Chase Is Boosting Its Cashback to 2% and Expanding Where You Can Earn It – Though You'll Need to Jump...
Chase is doubling its UK cashback rate to 2% this summer, extending the reward to both its debit and credit cards and adding restaurants, cafés and takeaways to the eligible spend categories. The monthly cashback cap rises from £15 to £20 (about $25), allowing a potential $305 a year, but customers must now complete at least 15 card or Direct Debit transactions and keep a £1,000 (~$1,270) savings balance each month. Eligibility timing depends on when the customer joined: members over a year old can start earning the higher rate in July, while newer customers receive a two‑month grace period before the new criteria apply. The change makes Chase one of the most generous direct‑cashback offers in the UK market, though the added hurdles may steer some users toward alternatives like Zopa Biscuit or Santander Edge.
Ovo Energy Customer? You May Be Moved to E.on in Future – Here's What's Happening
E.on has agreed to acquire rival supplier Ovo Energy, creating Britain’s largest energy retailer with about 9.6 million customers, overtaking Octopus. The undisclosed‑value deal awaits regulatory clearance and is slated to close in the second half of 2026. Until approval, both...
Tesco Clubcard Vouchers Worth £17 Million Expire This Month – How to Find and Extend Them
Tesco’s Clubcard program faces a £17 million (£≈$21.6 million) voucher expiry deadline on 31 May 2026. Vouchers normally lapse after two years, but shoppers can extend them by making a minimal purchase on the Rewards page. The retailer also lets members double or...
Santander Completes Takeover of TSB – Here's What It Means for Savers and Borrowers
Santander completed its takeover of TSB on 1 May 2026, but both banks will remain separate legal entities until regulators approve full integration. Customers keep their existing savings, current‑account, mortgage and credit‑card terms, with interest rates unchanged for now. The Financial...
Lidl Shopper? You Now Need to Earn Points to Get 'Freebies' And Money-Off Coupons Under Its Revamped Plus Loyalty Scheme
Lidl launched a revamped Plus loyalty scheme on May 5, 2026, shifting to a points‑based model where shoppers earn one point for every £1 (≈$1.27) spent. Points can be redeemed for 1p vouchers or “freebies,” but the new catalogue lists items...
Regulator's Car Finance Redress Scheme Faces Further Legal Challenges – but It's Still Worth Getting Your Complaint in ASAP
The FCA’s car‑finance redress scheme, targeting mis‑selling claims from 2007‑2024, covers roughly 12.1 million agreements and anticipates payouts of about £7.5 billion (≈$9.5 billion). Three major lenders—CA Auto Finance, Mercedes‑Benz Financial Services and Volkswagen Financial Services—have announced legal challenges, raising uncertainty over the scheme’s...
Base Rate Held AGAIN at 3.75% – Here's What It Means for You and when It Might Change
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 8‑1 to keep the base rate unchanged at 3.75% on 30 April, despite CPI inflation rising to 3.3% in the year to March. One member pushed for a 0.25‑point hike to 4%, but...
Credit Card and Loan Rates to Be Investigated – Martin Lewis Says It's a 'Golden Opportunity' After Years of Campaigning
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has opened a consultation to overhaul how credit‑card and loan APRs are advertised, following a long‑running campaign by MoneySavingExpert.com and its founder Martin Lewis. Under current rules, a “representative” APR only needs to apply...
Holiday Booking Disrupted Due to Conflict in the Middle East? Full Help with Cancellations, Jet Fuel Surcharges and More
The U.S. and Israel’s strike on Iran has triggered widespread flight cancellations and travel advisories across the Middle East. The UK Foreign Office now advises against all travel to Israel, Iran and Iraq, and only essential travel to the UAE,...
Government-Backed NS&I's New Fixed-Rate Savings Pay up to 4.5% Interest – Close to Topping the Tables
NS&I has introduced a suite of fixed‑rate savings bonds ranging from one to five years, offering rates as high as 4.5% AER on the one‑year product. Deposits start at £500 (≈ $625) and can go up to £1 million (≈ $1.25 million), with every...
Scottish Power of Attorney Process to Improve Next Year with More Changes in the Works – Here's What's Happening
Scotland’s Office of the Public Guardian will roll out an online Power of Attorney register in spring 2027, allowing banks, the NHS and the public to verify PoA status instantly. A parallel overhaul of the OPG’s 25‑year‑old case‑management system is...
Child Trust Fund Letters Being Sent to Thousands of Young People Missing Out on £2,200 – How to Check Yours...
The UK government’s HM Revenue & Customs is mailing hard‑copy notices to thousands of 21‑year‑olds about forgotten Child Trust Funds, which on average contain about £2,200 (≈$2,800). Over 750,000 accounts remain unclaimed, representing roughly $2 billion in dormant savings. The letters...
Car Finance Redress Scheme to Face Legal Challenge – but Martin Lewis Says It Shouldn't Put You Off Complaining Now
Martin Lewis urges consumers not to abandon claims despite a legal challenge to the UK motor‑finance redress scheme. The scheme covers PCP and HP car loans from April 2007 to November 2024 and offers a free DIY tool for quick payouts. A...
M&S Shopper? You Can Now Earn Money-Off Vouchers with Its Revamped Sparks Scheme
Marks & Spencer has relaunched its Sparks loyalty scheme, shifting from a points‑based system to instant money‑off vouchers. Shoppers now earn a £5 voucher for every £10 spent, with no expiry and redemption available both online and in‑store. The revamp,...
Nationwide Completes Takeover of Virgin Money – Here's What It Means for Savers and Borrowers
Nationwide completed its £2.9bn (~$3.6bn) acquisition of Virgin Money, creating the UK’s largest mutual bank by assets. The merger adds roughly £140bn in assets and expands Nationwide’s retail footprint. Existing Virgin Money savings accounts will retain current rates for the...