Wokingham in Berkshire is the best place in England and Wales to raise a family, according to new research, but what would it set you back to move to the top 20 hotspots? We reveal the list, the average house price in each area, and compare it to a recent rival list too.
Nationwide BS has today launched a bold pledge which guarantees its current account customers will get a 'cheaper personal loan rate' than anywhere else.
Average cash Isa rates have fallen to just 1.43 per cent as providers continue to steer away from new tax-free offerings, Bank of England data has found.
Smaller Companies funds can offer greater growth opportunities than their large cap counterparts. And when markets fell recently, the small cap index's lack of resources exposure proved a saving grace. Here we look at five small cap offerings tipped to outperform over the longer term.
Dividend cover for the UK's top 350 companies, a key measure of whether earnings will allow them to maintain dividends in the near future, has fallen to a six-year low.
Car insurance costs have accelerated 4.6% in the last year with older drivers bearing the brunt, a new index from insurance market research firm Consumer Intelligence shows.
Bank of England figures showed that 71,030 mortgages with a total value of £12.2billion were approved for home buyers in August, marking the highest number seen since January 2014.
Banks and building societies wanting to boost their current customer base need to offer juicier carrots to lure people into switching, a poll has shown today.
The Investing Show: Reliable big dividend shares
A screens for shares that pay bumper income and Maike Currie looks at what next for emerging markets
I was charged £19.29 to pay for a flight by credit card - who does the cash go to and what am I paying for?
Interest rates won't rise before the summer as the UK's economic recovery slows
CEBR pushes rate rise prediction from February to the summer.
Property market cools as house price inflation continues to slow
- but homes in the East of England rise at double the national average.
The tricks to get a better deal from online supermarket shopping
How to get a bargain delivered to your door.
Is an airline credit card worth getting?
And how do I pick a good one? 
'Corbyn and co must learn how crucial the City is for Britain's prosperity'
Chris Cummings on why the City matters
De-clutter! It's good for the soul...
And even better for your bank balance
Back-to-work mums in high demand
Employers see them as reliable and organised
'I was fearful of the future - now I'm comfortably off'
How a good financial adviser can help you sort your retirement
Rugby World Cup organisers warn fans to avoid 'unauthorised resales'
After hundreds are denied entry into matches
Writing a will 'is the only way to ensure your wishes are carried out'
...and your legacy isn't a family feud
'We MUST face up to building homes on the Green Belt'
Managing director of Berkeley Group Rob Perrins shares his views
The FTSE 100 closed down 49.62 points at 5909.24 as investors digest upbeat US economic news that is likely to boost the case for a rate hike across the Atlantic. Consumer confidence data beat expectations while house prices increased in July. The US Dow Jones was up 9.9 points at 16,011.8 in early trading, but Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 have closed in the red.
Boohoo, which designs and sells its own-brand clothing online to young shoppers and is listed on AIM, has seen its shares rise 2.2 per cent this session, or 0.7p, at 33.5p.
The Teesside site, which has produced steel for 160 years, will be mothballed with the loss of 1,700 jobs, its Thai owners SSI UK announced yesterday.
But shellshocked investors had something to cling on to today as the stock recovered by 10 per cent or 7.18p to 75.8p.
In the absence of an eleventh-hour rescue, the mothballing of the SSI plant in Redcar will mark the end of a long and proud chapter in the history of the North East.
HSBC and Barclays are being investigated by Swiss authorities over allegations they rigged the price of precious metals.
BALANCE TRANSFERS
FIVE FAVOURITE ISAS
BEST BANK ACCOUNTS
TOP CREDIT CARDS
CUT ENERGY BILLS
CHEAP MORTGAGES
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HOLIDAY SPENDING
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FIVE FAVOURITE ISAS
A team of Left-wing economists has been chosen to advise socialist Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his Marxist shadow chancellor John McDonnell as they seek to gain credibility. The group, which includes a Nobel Prize winner and a bestselling author, will meet four times a year 'to discuss and develop ideas around the official economic strategy that Labour will be advocating'.
It can be hard to know exactly what you are being charged for a media package - but total costs do not have to be displayed in the headline figure as long as they are made clear elsewhere.
Thousands of drivers are set to shun a new smoking ban inside cars when children are on board, despite the health risks and threat of a new £50 on the spot fine.
Richard Hunter screens the UK stock market for shares that pay bumper income that's well covered, in the latest episode of the Investing Show. While Maike Currie, of Fidelity, looks at what next for emerging markets and the best opportunities.
I want to get a new credit card to put some of my regular spending on and get some rewards for it. I travel often and so am considering an airline credit card. What do I need to consider when looking for one?
An online estate agent's experts have revealed which parts of the country they think will make the most money for property buyers in the near future - and they're not where you might think. They also listed factors that can help you spot if your area is set to explode, including delis and aspirational street names.
I booked a flight that cost £964.31 and was charged another £19.29 because I paid by credit card. Who is the cash going to and what on earth am I paying for?
Nearly one in three said they experienced some surprise change in their income in the past year - and half used credit cards or loans to plug the gap, StepChange said.
Shocks are in store for new and existing buy-to-let investors - with some saying the worst of them could stop this booming industry in its tracks. The biggest upsets come with changes announced in this year's Budget which will be phased in from next April. Other challenges result from a new, nervous mood among some big mortgage lenders.
Property market growth has continued to cool with house prices up 4.2 per cent compared to a year ago, Land Registry data shows.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research today pushed back its prediction for the first rate rise in six years from February to the summer.
Home shopping now accounts for £1 of every £4 spent by Britons. Yet the convenience of shopping online comes with catches and costs. Supermarkets require shoppers spend a minimum amount before they can place an order.
Chelsea Financial Services 'RedZone' charts the worst performing funds of the past three years- and UK Equity did not fare well.
Scottish Power had 944 complaints per 100k customers between April and June, compared to just 47 at SSE - the company with the least number of gripes, data shows.
Shell said it would cease exploration activity in the region 'for the foreseeable future', blaming high costs associated with the project and a 'challenging and unpredictable regulatory environment'. It added that the decision to pull out of the multi-billion dollar project was 'disappointing' and will see it take a financial hit. Royal Dutch shares on the FTSE 100 index fell 7.5p to 1,549.5p in late morning trade.
British group Vodafone, which is the world's second-largest mobile company, had been in talks with John Malone's cable empire since the summer.
SABMiller rose as much as 3 per cent on fevered speculation rival AB InBev was about to make a £70billion opening offer.
The FTSE 250 firm said it will save £6million from staff costs after the cuts and also warned that revenues at its core hire unit would be around 10 per cent lower than last year.
Proactive Investors first interviewed Nik Philpot, boss of Eckoh , back in March 2011 and its headline then described the business as 'innovative, focused, profitable - and undervalued'. The transformation since then appears to have vindicated this assessment as the share price has motored from below 8p to above 40p in just over four years, valuing the business at £94million.
Everyone remembers 2008 as the year when a financial storm hit the country, bringing some of the biggest banks to their knees and plunging Britain into recession. But Angela Healy, sitting outside her beach hut in Teignmouth, Devon, looks back on 2008 as the year she finally put to bed the crises crowding in on her life.
Millions of Britons risk leaving their assets to the wrong people or the State. This year it emerged that comedian Rik Mayall had died without a will, so his £1.2million estate was liable to a big tax bill.
Do-it-yourself home projects are meant to save money, but can end up going wrong. In personal finance the same goes for DIY accounting and tax planning.
The business works with 69 of the top 75 contractors in the UK and almost half the construction firms in Europe use its software. There is no dividend at the moment but chief executive Nick Caw is keen to introduce one once growth plans really bear fruit. The firm was renamed earlier this year, having previously been called Eleco. It traces its roots back to 1895 of the Second World War.
There are few investment funds more conservatively managed than Newton Real Return. Manager Iain Stewart describes it as a savings plan, although capital is not guaranteed.
CEO Paul Bassi is upbeat on a strong set of half-year figures and even better prospects for the next six months and beyond. Bassi claims he has never experienced more vibrant conditions in Birmingham.
After decades without a new nuclear generator anywhere in the UK, Britain is just weeks away from signing on the dotted line for a fleet of reactors.
Autumn is the ideal time to clean out the home before the long nights draw in. We wave a magic feather duster and shows how de-cluttering not only creates space - but can also make you money. One man's trash is another man's treasure. What you cherish as a valuable heirloom, others view as junk cluttering up the home.
If it turns out that gaming the emissions tests is widespread in the car industry, as many now suspect, can Europe afford to punish its car makers as severely as they may deserve? Could we in Britain raise taxes even higher on polluting vehicles or fuels without damaging the wider economy?
It is all change at the Financial Conduct Authority. Martin Wheatley, chief executive from the start, has exited stage left after being told by the Treasury that his contract would not be renewed. His offence? Being too consumer friendly and not cuddly enough with the nasty banks which he has fined (quite rightly).
Phil Spencer is a rock 'n' roll star of property television. He can be found with his sidekick Kirsty Allsopp on Location, Location, Location and riding solo on his Secret Agent show. He talks to This is Money about current problems facing the British housing market/ Does he believe in house price indexes, are we building enough homes and is buy-to-let booming too much?
Consumers are becoming less upbeat about their current financial and job situation, the latest Lloyds Spending Power report says, with overall confidence dropping to the lowest level since May.
The mortgage market is bouncing back with the number of home loans rising, but figures are still far below those seen before the financial crisis.
It seems the fixation on 'location, location, location' no longer holds true, with buyers citing it as only eighth most important thing to stand their ground on. Almost one in four people were willing to compromise on their preferred location, while just one in 10 would compromise over local crime levels, new research reveals.
According to property analysts Hometrack, buyers may be near a tipping point where they set their sights on another city outside the capital offering better value.
Michael Ward has complained that the decision to hike stamp duty on properties worth upwards of £2 million has sent a 'worrying signal' abroad.
The idyllic Indonesian Island of Bali, where a bottle of beer will set you back just 91p, is the long-haul winter holiday destination with the lowest cost of living for the third year running. The price of meals, drinks and other tourist staples has fallen in half of the 33 destinations surveyed in the Post Office Travel Money Long Haul Holiday Report.
Challenger banks are continuing to lead the way when it comes to competition with savings rates, with Charter Savings Bank the latest to boost its fixed-rate offerings.
Longer life expectancy and the scrapping of the default retirement age means people are working longer, with many concerned over how they will fund their old age.
Risks to UK economic stability have grown because of a boom in buy-to-let mortgages and the ongoing turmoil in China, the Bank of England has said this morning. Its Financial Policy Committee warned landlords, typically funded through interest-only loans, could be 'disproportionately vulnerable' to large falls in house prices and could in turn amplify any property downturn.
On average, the number of properties available per estate agent branch fell from 55 in July to 38 in August, marking a 31 per cent decrease, the National Association for Estate Agents said.
Mortgage lending last month hit £12.2billion, a 14 per cent increase on August 2014, according to latest data from the British Bankers' Association.
The average cost of renting a home in London is £1,472 - half the average salary of nearly £3,000 a month, according to data. Across the UK overall, the average monthly salary is £2,266 and the average rent is £935, meaning renters on average sacrifice 41 per cent of their pay for accommodation.
Around 53 per cent of people have never switched their utility provider or bank, even though it could save them money, according to a new report.
Broadbent told Reuters in an interview that the BoE had to balance 'fairly robust' growth at home against a slowdown in emerging economies.
Adrian Walker, retirement planning expert at Old Mutual Wealth joins This is Money editor Simon Lambert to discuss how to make a good plan for retirement.
Buying with a friend could be a good way of getting on the property ladder, but there can be pitfalls if you don't discuss exactly what you are both expecting from the investment.
A record 2,905 start-ups applied to raise funds through the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme in 2014/15. The growth, up from 2,845 last year and 1,729 the year before, is being driven by high-tech firms and the restaurant and catering sectors.
Back-to-work mothers are valued by 71 per cent of bosses for their experience and skills, and are seen as more reliable (25 per cent) and organised (30 per cent) than other staff
Business Minister Anna Soubry says she expects the new small business commissioner to personally pick up the phone to chief executives of big late-paying firms.
A third of women employed in Britain are not eligible for inclusion in a State-backed plan, supported by Apprentice Star Karen Brady, (pictured).
Buy British Day has the support of a host of British business owners and directors, including Tiffany London, who founded glamour maternity wear business Tiffany Rose in 2003.
How British Gas can help you
Buy-to-let rates and advice
From locks, boilers, electrics to drains
Find tenants today for FREE
To clear the average national household debt of £13,000 at 6% interest with a monthly repayment of £100 will take around 17 years. There are, however, plenty of simple ways to make significant savings on your regular spending that could clear your debt - or boost your savings - in less than a year. This is Money's top 50 - updated - money-saving tips may appear light-hearted but are deadly serious.
Learning more about money is a good way to keep hold of it and make more of it. Here are some simple but important things I'd teach people.
Here is a list of the name and address for the chief executive of Britain's largest consumer facing companies: big banks, building societies, utilities companies, telecoms and mobile networks.
Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.
We highlight the world's cheapest and most expensive stock markets, measured on three popular valuation tools and where the UK sits.
If you are new to investing then the huge number of funds and investment trusts on offer can be confusing. Fortunately, This is Money's experts have some ideas to get you started.
Income investing can let you draw on your portfolio or reinvest dividends to build solid growth over time. Our experts give their fund and investment trust recommendations.
If you're looking to add some flair to your investing Isa with emerging markets, This is Money's experts have some ideas to get you started
Unemployment has increased for the second month in a row, adding weight to the arguments of ratesetters in the lower for longer camp. This follows the outlook for when interest rates will rise shifting forwards slightly to about February 2016 in the recent inflation report.
We pick our five favourite cash Isas for savers. This is essential Isa reading and is kept up-to-date throughout the year
How hard does your bank account work for you? Here's our pick of the best accounts to make your money work harder, cut down on fees, or get free stuff.
For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Climbing house prices, rising rents and improving mortgage deals are tempting investors - although they will need a big deposit. Read This is Money's top ten buy-to-let tips
House prices are rising across the UK but London has caught a chill - property in the capital remains expensive but prices are slipping back from their peaks. We look at the latest figures.
Some of the absolute cheapest mortgage rates have been pulled, as banks look to squeeze a little more from borrowers, but rates remain historically low.
The influence of financial services on the economy is spelled out again as City brokers steal top spot in this year's official list of highest earners. According to the detailed 2014 annual salaries survey, brokers pocketed around 40 times more this year than those at the bottom of the list - the people responsible for keeping children safe on the way to school. Lollipop crossing patrols earned around £3,400.
| Prize value | Winning bond No. | Area |
|---|---|---|
| £1,000,000 | 181XE611069 | South West Wales |
| £1,000,000 | 180AV204733 | Overseas |
| £100,000 | 82NC804116 | Outer London |
| £100,000 | 248RZ165168 | Bedfordshire |
| £100,000 | 188PZ779903 | Essex |
| £100,000 | 15SM469591 | Overseas |
| £100,000 | 137XP786876 | Fife |
| £50,000 | 89AE387151 | Birmingham |
| £50,000 | 6HJ562295 | Hertfordshire |
| £50,000 | 36BX381662 | Leicester |
| £50,000 | 251XK512431 | Surrey |
How much would it cost you to buy a home in one of the top 20 places to raise a family in England and Wales?
Personal loan war escalates: Nationwide promises its current account customers it will undercut lowest rival...
Cash Isa rates tumble to lowest levels since records began with savers seeing average returns of just 1.43%
The good things in small packages: Five of the best smaller company funds and trusts
Are your dividends under threat? Bosses of UK firms could struggle to deliver payouts as profits slide
Older motorists 'subsidising' premiums of younger drivers with over-50s seeing typical cover rising 8.6% in...
Mortgage lending hits 19-month high as homeowners rush to remortgage before 2016 rate hike
Banks need to offer bigger cash carrots to boost account switching, as customers say they want a £182...
FTSE CLOSE: Footsie finishes below 6,000 again as US stocks post modest gains after house price and consumer...
Smile back on the face of Boohoo.com as profits jump 39% after January profit warning
Government comes under increasing pressure to scrap green charges as Redcar steel plant closure sparks...
£3.5bn wiped off mining giant: Glencore shares plunge 30% as analysts warn stock could become worthless if...
RUTH SUNDERLAND: Even if it is too late for Teesside, politicians still have time to act save Britain's...
High street banking giants HSBC and Barclays targeted in Swiss price-rigging probe
The Left-wing brains behind Corbynomics: Meet the radical thinkers who will steer Labour plans
MIDAS SHARE TIPS
Elecosoft's clever software is proving popular among construction firms
JEFF PRESTRIDGE: FCA boss was tough on crooked bankers and good for consumers
... so he's been given the boot
Fast, green cars... Pull the other one ! VW deceived us on crucial health issue
Can Europe afford to punish its car makers, asks Simon Watkins
Don't let your tax form become a DIY disaster
Save money and time by asking for professional help
'BTL tax move is a game changer and we're not building enough homes'
TV star Phil Spencer reveals his thoughts on Britain's property market
Emissions scandal will not have a 'discernible impact' on used VW prices
Say car valuation experts say e
Buyers say low crime levels and good schools are the key criteria when hunting for a new home
- but what SHOULD you search for?
'Let them eat credit': Carney delivers his line on the last decade's boom
But do low rates risk a worse crisis, asks SIMON LAMBERT
Estate agents warn property market is reaching 'crisis point'
Supple crisis as number of homes for sale falls to 11-year low.
No rest for the baby boomers
Almost one in three workers is now aged 50 or over
ALEX BRUMMER: Why opening up bidding for HS2 railway could help reinvigorate British engineering
The lost art of great train-making...
The quiz that tells you if you have your head in the sand when it comes to bills and finances...
How rail tickets on thetrainline.com are no cheaper than booking direct online
- BUT passengers have to cough up extra for a booking fee
Mortgage lending soars 14% in largest annual rise since 2008
- but half of borrowers says they would struggle with a rate rise.
'Inflation has tanked because low-skilled labour has kept wage growth down'
- and there's no rush to hike rates, says Bank of England deputy.
Britons see 41% of monthly pay vanish on their rent
- and Londoners have to spend half their income, says online letting agent Rentify.
Betrayed by the state pension shambles: How a retiring worker with 42 qualifying years STILL doesn't get the full £151 a week
Is it worth paying for financial advice for your retirement?
How to plan for your pension years
Drivers warned over conmen who deliberately crash into your car and demand cash on the spot
Return of the highway robbers.
Bell tolls for 24-hour shopping at Tesco
two stores cease all-night opening due to low numbers of night-owl customers.
KLM lost my son's luggage on a trip to Germany - but it won't pay for the new ski clothing that he had to buy
ASK TONY.
More than a million savers face administrative headache in coming months
FSCS savings guarantee cap falls to £75k.
Older homeowners told to make space for young families are locked out by high prices
'We want to downsize but it's too expensive.'
Jeremy Corbyn's 'people's quantitative easing' plan could work in a crisis, says hedge fund boss
Paul Mashall is co-founder of London-based Marshall Wace.
Big Six energy firms lose 660,000 customers in a year
More than 3million households switch to an independent supplier.
Could this credit card help you clear an expensive overdraft?
Lowdown on money transfer cards
Just one in four students receive full rent deposit back at end of tenancy
- here are 12 tips to not fall into the costly trap...
Tesco Bank hikes easy-access online rate to 1.6%
Savings deals continue to edge up in recent weeks.
Rocketing property prices see family rifts over wills soar to highest level since 2007
Battle between generations won't solve the housing shortage - building more affordable homes will
JAMES CONEY on the UK housing crisis.
Want life cover? You may need to send a selfie to your insurer for clues about your health
Computer programs can analyse a photo...
World is still vulnerable to another financial crisis, says Bank official
Minouche Shafik warns sovereign debt crises could strike again.
Airlines told AGAIN to pay out for flight delays as passengers have won yet another court case
ECJ rules that mechanical faults are the airline's responsibility.
Mark Carney warns of the debt-fuelled threat posed by China to the global economy
Bank of England Governor says Chinese households have too much debt.
Lexus 4x4 stolen in London is tracked to UGANDA using a smartphone app - and leads to recovery of 28 high-value cars
What if you opt for income drawdown in retirement but fall ill?
Giving loved ones lasting power of attorney over your finances could be a vital failsafe.
My husband went bankrupt last year and we had to sell our house
Now he has a new job can we get a mortgage again?
iPhone 6s to cost up to £134 more in Britain than in the US
Study finds ahead of Friday's launch.
Vauxhall claims one in four Britons have owned an Astra
Carmaker prepares to launch new UK-built seventh generation.
| Currency | Rate | Buy now |
|---|---|---|
| Updated 29 Sep 2015. | ||
| Euro | 1.3222 | Buy Now |
| US Dollar | 1.4888 | Buy Now |
| Australian Dollar | 2.1249 | Buy Now |
| Canadian Dollar | 1.99 | Buy Now |
| Chinese Yuan | 9.268 | Buy Now |
| Croatian Kuna | 9.9277 | Buy Now |
| Czech Koruna | 35.611 | Buy Now |
| Danish Krone | 9.7288 | Buy Now |
| Egyptian Pound | 10.334 | Buy Now |
| Hong Kong Dollar | 11.437 | Buy Now |
| Hungarian Forint | 408.07 | Buy Now |
| Israeli New Shekel | 5.7016 | Buy Now |
| Japanese Yen | 177.27 | Buy Now |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 6.3784 | Buy Now |
| New Turkish Lire | 4.4345 | Buy Now |
| New Zealand Dollar | 2.3474 | Buy Now |
| Norwegian Krone | 12.535 | Buy Now |
| Polish Zloty | 5.5116 | Buy Now |
| Singapore Dollar | 2.1127 | Buy Now |
| South African Rand | 20.801 | Buy Now |
| Sterling | 1.0 | Buy Now |
| Swedish Krona | 12.396 | Buy Now |
| Swiss Franc | 1.4354 | Buy Now |
| Thai Baht | 53.23 | Buy Now |
| UAE Dirham | 5.43 | Buy Now |
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Historic inflation: how the value of money has changed
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Find out how much you can afford to borrow and the difference between repayment and interest-only
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How much a regular monthly savings scheme could make or a lump sum could be worth.
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