Deanne Forrest admits she was charmed into submission by Peter Parker - if that ever was his real name. The 50-year-old artist was looking for a way to boost her modest savings and support her teenage sons through university when a friend recommended Banc De Binary - a website that would let her trade on the stock market for instant returns of up to 60per cent.
ASK TONY: Currys wouldn't give back £200 for cooker hood I didn't realise was broken
We bought a cooker hood costing £199.99 from Currys. At the time, we were having a kitchen fitted, so did not open it straight away. However, when the fitters did open it, they discovered it was damaged. Currys insisted its conditions of sale were that any damage must be reported within 48 hours and would only offer us a 10 pc refund for damaged goods.
DON'T MISS
- What asking price should you go for? How to find the price that makes sure your property gets sold.
- Why we're fighting for fairness on shared appreciation mortgages Backing the borrowers crushed by debts linked to house prices
- Want to increase the kerb appeal of your home? A Mercedes-Benz parked outside makes a street look best, claims new survey
- My late mother made money bequests to relatives - must I pay them before I manage to sell her house? She doesn't have enough in her account to pay
- The 50p that is far rarer than the fabled Kew Gardens coin How a 2009 Olympics coin in much shorter supply has gone under the radar (for now!)
- Asking prices tipped to rise just 2% next year, but homes in London could dip 5% as 'bubble deflates' A tough year for property ahead.
- Five potential takeover targets As foreign firms circle 'cheap' British businesses, ITV tops broker's New Year hit list.
- Borrowers locked out of buying a home by tough mortgage rules could be in for some luck as watchdog promises to review them
- First off-road drive of the new Land Rover Discovery as it chalks up 10,0000 orders before hitting the tarmac Not just a pretty face.
- Could Boxing Day sales be banned? MPs discuss petition calling to shut shops to give workers a break
- Keep sly Fox out of the Sky coop Takeover deal is not all it seems and needs an Ofcom review, says ALEX BRUMMER
- There's sweet success and rich rewards on offer if you check in at Hotel Chocolat MIDAS SHARE TIPS.
- 'I've been signed up to a £3-a-week sex content site without my permission via text message' TONY HETHERINGTON.
- How to stop the scammers trying to steal your cash You're a prime target if you have a pension pot...
BUSINESS & MARKETS
MARKET REPORT: Anonymous blog wipes 18% from payment firm Paysafe Group a day after the chief financial officer picked up his stock options
Brian McArthur-Muscroft, 52, picked up 516,844 shares in the digital payments provider under a long-term incentive plan just before the price plunged. McArthur-Muscroft sold 243,778 of the shares for 371.85p each to satisfy tax obligations, keeping hold of 273,066.
SAVE MONEY, MAKE MONEY: OUR TIPS TO GET RICHER
- This is Money's five favourite best buy cash Isas for 2016
- Looking for a better bank? Five of the best current accounts
- Energy bills: Could you cut save by switching?
- Best credit cards for spending, holidays and rewards
- The best mortgage rates and should you fix?
- Ten tips for cheaper car insurance - and compare prices
- Best debit and credit cards for spending overseas
- The best and longest balance transfer credit cards
- Best (and cheapest) DIY investing Isa platforms
- Ten tips for buy-to-let and how to find a mortgage
MONEY NEWS & ADVICE
Is your 4K television pushing up your energy bills? Data shows latest-spec TVs use more energy than HD versions
Thousands of Britons who have snapped up a 4K television in the Black Friday sale or as a Christmas treat will be facing higher energy bills for the technology, data claims. Energy bills from watching TV are likely to increase for the first time since 2011, according to British Gas's latest home energy report, thanks to the energy sapping devices.
Top performing investment trusts of 2016: After a four year slump, global uncertainty helps gold, mining and commodities top the pile
After years of rocky performance, gold, precious metals and oil made a comeback in 2016 as political uncertainty made nervous investors take refuge in 'safe haven' assets.The top performing investment trust sector is Commodities and Natural Resources, up a whopping 72% - rewarding brave value investors.
As Basildon and Slough are revealed as Britain's latest property hotspots, we look at what's next for house prices?
While the UK overall saw a 6.9 per cent rise, the ONS figures also showed house prices falling in central London. And they arrived a day after Rightmove forecast asking prices to rise just 2 per cent in 2017, as Brexit uncertainty weighs on the housing market. With property values are rising swiftly in some areas, including Basildon and Slough where they are up a fifth, but falling in others, we take a look at what's happening with house prices.
An upmarket Christmas: Shoppers splash out on premium own-label mince pies and smoked salmon
Consumers are spending 13 per cent more on premium lines than they did last year, Kantar Worldpanel data for the 12 weeks to December 4 show. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, said: 'Over Christmas it's likely that premium lines will record their highest ever sales figures as even more shoppers trade up to treat their loved ones.'
Want to increase the kerb appeal of your home? A Mercedes-Benz parked outside makes a street look best, claims new survey
Do you want to know where the most desirable neighbours might be? Then look out for streets lined with Mercedes and Audis, claims a new poll. And in the survey of 1,000 people by leasing firm UK Carline, 36 per cent said the types of cars in a street would directly affect their decision on whether to live in the area.
