07%, min £1 Top easy-access savings: Chip 4.76%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Castle Trust Bank 4.62%, min £1,000 Top energy deals Use our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.57/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£2.63/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£2.70/mth' for 10GB 31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£3.84/mth' for 50GB

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Small pension pots to be automatically combined - what it could mean for you - 'WASPI' women affected by State Pension age increase should watch for 'steep rise' in scams

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should we return the furniture we thought we'd been given for free? My mum's neighbour gave us some furniture, which we believed to be a generous offer to help us furnish our first home. To show our appreciation, we donated £100 to his son, who ran the London Marathon for charity last weekend. The neighbour has now said he could have sold the furniture for much more than £100 and believes we should have made a larger donation. What should we do: return the furniture to him, increase the donation, or stick with our original understanding of the offer? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should we return 'free' furniture? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Teacups, tiles & towels

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 29 APR ONWARDS) Wed 30 Apr - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 4pm (listen to previous podcasts) Tue 6 May - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.20am

 

 

Important. Please read how MoneySavingExpert.com works We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of this email and the site. We're a journalistic website, and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques - but can't promise to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. What you need to know This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances - and remember we focus on rates not service. We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned, how likely they are to go bust, but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips). We often link to other websites, but can't be responsible for their content. Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion. Please read the Full Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, How This Site is Financed and Editorial Code. Martin Lewis is a registered trade mark belonging to Martin S Lewis. More about MoneySavingExpert and Martin Lewis What is MoneySavingExpert.com? Founded in February 2003, it is now the UK's biggest consumer help website, with more than 12 million users each month and about 8.5 million receiving this email. In September 2012 it became part of the MoneySupermarket Group PLC. Its focus is simple - saving cash and fighting for financial justice on anything and everything. The site has over 80 full-time staff, more than a third of whom are editorial - researching, analysing and writing to continually find ways to save money. More info: See About MSE. Who is Martin Lewis? Martin Lewis CBE is the founder and executive chair of MSE, as well as the founder of the MMHPI charity. He's an ultra-focused MoneySaving journalist and consumer campaigner with his own prime-time ITV programme The Martin Lewis Money Show, Radio 5 Live Wednesday show Ask Martin Lewis and weekly slot on This Morning, among others. More info: See Martin Lewis' biography. What do the links with an * mean? Any links with an * by them are affiliated, which means get a product via this link and a contribution may be made to MoneySavingExpert.com, which helps it stay free to use. You shouldn't notice any difference; the links don't impact the products at all and the editorial line (the things we write) isn't changed due to them. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, it's still included in the same way. More info: See How This Site is Financed. As we believe transparency is important, we're including the following 'un-affiliated' web-addresses for content too: Unaffiliated web-addresses for links in this email edfenergy.co.uk, chase.co.uk, firstdirect.com, santander.co.uk, revolut.com, sky.com Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Note MONY Group Financial Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA FRN: 303190). MoneySavingExpert.com Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales. Company Registration Number: 8021764. Registered office: One Dean Street, London, W1D 3RB. MoneySavingExpert.com Limited is an appointed representative of MONY Group Financial Limited. To change your email or stop receiving the weekly tips (unsubscribe): Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips.