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- UK's economic growth better than thought
- 10 million homes have days to check energy meter reading to avoid paying too much
Essential reads
- Save 105 teaspoons of sugar (and money) by switching to classic ice cream
- How to stop your car from being stolen - or even 'cannibalised'
- A week when probable future of mortgage rates became clearer
- Savings Guide:What to look for with 5% rates still available on easy access accounts
- Women in Business: How accident in cafe and £400 turned into a genius business idea that's about to go global
- Money Problem:'I bought a new car but it's been back six times with same fault - what can I do?'
- Best of the Money blog - an archive
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How to stop your car being stolen - or even 'cannibalised'
By Emily Mee, news reporter
A car was stolen roughly every eight minutes in the UK last year, according to DVLA figures.
Some 64,087 vehicles were reported stolen - an increase of 5% on the previous year.
While car thefts are on the rise, reports have also highlighted a growing trend of "car cannibalism" - when criminals rip parts off cars to order.
Bonnets, bumpers and headlights are among the parts often nicked by thieves.
It might sound like a familiar refrain at this point, but consumer rights expert Scott Dixon says the cost of living crisis is largely to blame.
Scott, who runs The Complaints Resolver, told us the costs of spare parts and insurance have "rocketed" post-COVID - driving opportunists to turn to crime.
He also pointed to a scarcity of decent second-hand cars on the market currently, saying people are "holding onto their cars for longer because they can't afford to change them".
How can you protect your car?
Scott says there are numerous ways you can prevent your car from becoming a target - and many of them are cheap and simple.
Get your keys recoded
If you're buying second hand, getting your keys recoded can give you additional security.
Scott says it's possible the person you bought from could have copies of the keys, allowing them to steal your car or break in.
Fit a tracking device
This should be fitted professionally, and while it won't stop your vehicle from being stolen, it will increase the chances of police being able to track it down and return it.
You should be aware, though, that you'll need to pay a fairly costly annual subscription fee.
Secure your number plate
Some thieves will take number plates so they can steal petrol from forecourts - and Scott says some are now doing this to escape ULEZ fines.
He recommends getting anti-theft screws to secure your number plate.
Keep your car tidy
Handbags, phone leads, sat-nav holders and paperwork can all attract the attention of opportunist car thieves.
Scott says many people are "too careless and complacent" with this - and it's completely free to fix.
Fit a steering or handbrake lock
You can get these on Amazon for less than £20 each - and because they're visible, they can also act as a deterrent.
A pedal box, which encases the pedals in a highly visible metal box, is another option.
A good wheel clamp - Scott recommends this one- can be bought on Amazon for about £30.
Another visible deterrent is a sticker to say the vehicle is alarmed or has a tracker fitted.
Think about where you park
Thieves are more likely to target quiet and dimly lit areas, as well as quiet side streets, Scott says.
If you can, try to park in a well-lit and busy area - preferably with CCTV.
Install cameras
You could keep your dashcam recording through the night (which could capture anyone walking in front of the car) and put up signs stating you have cameras around.
Fit a car alarm or immobiliser
Although most modern cars have these fitted, older cars often don't.
Plus, having a professionally fitted alarm or immobiliser could lower your insurance premium.
Etch your car windows
You can buy a car window etching kit for less than £15, including warning stickers to show the identification number is traceable.
If you have your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched onto the doorframe, windows and steering wheel, it can deter thieves from stealing the vehicle or its parts as it will be harder to sell stolen parts if they're personalised.
Window tinting
Of course, you'll only be able to do this to a certain extent as the law states the front windscreen has to let in at least 75% of light through. For front side windows, you need 70%.
But there are no rules around the rear windscreen or rear passenger windows, and having a tint can deter criminals from looking into the car.
Take steps to prevent relay theft
An increasingly popular way to steal cars is through relay theft - when criminals use devices to relay signals from the car key to the car.
One person will get near enough to the key inside the house to pick up the signal, while a second person will hold another device next to the vehicle.
All keyless cars are vulnerable to relay theft - but in particular, Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Land Rover, Mercedes and Volkswagen cars are the most popular targets.
You can help prevent it by keeping your keys in a "Faraday pouch" - which has a lining preventing the keys inside from receiving or transmitting radio frequency signals.
A pack of two is available online for roughly £8.
Another option is to use a metal container, as the relay device cannot pass through metal.
You should also avoid storing your keys near doors or windows.
'No console needed' as Xbox prepares to launch on Amazon Fire TV next month
Starting from next month, gamers will be able to play Xbox titles like Fallout 4, Starfield and Fortnite using Amazon Fire TV.
A new upgrade coming to the Fire TV 4K devices transforms your television into a console, thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming.
You'll need to be a member of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to take advantage, plus you'll need a compatible controller and a solid internet connection.
"One of the biggestbenefitsof cloud gaming is the ability to play premium games without needing a console," Amazon explained.
"The Fire TV Stick may be compact, but it can stream and run graphically intense Xbox games like Senua's Saga: Hellblade II.
"This portability also means you can easily move your cloud gaming setup from the living room TV to a different room or even take it on the road.
"As long as you have a solid internet connection and your compatible Fire TV Stick, and a compatible controller, you can take your Xbox Game Pass games and saved progress travels with you."
Once downloaded, the Xbox app is designed to offer a smooth and seamless experience. Here’s how it works:
- Install and launch the Xbox app from your Fire TV device;
- Sign in with your Microsoft account to play. If you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, you’ll have instant access to hundreds of cloud-enabled games;
- Connect a Bluetooth-enabled wireless controller. Controllers like the Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Adaptive Controller, PlayStation DualSense, or DualShock 4 controller are all compatible.
A new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K will set you back £59.99 on Amazon, while a new Xbox Wireless Controller costs £49.59.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate currently costs £1 for the first 14 days for new members, then is billed at £12.99 per month.
House prices overvalued by £20,000 - but not for long, Zoopla says
House prices are overvalued by thousands of pounds, according to a major property company.
The typical property is £20,000 more than is affordable to the average household, says Zoopla.
But rising incomes and longer mortgage terms mean the "over-valuation" is expected to disappear by the end of the year.
Zoopla's report said: "House prices still look expensive on various measures of affordability.
"We expect house price inflation to remain muted, likely to rise more slowly than household incomes over the next one to two years."
The average house price is around £264,900 – but according to Zoopla's calculations, the affordable price is £245,200.
"A new government will add a dimension of political stability when the autumn market starts in September and even if the [Bank of England base] rate is not lower by then, a cut will be imminent," said Tom Bill, head of UK residential research at estate agent Knight Frank.
"Given that mortgage rates will steadily reduce as services inflation comes under control, we expect UK house prices to rise by 3% this year."
Zoopla's over-valuation estimate was reached by comparing the actual average house price in its index with an "affordable" price, which was calculated based on households' disposable incomes, average mortgage rates and average deposit sizes for home buyers.
How do I get tickets for Glastonbury 2025? Here's our bumper guide
It's one of the most iconic and popular music festivals in the world, and it's notoriously hard to get a ticket.
Glastonbury has rolled around once again and roughly 210,000 people have flocked to Somerset this year as Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA headline the UK's biggest festival this weekend.
Those in the crowd are in the lucky minority — an estimated 2.5 million people tried to get tickets for this year's event, meaning the odds really aren't in your favour if you fancy going.
Tickets routinely sell out within an hour of going on sale, and that demand is unlikely to decrease next year, given the festival will likely take a fallow year in 2026.
So, if you're feeling jealous this year, how do you get tickets for Glastonbury 2025, and how can you give yourself the best possible chance?
We've run through all the available details as well as some tips so you're best prepared when the time comes.
Registration details:Before potential festivalgoers get the chance to buy tickets, they must register on the official website.
One of the reasons this is done is to stop ticket touting, with all tickets non-transferable. Each ticket features the photograph of the registered ticket holder, with security checks carried out to ensure that only the person in the photograph is admitted to the festival.
Registration is free and only takes a few minutes. You will be asked to provide basic contact details and to upload a passport-standard photo.
Registration closes a few weeks before tickets are released.
Where to buy tickets:Tickets can be bought exclusively atglastonbury.seetickets.comonce they become available.
No other site or agency will be allocated tickets, so if you see anyone else claiming to have Glastonbury tickets available for purchase, it's most likely a scam.
When tickets go on sale: We don't know the details for next year yet - but Glastonbury ticket sales usually take place in October or November of the year before the festival.
This year's ticket sales began, following a delay, in November 2023. Coach tickets typically go on sale a few days before (traditionally on a Thursday), with general admission tickets following on the Sunday morning a few days later.
For those that miss out, there's also a resale that takes place in April for tickets that have been returned or for those with a balance that has not been paid.
This year's April resale took place on 18 April (for ticket and coach travel options) and 21 April (general admission tickets and accommodation options).
How much it costs:General admission tickets for this year's festival cost £355 each, plus a £5 booking fee. That's an increase on last year's price of £335 each, which was also an increase on the 2022 price of around £280.
So, we can probably assume that ticket prices will go up once again for next year's festival.
Remember, there are options to pay for your ticket in instalments, so you won't have to pay the full price in one go if you don't want to. All tickets are subject to a £75 deposit, with the remaining balance payable by the first week of April.
It's also worth noting that Glastonbury is a family festival, and that's reflected in the fact that children aged 12 and under when the festival takes place are admitted free of charge.
TIPS FOR THE BIG TICKET SALE DAY
The scramble for tickets when they go on general sale is nothing short of painstaking, with demand far outweighing supply.
Here are some tips to give you the best possible chance of bagging tickets:
Familiarise yourself with the website: You may see a reduced, bare-looking version of the booking page once you gain entry. The organisers say this is intentional to cope with high traffic and does not mean the site has crashed, so be sure not to refresh or leave the page.
Once you reach the first page of the booking site, you will need to enter the registration number and registered postcode for yourself and the other people you are attempting to book tickets for.
When you proceed, the details you have provided will be displayed on the next page.
Once you have double checked all of your information is correct, click 'confirm' to enter the payment page, where you will need to check/amend your billing address, confirm your payment information, accept the terms and conditions, and complete the checkout within the allocated time.
Timekeeping: You can get timed out if you don't act fast, so it's a good idea to have your details saved on a separate document so you can copy and paste them over quickly.
You might also have to approve your payment, which could mean answering security questions from your card issuer. Have a device on hand to ensure you're ready for this.
Internet connection: This should go without saying, but you won't stand a chance without a solid internet connection.
Avoid trying to rely on your mobile phone signal, and politely ask those you might share the internet with to delay any online activity that might slow your connection.
Don't give up: Until the page tells you that tickets have sold out, you still have a chance.
Shortly before that point, there will be a message saying 'all available tickets have now been allocated,' which users often think means their chances are up.
What it actually means is that orders are being processed for all the tickets that are available. But if somebody whose order is being processed doesn't take our previous advice and runs out of time, their loss could be your gain.
Multiple tabs and devices: Glastonbury advises against its customers trying to run multiple tabs and devices to boost their chances of getting a ticket.
Glastonbury's website says running multiple devices simultaneously is "a waste of valuable resources, and doesn't reflect the ethos of the festival".
"Please stick to one device and one tab," it adds, "so that you can focus on entering your details without confusing your browser and help us make the ticket sale as quick and stress free as possible for all."
Shoppers splashing out on 85-inch TVs to watch England at Euro 2024
Shoppers have been buying bigger TVs to enjoy this summer's European Championships, according to the electrical retailer Currys.
The chain said UK sales were up by more than 30% in the past month, with "supersize" screens — 85-inch and above — selling well in the run-up to the Euros.
"Having a third of the TV market and the Euros being a big event for many people, we're seeing that super-sizing trend keep on giving," said Currys chief executive Alex Baldock.
The most popular, and also cheapest, 85-inch TV on the Currys website costs £999.
The most expensive super-size TV is a 98-inch offering from Samsung that will set you back £9,499.
Currys reported adjusted pre-tax profits of £118m for the year to 27 April. That represented a 10% increase from the previous year's profits of £107m.
Like-for-like sales for Currys UK and Ireland declined by 2% to £4.97bn in the 12 months to 27 April, with consumer confidence knocked by high inflation levels and rising interest rates.
"We can see our progress in ever-more engagedcolleagues,more satisfiedcustomers and better financial performance," Mr Baldock added.
How does Purplebricks - the free online estate agent - make money?
Selling your home can be expensive, with the range of fees that come as part of the selling process meaning costs can really rack up.
Those costs are usually present whether you visit a bricks and mortar estate agents on the high street or if you go online, although Purplebricks has marketed itself as an exception to the rule.
Since December, it has launched a new pricing structure that enables sellers to list their homes without paying a penny, making it the only completely free online estate agent in the UK.
Purplebricks previously charged a fixed fee of £1,349 (including VAT) to sell your house, with that figure rising to £2,999 for those based in and around London.
That needed to be paid upfront or not later than 10 months after the property was first advertised, even if it went unsold.
Now, after being bought out by rival online estate agency Strike last year, Purplebricks is offering a free service, no strings attached.
Is there a catch, though?
There's no such thing as a free lunch or, it seems, a totally free way to sell your house.
If you'd like to pay more to unlock extras and upgrades, you can do so, with a 'Boost' and 'Full House' package costing £899 and £1,499 respectively.
All estate agents are also required by law to carry out anti-money laundering checks on everyone selling a property.
Typically, that cost is incorporated by estate agents into their service fees. However, as Purplebricks' service is free, it has implemented a separate £60 Anti-Money Laundering (AML) fee for sellers.
What's more, there's also no Rightmove listing included as part of its free service.
As the UK's biggest property portal market, attracting more buyers and sellers than anyone else, Rightmove can help sell your home much faster.
Purplebricks does include a free Zoopla listing, but adding Rightmove is an optional add-on that will set you back £299.