A tough year for property ahead: Asking prices tipped to rise just 2% next year, but homes in London could dip 5%
Property asking prices are tipped to rise by just 2 per cent next year while inner London prices could fall by 5 per cent, according to a forecast by property listings giant Rightmove. Prices will rise for the seventh year in a row, says Rightmove, but the pace of gains will slow as uncertainty weighs on the housing market and the London 'price bubble continues to deflate'.
Five potential takeover targets: As foreign firms circle 'cheap' British businesses, ITV tops broker's New Year hit list
Investors looking for sharp and quick returns could spend time weighing up the next possible mega merger, after a string of top deals in recent months resulted in hefty payouts. The Brexit vote sent the pound tumbling and soon saw Japan's SoftBank takeover ARM. Now as Sky becomes a target again, broker AJ Bell has revealed five that could be next.
Will Trump make your money great again? How the new President will affect your investments
The age of Trump is almost upon us. The billionaire businessman will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20. Here, The Mail on Sunday explores what America under Donald Trump will mean for British investors. As I stand in the heart of Manhattan surrounded by the bright lights of Broadway and festive bustle of Christmas shoppers, America seems to be in rude health.
You're a prime target if you have a pension pot: How to stop the scammers trying to steal your cash
With eight scam calls per second and millions of consumers randomly contacted by strangers about their pension every year, protecting savers from the clutches of fraudsters is a high priority. Those with pension pots have become prime targets for a variety of scams since new rules were introduced in April 2015, giving savers easier access to their retirement funds. Research suggests fraudsters sit behind one in ten requests to transfer money out of a pension pot.
MORE BUSINESS & MARKETS NEWS
The 900 reasons why tech star mustn't be sold (that's one for each invention British firm E2V has patented)
E2V, which has agreed a £620m takeover from California-based Teledyne Technologies, has registered more than 400 inventions in the UK and hundreds more around the world. Its sensors and scanners are used in Nasa spacecraft, the Hadron Collider and in 90 per cent of the world's radiotherapy treatments.
YOUR MONEY ESSENTIALS
'Jess Ennis-Hill never needs to work again - but I earned NOTHING from swimming' says Sharron Davies
Swimmer Sharron Davies never earned a 'single, solitary penny' competing in the Olympics for Great Britain. But she earned more than £100,000 in her role as 'Amazon' in the Gladiators television series and was paid a six-figure sum to present the Big Breakfast back in the 1990s. Davies, 53, who recently designed and launched her own ProSwim swimming goggle range, also made a fortune speculating on the property market - and bought a Porsche 911 for £60,000.
TONY HETHERINGTON: 'I've been signed up to a £3-a-week sex content site without my permission via text message'
Syncronized Limited, based in Coventry, has operated various services providing sexual content to mobile phone users, The titles of some are unprintable. Others include 'Glam Pleasures', 'Sex Dose' and 'Lesbiancourse' offering explicit videos. None of this is illegal, but it does not allow Syncronized to charge for services people did not request - and the company has form for this.
Still no answer Mr Vodafone? 'I've been waiting for a YEAR for Vodafone to settle my complaint, despite all the promises about better service'
Vodafone was recently hit with a record £4.6million fine by Ofcom for serial customer service failings following a sustained campaign by The Mail on Sunday. The fine prompted the company to concede that it had 'let customers down'. Vittorio Colao, group chief executive, confirmed the company was 'working on' fixing its customer service issues which had culminated in inaccurate bills being sent out and complaints being handled poorly.
Millennials think they've drawn the financial short straw - while two-thirds of baby boomers admit they are the 'lucky' generation
A survey of more than 2,000 investors who hold online accounts with Hargreaves Lansdown found that just 15 per cent of those aged between 18 and 35 feel lucky or very lucky financially compared with other age groups, while 62 per cent feel their generation is unlucky or very unlucky. Among those aged between 51 and 70, 72 per cent perceive themselves to be lucky or very lucky in the monetary stakes.
RAY MASSEY: Bentley's new diesel diamond should get you from London to Verbier on a single tank
Bentley's first diesel, the Bentayga, is also the world's fastest luxury diesel SUV, claims the company. It's no slouch off-road either, managing slippery slopes and rutted tracks with aplomb. With big 21 in wheels and powered by a triple-turbocharged four-litre V8 engine linked to an eight-speed automatic gearbox (with manual paddles for added fun), it accelerates from rest to 60mph in just 4.6 seconds, and has a top speed of 168 mph, yet will still manage 35.8 miles to the gallon with CO2 emissions of 210g/km.
SMITH & WILLIAMSON GLOBAL GOLD AND RESOURCES FUND: Mining investors strike lucky as gold regains some of its lustre
The gold price has endured a rollercoaster ride over the past year, rising to a high of $1,366 (£1,078) per ounce in July before falling back to $1,164 today. Over the past 12 months, it has risen nearly 10 per cent. Yet investors who have put money in to the shares of miners rather than in physical gold have enjoyed a far better year.
Death knell for buy-to-let? Government 'war on landlords' has seen sales collapse by 64% in the last year, says top estate agent
The figures from haart, one of London's best known estate agents with branches across England and Wales, follow various tax and mortgage lending changes that have hit small-scale private landlords - including a 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge on buy-to-let purchases introduced in April this year and the removal of certain tax reliefs from April 2017.
Is the biggest financial crisis of them all around the corner? JIM RICKARDS believes so - and says it will see the gold price hit $10,000 an ounce
The next financial crisis is looming and central banks won't be able to handle it. So says Jim Rickards, a New York Times bestselling author, adviser to the US Department of Defence. He explains what it will look like, what can be done to mitigate it and how individuals can prepare - including buying gold, which he believes could increase by almost nine times.
Chronic shortage of homes will continue into 2017: One in three surveyors say properties in their area are overpriced
A shortage of properties coming up for sale means Britain's housing market will get off to a slow start next year, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors claim. With few homes coming up for sale and others being snapped up quickly, the housing supply shortage is a 'very dominant feature of the market at present', Rics said. The volume of homes coming up for sale last month created a 'flat supply picture', with the net balance of new instructions coming in at 0 per cent.
Is that letter from your bank a fraud? Bank customers warned to watch out for a new scam that involves official-looking post
Millions of Lloyds customers have been warned to be vigilant against a tide of scam letters purporting to be from the bank, but are actually being posted by fraudsters. In the letter, it uses the customer's name, the Lloyds Bank logo and is even signed off by 'Jamie Smith - Customer Relationship Manager' all in a bid to dupe their potential victim into believing the letter is genuine.
It's time to vote in our Wooden Spoon Awards...So which firm drove you up the wall in 2016?
We are launching the ninth annual Money Mail Wooden Spoon Awards. This is your chance to vote for the organisation you think provides Britain's most shambolic service. This year, our inbox has been as full as we can remember. There have been catastrophic meltdowns, as well as niggling problems that just won't go away. Some companies are finding more and more ways to mess up the basics. You say it's common for rude staff to trot out 'computer says no' excuses or send you online when all you want is an accurate bill or a simple mistake put right.
M&S; Bank demand loyal credit card customers submit documents to prove identity - a decade or more after opening their account
In some cases borrowers are being asked for two forms of I.D. that have been signed by an independent professional. The move primarily affects long-standing customers who applied for a credit card before M&S; Bank introduced tougher identity checks to prevent fraud. But shoppers say the demands are 'way over the top' and fear they could be blacklisted by the firm if they do not comply with the security checks.
Investing Show: Should investors worry about political upheaval?
It's been a year of political upheaval and for investors that has meant plenty to think about - but how worried should they be? On the latest Investing Show, Henrietta Grimston, of Seven Investment Management, explains how investors can position themselves for big political and economic events and looks at how deeply they need to consider them.
SMALL BUSINESS: NEWS, TIPS AND SUCCESS STORIES
This Christmas jumper is guaranteed to last for 30 years, says the 23-year old designer who created it
Tom Cridland, who is loved by celebrities for his sustainable fashion, has started selling £65 Christmas sweatshirts with a 30-year guarantee. The young designer, who founded Tom Cridland in 2014 at the age of 23, said his long-lasting sweatshirt promotes an important 'buy less, buy better' ideology. He said: 'It is a sustainable fashion project designed to lead an industry trend towards protecting our natural resources by making truly durable clothing.'
'Brexit has helped the company as our competitors are having to push up prices in the UK, but we don't have to', luxury watchmaker claims
Britain's luxury goods retailers are booming on the back of the weaker pound, with sales to US and Chinese shoppers soaring in past months. Global real estate advisor Colliers International found that there had been a 44 per cent rise in retail sales to non-EU visitors since August. One sector enjoying the boom is watchmaking, according to Giles English. He founded the Bremont Watch Company with his brother Nick in 2002, a few years after their father, an RAF pilot, died in an air crash.
GUIDES: HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND MAKE MONEY
WHAT NEXT FOR YOUR MONEY?
50 ways to save money: Simple steps to cut what you spend that could clear your debts or seriously boost your savings
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.
Confused about 'hard' and 'soft' Brexit, the Norway model and the Swiss solution? This handy table explains the options for the UK's exit from the EU
Despite endless media coverage of the political wrangling and financial speculation, the average Briton can be forgiven for remaining confused about what 'soft' and 'hard' Brexit really mean. About the difference between the 'Norway model' for the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the UK and the 'Swiss solution'. But a clever table put together by HSBC in a report called 'Is Brexit Getting Harder?' cleaves some clarity from the murk.
What next for mortgage rates? More cuts arrive so should you fix now?
Several months after the Bank of England slashed the base rate to 0.25 per cent and lenders are still cutting mortgage rates on almost a weekly basis - but how low can they really go? The experts say not a lot lower and it's likely that if you get a mortgage at the moment, it's going to be a pretty cracking deal.
Ten tips for buy-to-let: the essential advice for property investors
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
TIPS, TOOLS AND HELP FOR LANDLORDS
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Best paid jobs 2015: Compare your salary to the national average in this league table of 350 professions - and see the year's winners and losers
Musicians have seen pay rises averaging nearly 20 per cent in 2015, while cleaners are getting 17.8 per cent more, and window cleaners 12.3 per cent. Artists in general are earning 14.6 per cent more in 2015 than 2014, according to the huge annual data dump of pay scales by the Office For National Statistics highlights.
ABOUT THIS IS MONEY
Premium Bonds winners
Prize value | Winning bond No. | Area |
---|---|---|
£1,000,000 | 277WB531615 | Gloucestershire |
£1,000,000 | 176XC192939 | Essex |
£100,000 | 272JJ577470 | Stockport |
£100,000 | 214QG669334 | Greater Manchester |
£100,000 | 168SD912436 | Devon |
£50,000 | 279ZB182370 | Dorset |
£50,000 | 267PF062139 | Cheshire West and Chester |
£50,000 | 255SE616149 | Surrey |
£50,000 | 140ZE329530 | Oxfordshire |
£50,000 | 102DP039413 | Hereford and Worcester |
£25,000 | 96SX101249 | London |
THE INVESTING SHOW
- Investing Show: Should investors worry about political upheaval?
- Investing Show: Will President Donald Trump prove to be good for investors?
- Investing Show: Should you invest in a VCT for 30% tax relief and exciting growth companies
- Investing Show: Is now a good time to buy emerging markets?
- Investing Show: Banks are suffering but they're good value in an expensive market, says Richard Buxton
- Investing Show: We've bought US tech stars like Tesla because of how great they could really become, says Scottish Mortgage's Tom Slater
- Investing Show: Banks are suffering but they're good value in an expensive market, says Richard Buxton
- Investing Show: Should investors worry about the US election, banks and a 'hard Brexit'?
- Investing Show: Can investors make money by keeping it simple?
- Investing Show: Rate cuts are pointless but infrastructure is the next opportunity for investors
- Investing Show: The value investor who likes unloved bank and supermarket shares
- Investing Show: Best places to invest around the world to beat Brexit
- Investing Show: Where should you invest and what should you avoid after Brexit?
MOST READ MONEY
- 'Jess Ennis-Hill never needs to work again - but I earned NOTHING from swimming' says Sharron Davies
- The HSBC branch closure hitlist: Remember the adverts for 'the world's local bank?' Now see if your branch is about to be wiped out
- Will Trump make your money great again? How the new President will affect your investments
- I want to sell my car but I haven't got a clue what it's worth - how can I find out its real value?
- Food and drink will get more expensive and choice diminish unless EU workers can remain Warning from producers, retailers and restaurants.
- Plunging shares in major Italian bank suspended after ECB deadline leaves it at the mercy of a state bailout Monte dei Paschi di Siena denied more time.
- Economic growth hopes dealt a blow as construction firms fail to commit to major new projects ONS said output fell 0.6 per cent on month.
- Our flight was delayed by three hours - why has Thomson made us wait 11 months for compensation?
- Warning sounded on crowdfunding risks as watchdog calls for new rules to protect investors
- Is the biggest financial crisis of them all around the corner? JIM RICKARDS believes so... - and says it will see the gold price hit $10,000 an ounce.
- Chronic shortage of homes will continue into 2017 One in three surveyors say properties in their area are overpriced, says Rics.
- New 'two-winter' fixed energy tariff is 'cheapest on market' Flow Energy claims deal through MoneySuperMarket beats other two-year tariffs.
- Nine in ten shoppers have a rewards card - but new research suggests it doesn't encourage loyalty in Britain Are loyalty cards pointless?
- Will Britain ever wean itself off 'housing heroin'? MYRA BUTTERWORTH suggests a solution
- What if customers wrote the Ts & Cs? That would get companies to sharpen up RACHEL RICKARD STRAUS.
- Aldi taking on 'posh nosh' rivals M&S;, Waitrose and Fortnum & Mason as it boosts Christmas premium range
- Bank customers warned to watch out for a new scam that involves official-looking post Is that letter from your bank a fraud?
- Workers fired on the spot could lose a fifth of their redundancy payout to the taxman under new rules hidden in the Autumn Statement
- Buy-to-let lenders toughen up their rules as embattled landlords prepare to be stripped of tax reliefs
- Pay 10% extra and Audi will sell you a 'Performance' version of the RS6 Avant with 597 horses. We tried it When a £78K 550bhp estate car isn't enough...
- Atom Bank launches the first mobile mortgage allowing borrowers to manage (nearly) everything in an app
- My late mother's home sold for above the inheritance tax threshold - is it too late to have my late father's nil rate band added?
- It's time to vote in our Wooden Spoon Awards...So which firm drove you up the wall in 2016?
- Crooks making fake claims by impersonating crash drivers New wave of whiplash fraud.
- Should I move any profits I make on my investments into a savings account - or is it best to leave them in the fund? INVESTMENT CLINIC.
- M&S; Bank demand loyal credit card customers submit documents to prove identity a decade or more after opening their account
- Alan spent £500 on a boxing glove signed by Mike Tyson... - then found out he'd been conned by the crooks who prey on sports fans
- Why taking out £100 cash on a credit card can cost you £7.20...even if you pay it all off at the end of the month
- Could you benefit from a free service that stops fraudsters taking out loans against your home? Over 50,000 homeowners have signed up.
- We reveal European countries' top-selling cars Britain loves the Ford Fiesta but which nation's favourite is the Suzuki Vitara?
- My mum has moved into a care home - can dad leave his share of their house to us children instead?
- It's time shoppers were given the upper hand again, with industry-wide standards for weights and measures DAN HYDE.
- Could you pay for Christmas by selling your old phone? Retro mobile sells for £1k on eBay while iPhones go for £500.
- HSBC pulls lowest-ever loan rate of 0.99% from the market Are mortgage rates on their way back up?
- The commuter towns where house price rises outpace London Brentwood in Essex tops the list - and Maidenhead homes add £91k in a year.
- Cost of foreign holidays leaps as the pound falls against 46 of the 50 most popular currencies... - and it's very bad news if you're heading to Iceland.
- Leeds BS equals best-buy rate by bumping up easy access savings account to 1% - but not for long Small blessings for savers.
- Fuel prices fell for the first time in four months in November... - but the RAC warns cheaper petrol and diesel will be short-lived.
- Black Friday sparks record online sales for November... - but can UK households really keep on spending until Christmas?
- How house prices have surged up to 60% in five years in the UK's trendiest areas Do you live in a 'hipster hotspot'?
- Why round £1 coins could become a future collectors' item With the new 12-sided pound coin coming, a full set may soar in value...
- Paris, Madrid, Athens and Mexico City all commit to a ban on diesels by 2025 Beginning of the end for diesel vehicles?
- Is rising life expectancy a social benefit or burden? Half of over-65s think we view living longer as a financial problem.
- Investing Show: Should investors worry about political upheaval? A year of political upheaval.
- One in three set to borrow for festive food and presents - and demand for debt advice is expected to spike in New Year Christmas on credit.
- From driving lessons to each tank of fuel, MOT test and service - can you guess how much we each spend on motoring in a lifetime?
- Fed up with rising energy bills? Then try some of our bright ideas 'My woodburner warms my home...and my heart'
- Pay-as-you-stay Airbnb insurance for homeowners costs from £1 per night... - but could it push up your home insurance bills?
- Vodafone botched my direct debit and after NINE months it's still not fixed
- Warning ten energy minnows could be forced out of business Freeze on prices by three of Big Six energy suppliers will put pressure on smaller rivals.
- Explosion in fraud costing us £11BILLION a year - so fight back and join our campaign STOP THE SCAMMERS.
- Uniform tax firm won me £63... then took me to the cleaners for £207 TONY HETHERINGTON.
- Christmas comes early for online garden centre Patch as it branches out into festive tree deliveries
- RM Secured Direct Lending's £100m flotation will help boost yield for investors MIDAS SHARE TIPS.
- How to take a punt on oil without all the risk New Opec deal is a boost but stick to large, quality firms to avoid a rocky ride.
- 'I broke my leg skiing and all my £2k costs were paid' Don't get left out in the cold when it comes to ski cover
- SIMON WATKINS Brexit fades before it even started with its much-vaunted aims being diluted
- SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS Former police officers' £5.5m haul - from making coconut yoghurt
- BRITAIN'S NEW KING OF STEEL His wife says he can't change a lightbulb, but Sanjeev Gupta is bringing a dying industry back to life
- They do exist! The places where you can still buy a house in the UK for less than £50k
- I don't pay tax but do contribute to a pension - can I get tax relief on my payments? Steve Webb replies
- Landlords flock to limited companies and hike rents to beat government crackdown on buy-to-let tax breaks
- Brexit has made Britons more interested in the economy And biggest surge is from younger generation
- World oil price rises another 3% after Opec deal to end oversupply The Brent crude price has dropped from $146 in 2008.
- Now even Rolls-Royce has a 4x4 Sneak preview of the ultra-luxurious Cullinan - the the world's most expensive SUV
- How easy is it to set up an energy firm? SIMON LAMBERT goes on the trail of the jumble of names in his postcode.
STEVE WEBB ANSWERS YOUR PENSION QUESTIONS
- I don't pay tax but do contribute to a pension - can I get tax relief on my payments?
- I divorced in 1972 and became a single working mum - how did this affect my state pension?
- Will my wife get a state pension increase if I die before she does?
- Will my company still pay into my pension while I'm on maternity leave?
- Why has drawing the state pension changed my tax code - and why wasn't I warned sooner?
- I'm divorcing - can my ex-husband take half my pension and cash in his share?
- I'm an ex-civil servant who was 'contracted out' - can I pay a top-up to get full new state pension?
- I am divorced - how much of my state pension could I lose if I remarry?
- Why am I doubled-taxed with National Insurance when I worked and then income tax on my state pension?
- ‘I have no idea how I will pay off my credit card bill': Mother's agony after losing £12.5k through trading...
- How Britain's biggest shops are pocketing YOUR delivery fee refunds on unwanted items and making up...
- The £36k loan that'll cost Joan £300k if she sells her home: Pensioner, 88, falls victim to shared...
- ASK TONY: Currys wouldn’t give back £200 for cooker hood I didn’t realise was broken
- INVESTMENT CLINIC: I always seem to invest in funds just as they take a turn for the worse. How can I avoid...
- How to profit from boom in cyber crime by investing in firms protecting us all from internet hackers
- Police blame ‘lazy’ shoppers for rise in online fraud as they hand out details to suspect websites
- Scam Lloyds letters that look genuine: Criminals writing to customers warning them of 'unusual transactions'
- MARKET REPORT: Anonymous blog wipes 18% from payment firm Paysafe Group a day after the chief financial...
- Hunt for a new chairman at M&S;: But can they bring back the glory days of the ailing High Street giant?
- ALEX BRUMMER: Key ministers under fire for failing to make tough decisions or prevent calamitous takeovers
- Trump Bump lifts US shares as Dow Jones rises to a record high above 19,950
- DAILY BRIEFING: Fitness wristband maker Fitbug ropes in 1992 Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell
- CITY DIARY: M&S;'s outgoing chairman can be proud of fending off Sir Shifty but not the current share price
- Is your 4K television pushing up your energy bills? Data shows latest-spec TVs use more energy than HD...
- ‘I have no idea how I will pay off my credit card bill': Mother's agony after losing £12.5k through trading site in a bid to send her sons to university
- As Basildon and Slough are revealed as Britain's latest property hotspots, we look at what's next for house prices?
- Investors in ETFs see their wealth eroded by excessive trading and tracker funds earn better returns, says Vanguard founder
- Three of the best used family hatchbacks for those who don't want to a diesel: But is a Focus, Golf or Astra the best choice?
- Not just a pretty face: First off-road drive of the new Land Rover Discovery as it chalks up 10,0000 orders before hitting the tarmac
- Is your 4K television pushing up your energy bills? Data shows latest-spec TVs use more energy than HD versions
- An upmarket Christmas: Shoppers splash out on premium own-label mince pies and smoked salmon
- How Britain's biggest shops are pocketing YOUR delivery fee refunds on unwanted items and making up to £4.1bn
- My late mother made money bequests to relatives - must I pay them before I manage to sell her house?
- Top performing investment trusts of 2016: After a four year slump, global uncertainty helps gold, mining and commodities top the pile
- Cost of living crunch begins as inflation jumps to two-year high of 1.2%
- Tour firm's £50 Brexit tax on your HOLIDAY! Company hammers customers who booked their trips months ago because of the pound's collapse since referendum
- FTSE CLOSE: London shares jump as inflation rate rises to 1.2% - the highest level in two years; pound nudges $1.27
- DAILY BRIEFING: Fitness wristband maker Fitbug ropes in 1992 Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell
- A tough year for property ahead: Asking prices tipped to rise just 2% next year, but homes in London could dip 5% as 'bubble deflates'
- MOST READ IN DETAIL
Big Money Questions
- Would it be fairer if everyone paid the same level of tax or should the rich pay more?
- Is the greatest threat to the euro flying under the radar? How a culture clash between Germany and France threatens to destabilise the currency
- Does the amount of cereal in the box tell you as much about the economy as maths and graphs? How YOU can predict the way the economy is moving using everyday signals
- Is MATHS creating an unfair society? How algorithms decide our insurance costs, where police patrol - and even how long we're left on hold
- What is GDP, how is it worked out - and why does it make some people very angry? Find out in the Big Money Questions Show
- Ever wondered why prices always rise? Watch our inflation explainer in the Big Money Questions show
- What is the Bank of England base rate and why does is matter? Watch our quick explainer in the Big Money Questions
- Are our successes down to luck or hard work? An economist crunches the numbers on the Big Money Questions show
- Are you ready for a 100-year life? Watch our tips on planning everything from finances to friendship in The Big Money Questions
MIDAS SHARE TIPS
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: There's sweet success and rich rewards on offer if you check in at Hotel Chocolat
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS UPDATE: Unanimous verdict for Gateley shares as they soar 20%
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: RM Secured Direct Lending's £100m flotation will help boost yield for investors
- MIDAS TIPS: Housing association Places for People's seven-year bond pays investors 4.25% interest
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: AIM-listed tech incubator Mercia has its eye on the long game
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS UPDATE: Time to bank profit after surprise Lavendon bid delivers 53% gain
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Logistics firm Wincanton is really going places
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS UPDATE: Keep holding on as Asos shares still look a smart investment
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Investors on solid ground after flotation of engineering services firm Van Elle
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS UPDATE: Chapel Down shares mature well as wine production doubles
FUND AND TRUST IDEAS
- SMITH & WILLIAMSON GLOBAL GOLD AND RESOURCES FUND: Mining investors strike lucky as gold regains some of its lustre
- SPW GLOBAL HIGH QUALITY FUND: Our winning strategy is to bet big, be dynamic... and hold lots of cash
- KAMES UK EQUITY INCOME: Seven years of raising dividend payments as mixture of blue-chips and lesser known income shares pays off
- BLACKROCK UK INCOME FUND: Mark Wharrier has made a triumphant return after a ten-year absence
- JO HAMBRO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES: Cash-rich global fund that's (cautiously) cleaning up
- MARLBOROUGH EUROPEAN MULTI-CAP: It's all about the stocks, NOT the big picture for top Euro fund boss
- ASHBURTON INDIA EQUITY OPPORTUNITIES: How India-based funds are revving up returns for investors
- MOMENTUM FACTOR 5 FUND: The investment where inflation spells good news
- JPMORGAN AMERICAN INVESTMENT TRUST: 'Trump or Clinton? We're more worried about interest rates'
- EVENLODE INCOME: How two Wise men turned £1m into £1bn in just seven years
- CHARTERIS GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS: Fund delivers a 12-month return of 179% as gold prices rise
- THREADNEEDLE UK PROPERTY: Fund re-opens after post-Brexit alarm subsides
- HERMES GLOBAL EMERGING MARKETS: Growth before location, that's the drill for emerging markets
- JUPITER ABSOLUTE RETURN: If a firm's in the soup we'll short it, says boss James Clunie
Latest: Mortgages & home
- Banks hike the cost of fixed-rate mortgages as experts warn it's the ‘end of an era’ for cheap home loans
- Why we're fighting for fairness on shared appreciation mortgages and backing the borrowers crushed by debts linked to house prices
- The £36k loan that'll cost Joan £300k if she sells her home: Pensioner, 88, falls victim to shared appreciation mortgage
- As Basildon and Slough are revealed as Britain's latest property hotspots, we look at what's next for house prices?
- Estate agents that send buyers to their in-house mortgage advisers face investigation by the City watchdog
- Borrowers locked out of buying a home by tough mortgage rules could be in for some luck as watchdog promises to review them
- A tough year for property ahead: Asking prices tipped to rise just 2% next year, but homes in London could dip 5% as 'bubble deflates'
- Chronic shortage of homes will continue into 2017: One in three surveyors say properties in their area are overpriced
- Atom Bank launches the first mobile mortgage allowing borrowers to manage (nearly) everything in an app
Latest from Saving & banking
- Natwest and RBS set to scrap monthly paper statements for all current account customers
- New bank Masthaven pays 1.35% on a one-year fixed-rate bond and 1.53% on a two-year dea
- Millions of Lloyds customers eligible for fee-free basic banking risk being overcharged as they fail to upgrade accounts
- The HSBC branch closure hitlist: Remember the adverts for 'the world's local bank?' Now see if your branch is about to be wiped out
- Banks flout new rules meant to alert savers to dismal rates paid on savings stuck in older accounts
- Leeds Building Society launches top-paying 1% easy-access account as dismal savings rates continue
- Small blessings for savers: Leeds BS equals best-buy rate by bumping up easy access savings account to 1% - but not for long
- Thousands of Charter Savings Bank customers are warned their personal details could be at risk after burglary
- Looking for a better bank? This is Money's five of the best current accounts
- The 5% savings rate trick: Best high interest-paying current accounts to make your money work harder
ANSWERS FROM THE Experts
- Our flight was delayed by three hours - why has Thomson made us wait 11 months for compensation?
- My late mother's home sold for above the inheritance tax threshold - is it too late to have my late father's nil rate band added?
- My 'free' beauty sample ended up costing me hundreds - how can I get my money back?
- ASK TONY: I paid twice for a virus blocker on my computer but can’t get a refund
- Vodafone botched my direct debit and after NINE months it's still not fixed
- TONY HETHERINGTON: Uniform tax firm won me £63... then took me to the cleaners for £207
- ASK TONY: A cast iron drainpipe fell on my car, so why does More Than want £250?
- The cheapest energy deal is with a provider I've never heard of. Is it risky to go with them?
- TONY HETHERINGTON: My dad bought car insurance in my name but never told me - do I have to foot the bill for cancelling it?
- Why was I charged £50 when I cancelled my car insurance during the cooling-off period?
Latest from Holidays
- Tour firm's £50 Brexit tax on your HOLIDAY! Company hammers customers who booked their trips months ago because of the pound's collapse since referendum
- Cost of foreign holidays leaps as the pound falls against 46 of the 50 most popular currencies - and it's very bad news if you're heading to Iceland...
- 'I broke my leg skiing and all my £2k costs were paid': Don’t get left out in the cold when it comes to ski cover
- British travellers risk cash crunch as shock withdrawal of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes sends Indian banks into chaos
- The Airmiles tricks that could pay for your next holiday: Savvy traveller reveals how he's flown for free for five years
- Cruise companies, travel firms and wedding venues told to stop pocketing deposits when customers have to cancel
- Ryanair's latest wheeze: Now passengers must pay £6 to check-in more than four days before a flight
- The cheapest travel destinations revealed... and why where you fly from and what day you book can affect the cost of your holiday
- Holidaymakers get less than one euro to the pound at airport currency desks as sterling continues to suffer
Currency | Rate | Buy now |
---|---|---|
Updated 14 Dec 2016. | ||
Euro | 1.1672 | Buy Now |
US Dollar | 1.2401 | Buy Now |
Australian Dollar | 1.647 | Buy Now |
Canadian Dollar | 1.6259 | Buy Now |
Chinese Yuan | 8.3886 | Buy Now |
Croatian Kuna | 8.6516 | Buy Now |
Czech Koruna | 31.24 | Buy Now |
Danish Krone | 8.5872 | Buy Now |
Egyptian Pound | 16.27 | Buy Now |
Hong Kong Dollar | 9.5644 | Buy Now |
Hungarian Forint | 360.22 | Buy Now |
Icelandic Króna | 130.92 | Buy Now |
Israeli New Shekel | 4.6071 | Buy Now |
Japanese Yen | 142.98 | Buy Now |
Malaysian Ringgit | 6.2624 | Buy Now |
Mexican Peso | 24.406 | Buy Now |
New Turkish Lire | 4.2064 | Buy Now |
New Zealand Dollar | 1.7183 | Buy Now |
Norwegian Krone | 10.36 | Buy Now |
Polish Zloty | 5.11 | Buy Now |
Singapore Dollar | 1.7616 | Buy Now |
South African Rand | 16.715 | Buy Now |
Sterling | 1.0 | Buy Now |
Swedish Krona | 11.255 | Buy Now |
Swiss Franc | 1.2536 | Buy Now |
Thai Baht | 43.436 | Buy Now |
UAE Dirham | 4.532 | Buy Now |
LATEST ON HOUSEHOLD Bills
- Is your 4K television pushing up your energy bills? Data shows latest-spec TVs use more energy than HD versions
- New 'two-winter' fixed energy tariff is 'cheapest on market': Flow Energy claims deal through MoneySuperMarket beats other two-year tariffs
- It’s time to vote in our Wooden Spoon Awards...So which firm drove you up the wall in 2016?
- Vulnerable energy customers may have to wait until May to receive a £140 payment designed to cut winter bills
- Ofgem under fire over GB Energy rescue deal that it struck for 160,000 households with Co-op Energy
- Still no answer Mr Vodafone? 'I've been waiting for a YEAR for Vodafone to settle my complaint, despite all the promises about better service'
- Energy bills: Could you cut your fuel costs by switching to the best deals?
- RACHEL RICKARD STRAUS: What if customers wrote the Ts & Cs? That would get companies to sharpen up
- Fix your bills: how to cut your everyday costs and keep saving money all year round
- Could you pay for Christmas by selling your old phone: Retro mobile sells for £1k on eBay while iPhones go for £500
Latest from Cards & loans
- Play your cards right: The best credit cards for spending, holidays, rewards or clearing your debts
- The best personal loan rates - and how to find the right one for you
- M&S Bank demand loyal credit card customers submit documents to prove identity - a decade or more after opening their account
- Why taking out £100 cash on a credit card can cost you £7.20...even if you pay it all off at the end of the month
- Borrow interest-free for three-and-a-half years! The best balance transfer credit cards to help clear your debts
- Planning to put some Christmas shopping on credit? The best credit cards to spread the cost and avoid a New Year debt hangover
- Could credit card, car finance and overdraft charges be capped? Watchdog targets new wave of 'high cost credit' providers
- Get more for your holiday money: The best debit and credit cards to beat overseas fees
- Even the rich can be refused credit by the banks: Up to a million higher-rate taxpayers told 'computer says no'
Latest from Investing
- How to profit from boom in cyber crime by investing in firms protecting us all from internet hackers
- INVESTMENT CLINIC: I always seem to invest in funds just as they take a turn for the worse. How can I avoid this?
- Top performing investment trusts of 2016: After a four year slump, global uncertainty helps gold, mining and commodities top the pile
- SMALL CAP SHARE IDEAS: RM Secured Direct Lending looks to raise £100m as it tempts with promised 6.5% dividend yield
- Five potential takeover targets: As foreign firms circle 'cheap' British businesses, ITV tops broker's New Year hit list
- SMITH & WILLIAMSON GLOBAL GOLD AND RESOURCES FUND: Mining investors strike lucky as gold regains some of its lustre
- SPW GLOBAL HIGH QUALITY FUND: Our winning strategy is to bet big, be dynamic... and hold lots of cash
- MIDAS TIPS: Housing association Places for People's seven-year bond pays investors 4.25% interest
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: RM Secured Direct Lending's £100m flotation will help boost yield for investors
Latest: money and Cars
- Motor insurance cover company hits the wall, leaving thousands of customers vulnerable to fines
- Want to increase the kerb appeal of your home? A Mercedes-Benz parked outside makes a street look best, claims new survey
- Three of the best used family hatchbacks for those who don't want to a diesel: But is a Focus, Golf or Astra the best choice?
- Not just a pretty face: First off-road drive of the new Land Rover Discovery as it chalks up 10,0000 orders before hitting the tarmac
- Luxury carmaker Bentley holds secret talks with Brexit Minister to 'clarify' plans to leave the EU
- Parking in London is the second most expensive in the world - and at £8.84 AN HOUR costs more than the living wage
- RAY MASSEY: Bentley's new diesel diamond should get you from London to Verbier on a single tank
- Aston Martin brings back to life one of its classic ‘sixties supercars’ with a £1.5million price tag – nearly 60 years after the original first hit the road
- A petrolhead's dream holiday: Check out these snaps from McLaren's inaugural Epic New Zealand Road Tour
- Say hello to Vauxhall's svelte new Insignia Grand Sport - unquestionably the brand's most stylish family car yet
Latest from Markets
- An upmarket Christmas: Shoppers splash out on premium own-label mince pies and smoked salmon
- MARKET REPORT: Anonymous blog wipes 18% from payment firm Paysafe Group a day after the chief financial officer picked up his stock options
- Bet against pound helps charity fund The Wellcome Trust boost its funds to nearly £21bn
- Murdoch under pressure to raise his bid for Sky following offer that values the UK-based broadcaster at £18.5bn
- Trump Bump lifts US shares as Dow Jones rises to a record high above 19,950
- Posh burgers, VIP lanes and a waiter service lift bowling firm Hollywood Bowl
- The 900 reasons why tech star mustn't be sold (that's one for each invention British firm E2V has patented)
- British hedge fund taking advantage of Italy's financial crisis to buy £835m of bad loans
- DIRECTOR'S DEALS: George Weston, boss, Associated British Foods, to get £2.7m in shares if he hits targets
- CITY DIARY: M&S's outgoing chairman can be proud of fending off Sir Shifty but not the current share price
TOP CALCULATORS
- This is Money's calculators and tools All our calculators in one place. See how they could help you
- Historic inflation: how the value of money has changed The effects of inflation since 1900 and what past prices mean today
- True cost mortgage tool - rates AND fees Compare the cost of rival fixed and tracker rate mortgages
- Mortgage affordability: How much you can borrow Find out how much you can afford to borrow and the difference between repayment and interest-only
- Monthly or lump sum savings calculator How much a regular monthly savings scheme could make or a lump sum could be worth.