Cheapest energy fixes to beat hike, new FREE £240 cash, urgent Starbucks alert, top 4.55% savings, £4 cinema tix

Plus... Free Popeye's burger, Google Pixel 10a £15/mth, Time to save for kids' uni?, 25% off railcards

                                                           

01 September 2026 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Warning. Energy bill hike is voluntary! - On a Standard tariff? Get off it - Cheapest FIXED TARIFFS - On a fix? What you pay will drop New. Huge FREE £240 cash Save for kids' uni now? 12 Sept savers FREE Popeye's chicken burger Top 4.55% easy-access savings Martin: 'Govt should find & fix 100 small things' 25% off railcards code Google Pixel 10a £15/mth Last chance to vote for Martin! Urgent. Starbucks alert Council Tax budgeting trick FREE rare heritage site visits This weekend only. £4 cinema tix Ben & Jerry's + two pizzas £5 Martin: 'Hurrah - good bailiffs news' TWO pairs of prescription specs £25 TransUnion credit scores to change 60% off organic fruit & veg boxes Newly self-employed? Urgent deadline FREE A Place in the Sun Live tix Best buys: 36mth 0% debt shift & more MMD: Should I charge my sister rent?

Martin's Warning... Energy prices for most will rise to their highest in THREE YEARS... but remember for many the rise is VOLUNTARY! Here's his full help for those on STANDARD DEALS and for those ALREADY FIXED... Bad News. Last week Ofgem announced that its domestic Price Cap (for Eng, Scot & Wales) for the 3mths starting 1 October will RISE, even factoring in the Govt's scrapping of electricity VAT for six months, which starts on the same date. Remember, the Price Cap only applies to those on firms' standard tariffs, not those on fixes or special deals - yet that's still 60% of homes. Here's a key facts summary of the Price Cap rise... The 3.6% average RISE is on top of July's 12.6% rise. So the Oct to Dec price will be 17% higher than April. The last time it was higher was Summer 2023. Which was just after the major hikes from the Ukraine war receded.  The big rise is for gas users. Each unit of gas will on average cost 9% more than now, with the Standing Charge up 2%. It's not as bad if you're elec-only. The elec Unit Rate's up less than 1% on average, and the Standing Charge is falling. You DON'T need to let this happen. If you're on a standard tariff, you can do a cheap fix comparison. Don't just stick with your existing firm though - most don't have cheap deals right now. The Cap is currently predicted to rise again in Jan. It's a bit of crystal ball gazing, but analysts say up 13%. Let me take you through step-by-step, including exclusive best deals, leading on WHAT TO DO IF YOU'RE... 1. On a Standard tariff? Unsure? Then you likely are. 2. Already on a Fixed tariff? Note: what you'll pay will drop. 1. On a STANDARD TARIFF? Get off it if poss, the Price Cap's a pants cap! The Price Cap was designed to be a back-stop for those who can't switch, yet far too many are on it - even Ofgem is urging you to ditch it. That's hard to do if you're on prepayment, but for those who pay other ways, it's worth urgently investigating. If you're ready to, you can just skip straight to fix now and save 8% if you don't want the detail first... How to check if you're on a Price-Capped tariff. If you're not on a fix or special deal, you are likely to be on the Price Cap. These are firms' standard default consumer tariffs, often called 'Standard Variable' or 'Flexible' tariffs - the ones you're on if you've not switched or you had a deal that ended and did nothing. The most common ones are... British Gas Standard Variable | EDF Standard (Variable) | E.on Next Next Flex | Octopus Flexible Octopus | Outfox Fox Standard Variable | Ovo Simpler Energy | Scottish Power Standard | So Energy So Flex  The rise will be an average 3.6% but varies heavily with use and area... The Cap isn't about how much firms can charge you in total - it's per Unit Rate and the daily Standing Charge. And barring small firm Home Energy, they all usually charge virtually the max. The new 1 Oct Price Cap Direct Debit average UK rates, including VAT when it's charged, are as follows, though for the specifics for where you live see the regional Cap rates. Unit Rate Standing Charge Electricity 26.32p/kWh (was 26.11p) UP 0.8% 54.83p/day (was 57.19p) DOWN 4.1% Gas 7.97p/kWh (was 7.33p) UP 8.7% 29.68p/day (was 29.04p) UP 2.2% This is an average rise of 3.6%, so for every £100 it costs you now on average you'll pay £103.60 from October, though of course it varies with usage. It would've been even worse without the electricity VAT cut that also starts on 1 October, as otherwise on 'typical use' it would've been a rise of roughly 6.2%. PS: I'm oft asked 'does the Cap ever go down, and why does it always rise in Winter' I answered that here. FIX now to save immediately and avoid the price hike... A fix simply means the Unit Rates and Standing Charges are locked in, so they CAN'T RISE for the length of the fix, typically a year. So if you fix now for less than you currently pay, you can avoid the price rises, getting rid of some of the worry. Though of course if you use more, you'll pay more. There are other tariff options (see below), but for most, a fix is the easiest and simplest choice. - Today's fixes are up to 8% LESS than the current Cap, so you'd save immediately. - When the Cap rises in October, they won't rise as they're fixed, so then they'll be 11% LESS. Your exact saving and winner depends on location & usage though. Because of that, and as deals change all the time, the links take you through our Cheap Fix Comparison. Cheapest FIXED TARIFFS: Most are exclusive market-beaters, unavailable direct All links via our comparison to give you a bespoke result (you can see exact Standing Charges & Unit Rates in your region there) Currently, over-a-year-LONG fixes are cheapest. These give you price certainty for longer. Yet today's rates are high and may look far less competitive in a year if the Middle East conflict de-escalates. So if you choose to go long, do also focus on low exit penalties, which let you lock in for peace of mind - but with a get-out-of-jail-cheap card, if you want to ditch it for something cheaper later. Fuse Energy August 2026 Fixed (24m) V1 24mth fix - New customers only - Dual fuel and single fuel - Monthly variable Direct Debit only Save avg 8.1.% compared with today's Price Cap (11.3% from Oct), incl £20 MSE dual-fuel cashback. - £50/fuel early-exit fees. So £100 to leave gas & elec before fix ends - No smart meter needed Fuse Energy August 2026 Fixed (18m) V10 18mth fix - New customers only - Dual fuel and single fuel - Monthly variable Direct Debit only Save avg 7.6% compared with today's Price Cap (10.8% from Oct), incl £20 MSE dual-fuel cashback. - £50/fuel early-exit fees.So £100 to leave gas & elec before fix ends - No smart meter needed PS Looks a decent sweet spot of price without locking in too long E.on Next Fixed 24m Exclusive v10 24mth fix - New and existing customers - Dual fuel and elec-only - Monthly Direct Debit only Save avg 7.5% compared with today's Price Cap (10.7% from Oct), incl £20 MSE dual-fuel cashback. - £100/fuel early-exit fees. So £200 to leave gas & elec before fix ends - No smart meter needed Cheapest ONE-YEAR fix E.on Next Fixed 12m v8 12mth fix - New and existing customers - Dual fuel and single fuel - Monthly Direct Debit only No other one year fixes are cheaper than the Price Cap Save avg 5.8% compared with today's Price Cap (9.1% from Oct), incl £20 MSE dual-fuel cashback. - £50/fuel early-exit fees. So £100 to leave gas & elec before fix ends - No smart meter needed 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 as cashback. That means tariffs where we're paid are relatively cheaper for you, so it's likely more people switch to them. Win-win. The BIG QUESTION: Is now the time to fix? If you've been on your firm's standard tariff at the Cap for ages, get off it and get one of the cheapest fixes while you're minded to. Yet there is a question of timing too... A cheap fix today will almost certainly save you compared to the Cap over the next year. The cheapest fixes are currently 8% less than the current Cap, so roughly 11% less than October's. So you will DEFINITELY save until 31 Dec. Then it's currently predicted the Jan Cap will rise over 10% on top, though that is far less certain.  The three-month Cap starting in January moves mainly based on a 13 week assessment of wholesale rates (those energy retailers pay) from mid-Aug to mid-Nov. We're over two weeks through that, and wholesale rates have been sky-high. Yet as it's done as an average across that time, those rates are baked in, so it would need an enormous and rapid fall in wholesale rates for the January Cap to be less than the current cheapest fixes. Not impossible, but highly unlikely. In other words, you are highly likely to make material savings until the end of March - and that's the crucial high-use period. April's prices are currently loose, but still predicted to stay high - but even if not, the drop would need to be humungous for it to balance out the savings already made. So for most on the Price Cap, just grabbing a cheap fix now is the sensible risk-averse option. Yet today's fixes are more expensive than they were. Fixes were about 7% cheaper than they are now about two months ago, and 15% cheaper before the Middle East conflict started. That's because, unlike the Price Cap which works on a time lag, the rate you can get a new fix at depends pretty much on today's wholesale rates - and they are sky-high due to renewed heat in the Middle East conflict. (This minute-by-minute graph site of wholesale gas prices, which also feed into electricity, will give you the idea.) So there is a chance that if you wait, things in the Middle East may settle down, so you will be able to fix more cheaply (or equally things may get even worse). Yet then you're taking a gamble, and every week you wait is a week you pay more. But if you're a regular fixer who'll monitor the market, there's a chance waiting may turn out to be better. 2. Already on a FIX? You'll pay less on 1 Oct. Be careful 'fixing again' So to be plain: the rise in October's price cap does NOT impact your fix - well, not until it ends anyway. So let's start with good news. The Govt is scrapping VAT on domestic electricity for six months on 1 Oct, and as your rate is fixed, and VAT is just added on top of that, you will see a 4.8% reduction in what you pay for electricity (not gas) from that point. Yet I'm getting many questions like this on X last week: "@MartinSLewis Hi Martin, what happens if you're on a fix but that's due to expire in next 4 months. Is it possible/better to lock in at a rate now if allowed as surely those rates will be higher to lock in once changed?". The big answer is: be careful ditching your fix early to refix - though it does depend on when your fix is due to end. I'll start with the answer for those who, like this questioner, still have at least a couple of months to go...  The rate you can fix at today is the around the most expensive it's been for years. So if you fixed a while ago, refixing means you'll likely be ditching what is likely a far cheaper fix to lock in at a much higher rate, and you may have to pay an early exit penalty to do so. If you want to check, do a comparison and it'll show you whether you can save or not. The logic that says fixes will be more expensive once the Price Cap rises is flawed. The Cap is set based on long past prices, eg, October's Cap relies on average wholesale rates from mid May to mid August. Yet the rate you can get a new fix at is based on the wholesale price at the moment you're fixing (fixed rates can and often do move daily). So it is very possible that today's particularly high wholesale rate (look at just look at this graph of natural gas prices, which has a big factor in electricity rates too) is a short-term spike, meaning in a couple of months, if it has de-escalated in the Middle East, you may be able to fix at a lower rate. Equally, if the crisis there worsens, wholesale rates - and thus fixes - could get even costlier.  In other words, what will happen to future fix rates is a total unknown. So personally, I'd 'bird-in-the-hand' and stick on your existing relatively very cheap fix as long as you can - especially if it covers much of the high-use winter period. Only those who are incredibly risk-averse (or on crap old fixes) should consider ending their current fix to lock in again, likely having to pay an exit penalty to do so now. Fix ending within 50 days? You can't be charged early exit penalties within the last 50 days of your fix ending - so you're free to move and can do a comparison to find your cheapest. Plus, of course, when your fix ends, you'll automatically be moved onto your firm's standard Price-Capped tariff. So in reality, your decision is more covered by the 'I'm on a Standard tariff' info above. There's no need to rush to get rid of it, though. We just don't know whether fixes will get cheaper or costlier in the next few weeks, but you want to make an active decision before you're auto-moved to the Cap. 3. Fixes aren't the only choice, there are specialist tariffs too Fixes are the simple and easy choice for most, but there are some options that may beat them in some circumstances.... Low user? A low Standing Charge tracker may win. The British Gas Cap Tracker tariff matches the Price Cap Unit Rates (so it'll rise in Oct) but with £60/yr lower Standing Charges. Switchers via our link also get £20 dual-fuel MSE cashback too. Smart meters aren't required. This is best for anyone deliberately staying on the Price Cap, as it is just the Price Cap but cheaper - or those with very low usage under c. £80/mth for whom it may undercut a fix.    Got an EV? Consider a dedicated tariff. There are special electric vehicle (EV) tariffs - if you've got one and the cost of charging it at home is roughly 20+% of your household energy use its worth looking at them. Octopus rapid-change time-of-use tariffs. These are its Agile (electricity price changes every half-hour), and its dual-fuel or single fuel Tracker tariff (price changes every day). Generally, these are for sophisticated users who monitor prices, and with Agile, who shift usage patterns to match. Currently, rates are highly volatile but can be a winner. Recently, Agile has had days where it's not been much less than the Price Cap off-peak, with peak times far above it - though on other days it can pay you to use electricity for a few hours. Tracker has largely been above the Cap in recent months for electricity and gas, though it's had a few days recently when it's been less.  Many have asked me about temporarily leaving these tariffs. It introduces a pregnant pause - if you do ditch, you need to wait nine months before you can rejoin. Solar panel tariffs. If you have solar panels, you can link these to your energy bills for the best export rates. See our switch solar panels tariffs guide for more on whether it's worth it. 4. Want to cut your usage and/or struggling to pay?  The rate you pay for energy is only half the story. If you cut what you use, you'll pay less too. We've some strong, evergreen guides on that which can help. 70+ ways to save energy includes a mix of hardcore savings and some thrifty crowd-sourced tips. From cutting your boiler flowrate to tactical curtains and more. Energy mythbusting covers less clear-cut issues, including the thorny question of 'better to keep the heating on low all day or just when needed?' And if you're 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 also 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. PS: I know many on home heating oil and LPG are struggling too... As the Middle East conflict has pushed prices up again. I wish I had answers for you. We submitted our heating oil dossier to the Government at the start of the crisis, which prompted the limited help scheme and we continue to push. Last week, the Competitions and Markets Authority said some customers will get compensation for cancelled orders, though details are limited. If you're in Northen Ireland, it will open its support scheme next week, see NI Heating oil compensation and support news.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

New. Huge FREE £240 bank switch bonus The biggest FREE CASH bonus of 2026 on a fee-free bank account Good news. This morning, Santander launched the second-biggest bank switch bonus of the year - the only non-high-earner deal that's offered more had a £5/mth fee (unless you paid in £2,000/mth) - and it's available for single and joint accounts. So we're leading on that, as well as the top deal from First Direct, which ends this week. With those and lots more to choose from, this is a great time to check if you can improve your banking terms and make some money while you're at it. Switching's usually quick & easy: To get the bonuses, you need to use the bank's seven-working-day switch service. It'll close your old account for you, move your money over, and shift Direct Debits & standing orders. Payments to the old account are auto-forwarded too. The vast majority find it a piece of cake, though you'll need to pass a not-too-harsh credit check. FREE CASH for new switchers You usually need to switch 2+ Direct Debits. Full eligibility: Top bank accounts New Top Payer...  Santander Everyday* Min pay-in: A total of £1,500 within 60 days (can be in dribs & drabs). None needed after. Plus £200 in the regular saver Fee-free? Yes Joint accounts? Yes, and can switch & get bonus FREE £240 plus top 8% regular saver. Santander's Everyday* account is a relatively simple proposition. To get the £240: switch to it, put a total £1,500 in within 60 days (even in dribs and drabs, you can withdraw money as soon as it's gone in) and put £200 at least once in its... - Linked 1yr 8% variable regular saver you can put up to £200/mth in. Eligibility: Can't have received a previous switch bonus from it or held a Santander current account on/after 1 Jan 2026. See full Santander Everday eligibility & review. PS: Normally Santander offers free cash on its 'Edge' account, where you pay a small monthly fee but get cashback on bills. This is a different account. Ends 5pm tomorrow (Wed) First Direct 1st Account* Min pay-in: A total of £1,000 going in within 45 days (can be in dribs & drabs). None needed after. Fee-free? Yes Joint accounts? Yes, and can switch & get bonus FREE '£200' with the number one for service account, 7% regular saver, 0% overdraft, top debit card overseas. The 1st Account* has a ongoing £175 free cash, but until 5pm tomorrow you get an extra £25 Amazon voucher too, bringing the total value to £200. The key perks include: - 90% 'great' service (top in most polls we've done) - Linked 1yr 7% fixed saver for up to £300/mth - Many get a £250 interest-free overdraft (see switching if you've an overdraft) - Top card for spending overseas, with near-perfect exchange rates Eligibility: New customer and can't have ever had ANY First Direct product or opened an HSBC current account since Jan 2018. See full First Direct eligibility & review. HSBC Bank Account* Min pay-in: A total of £2,000 within 60 days (can be in dribs & drabs). None needed after. Fee-free? Yes Joint accounts? No, they can't switch FREE £220 - rarely offered. The HSBC brand rarely does this. To get it, you need to spend £500 on the debit card in the first 60 days - not a hassle for most, just do (some of) your normal spending on it. Otherwise it's straightforward. The one perk is: - Linked 1yr 5% fixed regular saver you can put up to £250/mth in Eligibility: Unlike its sister bank, First Direct above, even if you've had switch cash from HSBC or FD, as long as it was before 2023 and you're no longer a customer, you can get it. See full HSBC eligibility & review. NatWest Reward Min pay-in: £1,250 per MONTH Fee-free? No(ish). It's £2/mth but you get £4/mth cashback, so £2/mth gain Joint accounts? Yes, and can switch & get bonus FREE £200 plus possible £2/mth cashback. The free cash is strong, and while there's a monthly fee, as long as you ensure you meet the minimum monthly pay in of £1,250 (equal to a £15,000+ salary going in) you earn cashback each month that covers it and more. While currently that cashback is £5/mth, it drops to £4 in Oct, so in reality if you're opening it now, the usual gain would be £2/mth. Plus... - Linked 5.25% variable regular saver you can put up to 150/mth in. Plus unlike similar accounts here there's no time limit, you can keep going till you hit £5,000 in it. Eligibility: Can't have had a previous NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank switch bonus, nor held a NatWest current account on 6 May 2026. See full NatWest eligibility & review. Two more standard accounts that'll pay you to switch... Ends Mon. Co-op Current Account FREE £125 + £25/mth for 3mths plus 7% variable interest on max £250/mth. Nationwide FlexDirect FREE £175 plus 5% interest on up to £1,500 and 1% cashback (max £5/mth) for 12mths. App-only Starling Bank is also offering a non-cash incentive for switchers. The link has more info. BIGGER cash but ONLY FOR HIGHER EARNERS... HSBC Premier FREE £500*. Free worldwide family travel insurance & digital GP access. To get this, you must have a min £100,000/yr salary. See full HSBC Premier eligibility & review. Can switching bank affect your ability to get credit? In the short term, yes. It's a credit application, so that has an impact by itself, but also lenders like to see evidence of stability. A single application usually isn't a big deal, but if you've an important credit application soon (eg, a mortgage), it's probably best to hold off until after. You may want to check your 'eligibility rating' via our free MSE Credit Club (or easier via the MSE app on iOS & Android). More in how switching banks affects your credit. You may be able to make £1,000s by repeatedly switching banks. Becoming a bank-bribe bagger can pay well - we've had people tell us they've made a shedload. As Carol emailed this month: "Hi Martin, I enjoy reading your MSE Money Tips and thought you might like to know I've earned £2,205 in bank switch rewards. I've switched 15 times and it's gone smoothly every time. Thank you, keep up the good work!" See pros & cons in make £1,000s by repeatedly switching bank. Are subscriptions moved when you switch? Direct Debits and standing orders are moved for you. Yet the third category of regular payments, known as recurring payments (eg Netflix, Disney+ etc), where you give the long number on your debit card when you pay, aren't moved; you'll need to do this yourself. If you do forget, though, normally they'll notify you 'your payment card no longer works', so it shouldn't be too big an issue. See recurring payment help.

 

FREE Popeye's chicken burger. Easy free burger, no spend needed. If there's one nearby, it's a clucking good deal. Top 4.55% easy-access savings, and it's from NatWest. The new First Active (part of NatWest) account pays 4.55%* (min £1, max £1m - includes a 1yr 1.5% bonus) on its easy-access saver. It's joint top payer with Tembo's 4.55%* easy-access saver (includes a 1.55% 1yr bonus) but that's max £20k and you need keep £1+ in it for a year to get the bonus. If you're saving under £5k there are a few accounts that pay more. See Top savings accounts for full info and alternatives. Martin video: "The Govt should find 100 small things that piss people off & fix 'em". As Andy Burnham's just made his first speech as PM, we thought this video from 11mths ago was worth a revisit. It was at Politico's Labour fringe event and Martin was asked why the Government was so unpopular and what he'd advise them to do. Perhaps they were listening? 25% off railcards code. MSE Blagged. TrainPal newbies can get £20 off a 3yr railcard, or £8.75 off a 1yr. Includes Family & Friends, Two Together, Senior, Network and 16-30 cards which mostly get you 1/3 off train travel. Railcard code. Not a newbie? You can still get 10% off.  Google's Pixel 10a mobile with 15GB/mth data - equiv £15/mth over 2yrs. £130 cheaper than buying the phone outright. Newbies toTalkMobile (uses Vodafone's signal) can currently get Google's latest mid-range Pixel 10a (128GB) handset with unlimited UK mins, texts & and 15GB/mth data for £79 upfront. It's then £11.95/mth, making it £366 (equiv £15/mth) over the 2yr contract. Google sells the handset alone for £499. Want other options? See Cheap Mobile Finder. Last chance to vote for Martin! His TV show's made the National Television Awards final vote which closes next Tue. Competition's stiff, so if he's ever saved you a few quid, why not vote for Martin's show (Factual Entertainment category), and please click through to the end or it won't count. Urgent. Use Starbucks reward points now to get the most bean for your buck. It's making its loyalty scheme less generous from Thursday - see beat the Starbucks shake-up. 'We changed Council Tax payments from 10 to 12mths to help with budgeting & earn more cashback.' Success of the week. David emailed: "I never knew you could do this until I heard it on Martin's podcast. We changed our Council Tax to pay over 12mths rather than 10. It smooths budgeting out, plus we get 2% cashback from the bank every month for a Council Tax Direct Debit - so now we get it for 12 months rather than 10, which is an extra £10/yr (as it's a max of £5/mth, and maxes out every month). Love the podcast when out and about, and there's always handy hints on there." If we've helped you save or reclaim (on anything), let us know. PS: Martin's back with new podcast episodes from Thursday. FREE visits to 7,500+ historic buildings & heritage sites - incl many that rarely open to visitors. Many that are normally closed or usually charge are open for free on a few select days in Sept, including National Trust sites, castles, film/TV locations. Heritage Open Days. This weekend only. £4 cinema tix at Cineworld, Odeon, Picturehouse, Showcase & Vue. £4 films Ben & Jerry's ice-cream tub & two pizzas £5 (costs £14 separately). Less than the ice cream alone. A scoop!

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - TWO Glasses Direct specs £25 with code Ends Thu 10 Sep - 25% off railcards via TrainPal code Ends Thu 10 Sep - 60% off Abel & Cole fruit & veg boxes via code Ends 30 Sep	DID YOU MISS? - Amazon Resale tool: Uncover up to 60% off 'like new' returns - Got an UNFAIR private parking ticket? Fight it! - Ending? Free £50 in shares if you invest £100+ - Spotify deals: FREE 3mths for Premium newbies & more - On a low income with kids? Apply for free school meals NOW

 

 

Back to work, back to school, back to life... back to reality 12 September Savers: From flight delays and free summer pic prints to uni costs and can your kids reclaim £1,000s? As September stutters into being, many children are donning school uniforms (some for the first time), Parliament is back in session, workplaces get back to near-full capacity, and the days start to shorten. With all that in mind, here's our timely list of September Savers... 1. Child in or starting senior school? Check NOW how much you need saved in case they go to uni. Each new school year means your children are a year closer to university age. Many parents are unaware that, for most, the living loan or grant your child gets is effectively means-tested based on parental income. In Eng, Scot & N.Ireland (not Wales), this reduces the total they recieve, sometimes by many £1,000s, and the gap is effectively an unspoken expected 'parental contribution'. Tell our How much should you save for their uni? calc which UK nation you're in and your rough income, and it'll tell you what you need saved. It may be a shock, but at least early prep may mitigate the problem. 2. Print your summer photos for free (or cheap). If you've snaps that deserve more than sitting stored as data, see our round-up of photo-printing deals, including 10 free 6" x 4" photo prints and 50 prints for £4.49 delivered. 3. Putting on a uniform ready for work - are you due a mini tax rebate? If you wear a uniform for work, including just branded T-shirt or overalls, that you wash yourself and don't wear elsewhere, you're entitled to a small tax rebate, which is backdateable by up to four years. Claiming is easy and free to do yourself. See how to get a uniform tax refund. 4. Was your summer flight delayed or cancelled? You may be due up to £520 per person. Strict rules mean not only must you get a refund or alternative flight if yours is cancelled, but you may be entitled to fixed compensation too, even just for a delay. Here are the key criteria, you can claim for any flight going back 6yrs (5yrs in Scot)... It applies to all flights leaving a UK/EU airport on any airline to anywhere (eg, Manchester to New York). If not, any flight to a UK/EU airport on a UK/EU airline counts (so NYC to UK counts on BA, but not on American Airlines). You must have arrived 3+hrs late to count as delayed, or been cancelled within 14 days before the flight was due. It must have been the airline's fault - barring weather and airport / traffic control industrial action, it usually is. If that was you, jump to our flight delay compensation or flight cancellation rights guides for full info and free tools to reclaim. 5. Is your child aged 15 to 24? Check if they're one of 760,000 with a matured Child Trust Fund worth an avg £2,000! All UK citizens born between 1 Sep 2002 and 2 Jan 2011 automatically got a Child Trust Fund from the state with at least £250 added to it. Parents could also add money too. Yet three quarters of a million of them now lie dormant. Do a quick, free, simple check to reclaim your Child Trust Fund. 6. Got holiday currency left over? Use Martin's 'friends buyback' method. If you've a wad of currency left over, the buyback rates from bureaux de change are usually very poor. So Martin's tip is... try to find a friend, family member or colleague who's going where you went and cut out the middle-man. Quickly check the spot rate to find the perfect exchange rate, this way you get a far better rate than the buyback rate, and they get a far better rate than they could too. If you can't find anyone to do this with, our buyback tool on TravelMoneyMax shows where to get the best rates. 7. Did you or your child get a summer job? If so, employers usually take tax as if you'd keep earning that amount across the year, so most will have paid tax, or worse, some put you on a higher emergency tax code. Yet if you've only done six or eight weeks' work, it's unlikely your annual earnings will be over the standard £12,570 personal allowance for the tax year. Or if it is, the amount of tax will be less than that taken. See how to reclaim overpaid summer tax. Plus, if you worked the summer and didn't take time off, check if you are due £100s in missing holiday pay? 8. Back to work and need to pay for childcare or after-school clubs? Can you get up to £2,000/yr of free help. The misleadingly named 'Tax Free Childcare' scheme allows 'working parents' of children aged under 12 (under 17 if they have a disability) who pay for childcare to get £1,000s of financial help. Just set up an account online. For every 80p you pay in, the state adds 20p on top, up to a max of £500 'free' every 3mths (£1,000 for some with children with disabilities). This works even if you're just paying out for childcare via, say, after-school classes, as long as they're registered with Ofsted or an equivalent (most are). To qualify, you (and your partner if you live together) must be in work and earning between £10,000ish and £100,000/yr. Full info and help in our Tax-Free Childcare guide. 9. Do you have annual travel insurance? Check now when it lapses - especially if you've already booked future trips. The real danger here is you've a trip booked, your annual policy lapses, and something happens then to stop you going - you'd not be covered. You always need an active annual policy in place if you've a trip booked. Use our Travel Compare+ tool to find cheap deals. 10. Train delayed on a summer trip (or your regular commute)? Get repaid. If the delay was 15 minutes or more, you could claim up to 100% of ticket costs back. See Delay Repay rights. 11. Starting uni? Top student bank account gives £1,500 0% overdraft, plus FREE 4yr railcard & £20 cash. If you're off to uni (or your child is), it's time to open a student bank account. Our top pick is Santander's Edge Student* as it gives a DEFINITE £1,500 0% overdraft for 3yrs, and a free 4yr 16-25 Railcard (worth £100ish). Plus, buy anything on the debit card before 31 Dec and it'll give you £20+ cash. Full info & options: Best student bank accounts. PS: Expecting your student living loan to be paid soon? Scammers often impersonate the Student Loans Company around payment dates, so beware. See our Student loan scam warning for full help. 12. How to grab school uniform cheaply. While mid-summer is usually the cheapest time to buy, if you need new uniform at the last minute you can still pick up items from £3 at Asda, Sainsbury's and more. See our cheap school uniform round-up. Related: Are you eligible for an up-to-£200 school uniform grant?

 

Martin: 'Hurrah - finally there's to be compulsory regulation of bailiffs.' In June, Martin and his Money and Mental Health charity called out the Government, saying it was 'outrageous that we still don't have a proper independent regulator of bailiffs'. Now, the Govt's announced it will introduce compulsory, independent regulation. See bailiff clampdown. TWO pairs of branded prescription specs from £25 via code. MSE Blagged. Glasses Direct Your TransUnion credit score (used on our Credit Club too) will soon change. It'll be out of 999, not 710, and it's rejigging the boundaries, with the rollout starting this month. Full help in What will your new Transunion score mean? And for far more help, join our free Credit Club (easier via the MSE Android or iPhone app). 60% off first two Abel & Cole organic fruit & veg boxes, from £5.80 with free delivery. MSE Blagged. Then 50% off your 3rd & 4th - though you can cancel any time (available in most of Eng and parts of Wal). For newbies. Veg out Newly self-employed or newly paying tax on extra income? Register for Self-assessment by 5 Oct. If you need to file a tax return for the 2025/26 tax year (which ended 5 Apr 2026) and are new to the system, you must register with HMRC by 5 Oct. The deadline for submitting your full tax return online is 31 Jan 2027. See Self-assessment for beginners. 2,000 FREE A Place in the Sun Live tickets. Birmingham NEC, 18-20 Sept, normally £12. A Place in the Sun

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Top definite 0% card: HSBC (check eligibility; existing customers use this link), 36mths 0%, 3.09% fee, 24.9% rep APR No-fee 0%: Virgin (check eligibility) 12mths 0%, 24.9% rep APR Best bank accounts New. Free £240: Santander Free £220: HSBC Ends 5pm Wed. Free £175 + £25 Amazon: First Direct Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Sky '£20.05/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Sky '£23.05/mth' Ultrafast fibre (900Mb+): Vodafone '£24.30/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Insurance Car: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Home: Use our Compare+ Home Insurance tool Travel: Use our Compare+ Travel Insurance tool Cheap loans £5,000 to £7,499: M&S Bank (check eligibility), 6.9% rep APR £7,500 to £15,000: M&S Bank (check eligibility), 5.9% rep APR Top savings accounts Top easy-access savings: First Active 4.55%, min £1 Top easy-access ISA: Trading212 4.61%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Shawbrook Bank 4.87%, min £1k Top energy deals Use our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.65/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£2.69/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£2.99/mth' for 10GB 31GB+ data: Lebara, '£3.40/mth' for 35GB

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should we ask our sister to pay rent for living in the family home? My father died recently, leaving half of the family home to me and my two sisters. My mum still lives there and owns the other 50% - she and my dad paid off the mortgage a few years ago. One of my sisters also lives there, rent-free. Should my other sister and I - who both have families and mortgages - ask her for rent now we own part of the property? We'd charge it in proportion to our share, so it'd be much less than if my sister moved out and lived by herself. Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should we ask our sister to pay rent? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: makeup, music streaming & loo cleaning

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 2 SEP ONWARDS) Thu 3 Sep - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, noon Tue 8 Sep - This Morning, ITV1, 10.20am

 

 

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