

Personal finance expert Andrew Hagger, who compiled the data, said: "Consumers will be frustrated that rate hikes haven't petered out by now, and worrying that their already battered finances will be squeezed further." In May, the Bank hiked the Base rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.5% and if this pattern continues on 22 June, mortgage payers could feel the pinch.īut the increase would be felt more by some regions of England than others, according to comparison service TotallyMoney.īased on their calculations, here are the average additional monthly costs by area: Homeowners could be forced to fork out as much as £732 more a year if the Bank of England raises interest rates by 0.25 percentage points this month. Sainsbury's introduced security barriers throughout this year which force shoppers to scan receipts before being allowed to leave some stores.Ĭo-op and Marks & Spencer's have limited the number of high-value items on their shelves in some stores to deter shoplifters, with people tweeting pictures of less coffee on display at the former and steaks at the latter.Ī Nisa convenience store in London has used AI camera technology that flags customers putting items in their pockets or unusual browsing patterns, according to the Retail Gazette. In April, Sports Direct's parent company defended its use of facial recognition technology, which checks faces against a watch-list.įrasers Group rolled out biometric cameras across 27 of its stores the month before, according to the Mail Online. Other shops have taken even more radical approaches to an apparent rise in shoplifting during the cost of living crisis. They told Sky News this was not a company policy. Last week we reported how shoe shop Office told its stores to cease a practice of only allowing customers to try on one shoe at a time. Ovo Energy, £2,220, £150 dual-fuel exit fee.British Gas, 2,044, £200 dual-fuel exit fee.So Energy, £2,035 per year, £150 dual-fuel exit fee.There are no open-market fixed deals, according to MSE, but the comparison site provided a list of offers that existing customers can consider: "If it's the same or a little more, it may still be worth considering for the sake of price certainty," he told the website. Martin Lewis, founder of Money Saving Expert, said a fixed rate more than 17% lower than current prices (remember, the price is coming down 17% in July) could be "a decent deal". In October, the cap should drop again to £1,976, before rising to £2,045 in January - according to current forecasts.īut at the same time, homeowners won't benefit from £66-per-month government support, which ended in April. Money Saving Expert forecasts more will be introduced to the market soon, but with the energy cap set to push bills down by 17% from July, customers should be careful about taking up the offers.įrom 1 July, Ofgem is expected to reduce the energy price cap from £2,500 to £2,074, which will effect almost everyone's bills. this account pays a lower rate of 1% if four or more withdrawals are made, which investors may wish to consider."Įnergy suppliers have begun to offer fixed deals again, but only to existing customers. Sainsbury’s Bank – Defined access saver issue 44

further additions are not permitted, and earlier access is only permitted on account closure and subject to a loss of interest penalty, which should be considered." Although earlier access is not permitted, investors may be pleased to note that further additions can be made for 14 days from the account opening or while the issue remains open, whichever period is longer." "Now paying 5.10%, the product sits as one of our best buys when compared with others of a similar term. Further additions are permitted for two weeks from the account opening."īeehive Money – five year goal bond issue five A minimum investment of just £1 may appeal to investors, although they should also note no early withdrawals are possible. "Paying 5.28% gross, it sits high in our charts among bonds of less than three years. OakNorth Bank – 30 month fixed term savings account Further additions can be made for a fortnight following the account opening, so careful planning is wise." "The account pays 5.26% on maturity and requires a minimum £10,000 initial investment. It's Thursday, and that means .uk expert James Hyde has published his savings deals of the week.