So, how does Purplebricks make money?
Add-ons and extras.
Purplebricks will be hoping to make money by customers opting for optional extras or premium services.
As well as the Rightmove example mentioned above, professional photographs and a floorplan will cost £699, while hosted viewings of your property will come at a charge of £899.
Purplebricks can also work with sellers and buyers to help them find the right mortgage deal and by offering them conveyancing services.
It's important to remember that there is no obligation to buy any of the add-on services, though some will undoubtedly come in handy.
Purplebricks is clear about its up-selling tactics too. This is what its website says:
We’re fully transparent about what little extras we offer and where your money is going – so it really is your choice. When our agent speaks to you, they’ll talk you through the options, and then you can decide if it’s right for you.
HSBC services 'back up and running'
In the last few minutes, HSBC has confirmed issues earlier today - with online, mobile banking and payments - have been resolved.
Banks share updates following morning of payment issues for customers
More now on the news that a string of banks have been suffering from glitches that have delayed payments being made for millions of customers.
Nationwide, Virgin Money, HSBC and Barclays all reported issues with their digital banking services this morning.
It comes on a day many workers are due to receive their wages and many households are paying their bills.
Here are the latest updates from each bank affected:
Virgin Money has announced its mobile banking app is now "fully restored" as of 12.52pm.
"Like other banks, we’re working hard to process the backlog of payments delayed as quickly as possible, and will update you as soon as we can," it posted on X.
"If you have tried to send a payment from your Virgin Money account and received an error message, but it has debited your Virgin Money account, please do not try to make the payment again, as it is in the queue and will be processed."
HSBC customers can also now log on to personal banking both online and on mobile.
The bank says there are still "secondary issues" they are trying to fix, including viewing recent transactions.
"Customers sending payments may see a slow response or see a failure notice," it added.
"Please check with the recipient or view your recent transactions in the mobile app via the notifications bell icon in the top right corner before attempting to send the payment again."
Nationwide has reported no issues with its banking app.
In response to the problems receiving salary or pension payments, the building society says payments are being processed and expects them to be paid into accounts today.
Barclays says that some of its customers are reporting that incoming payment issues have now been fixed.
Replying to one customer on X, the bank said: "We have been experiencing some issues with the Faster Payment Scheme that most banks operate through when making payments, however we have had some positive news in the last 5 minutes confirming that the issue is now resolved!
"With that being said, any payments that you have tried to make should now go through for you so please keep an eye out on your account for these to be reflected. If you do need any further help then we are here 24/7 for you."
On Barclays' service status page, all indicators have now been turned green to show there are no ongoing issues.
Barclays say payments issue 'happening across all banks'
Another bank has been affected by technical issues with payments today.
In a reply to a customer on X, Barclays said the glitch was "happening across all banks".
The Barclays reply said: "So sorry to hear you've been caught up in the issue with regards to the payments being made and received. This is an issue with the faster payment system and it's happening across all banks."
Nationwide, HSBC and Virgin Money customers hit with pay day delays
More now on the IT issues affecting people who bank with Nationwide, HSBC and Virgin Money.
Customers of all three have been hit with problems affecting their banking services today.
On what is pay day for many across the country, some customers have been unable to receive their salaries or pension payments.
According to the website DownDetector, more than 7,000 problems were reported at about 8.45am this morning.
The site also shows a spike in reports of outages for high street bank Virgin Money and building society Nationwide.
Customers of the banks are particularly upset by the timing of the glitches, with many people needing to pay their bills.
"I'm waiting on money coming into my bank which is still not received even though it's been sent. I can't pay any bills. Even though I have the money for bills," said one customer on X.
"My bills are bouncing and I can’t pay for a train ticket I need in the next hour," said another.
Bank responses
Nationwidecustomers complained on X they had not received their wages into their accounts.
The building society said it is "aware there is a delay with some customers receiving their salary or pension payments today".
"These payments are being processed, and will be paid into your account today," it added. "Sorry for any inconvenience this is causing."
Virgin Moneyaddressed its issues on X this morning, warning customers not to attempt to process payments a second time if they had already tried once,
The bank issued an update on X later, adding - as of 11.08am - it is "aware of intermittent issues with accessing online banking and our app, which we're working to resolve as quickly as possible".
HSBC apologised to its customers and said its IT teams were working on the issue.
In a second update at 12.22pm, the bank said customers could now log into personal online and mobile banking but could still not view recent transactions.
Another bank reports payments issue
Earlier, we brought you the news that HSBC customers have reported IT issues with mobile banking and the bank's app (see 9.37am post).
Now Nationwide has also said there was a "delay with some customers receiving their salary or pension payments today".
Read more in our breaking news story...
