Bank and building society branches are closing all over UK

The year is barely a month old but the withdrawal of banks from the high street has escalated to a level never witnessed before and 2017 is set to be a record year in terms of branch closures.

'I dealt with Mis-sold Shares Limited, which recovered money for me from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but now the tax office says this was a mistake and wants it back'.

'I can live with the abuse over Brexit,' says millionaire

Millionaire plumber Charlie Mullins has been facing a torrent of abuse on social media – and even a death threat. The founder of Pimlico Plumbers – and a former adviser to David Cameron – bankrolled the successful legal bid to give Parliament a vote on Brexit and has been an outspoken backer of the Remain case. It has not made him popular in some quarters. ‘It’s like Britain’s at war at the moment,’ he declares.

Retail sales held up well in the last three months of last year - helping the economy along and allowing some to argue we have enjoyed a boom.

Demand for home delivery of groceries is soaring, with sales up 29 per cent last year. Here, The Mail on Sunday looks at how you can keep delivery costs to a minimum.

BT remains one of the most popular stocks for private investors more than 30 years after it became the first of the major state-owned industries to be privatised by Thatcher.

This week, Midas looks at its Dogs of the FTSE portfolio, The Sunday Times' Inside the City at energy giant SSE and the Sunday Telegraph's Questor at Aberdeen.

Like
MailOnline

Follow
@MailOnline

   

DON'T MISS

A city superwoman’s quest to catch new investors

City ‘superwoman’ Helena Morrissey is being brought in to help solve Britain’s pensions and savings worries. The 50-year-old mother of nine has been hired by Legal and General Investment Management (LGIM) on an undisclosed salary in the newly created role of head of personal investing. She will lead a team trying to encourage and support younger people and women to save and invest their money amid fears that many people are not doing enough to prepare for retirement.

American sportswear firm Under Armour could be about to make a grand entrance into the UK market with a flagship store in the heart of London.

Cereal  firm Weetabix Food Company is to invest £30m to boost production capacity at its sites in Northamptonshire.

A factory set up to produce an electric fleet of the iconic London black cabs is set to open in March.

The final seventh-generation Rolls Royce Phantom will be rolling off production lines in Goodwood tomorrow.

A medicine and science investment company backed by ex-defence secretary Lord Hutton and restaurant tycoon Richard Caring is considering a stock market float.

Is junior growing faster than his Isa portfolio?

Junior Individual Savings Accounts (Jisas) are great for building a tax-free nest egg for children. But if your child's money is languishing in a poor paying account or is being eroded by fund charges, it could be time to move. Here, The Mail on Sunday looks at the options available.

In the sector’s largest markets – the US and the UK – the overall number of campaigns launched slumped, but the average sum raised increased by 22 per cent.

I am all for greater transparency in the financial world, be it in terms of the charges taken from our pension funds or the propensity of an insurer to meet a claim on a policy.

MPs call for action on maternity pay for self-employed

IPSE, the association for the self-employed, has welcomed a call from a cross-party group of MPs for action to 'get women working', including a recommendation to bring maternity allowance and statutory maternity pay in line to support self-employed women. The Women and Work All-Party Parliamentary Group last week recommended supporting women from the moment they take a career break, for example because of motherhood or caring responsibilities, as well as supporting their return to the workplace. There are 1.5 million self-employed women in the UK, up by a third since 2011. They are entitled only to maternity allowance, not statutory maternity pay.

The switch is thought to be the Government’s preferred choice for overhauling the unpopular business rates system, which has become a focus of business anger in recent years.

It comes as the Federation of Small Businesses has revealed that 32 per cent of smaller firms are involved in overseas trade, as an exporter, importer or both.

Talk Talk freezes broadband for 2 years - is it cheaper?

Customers can choose between either speeds of up to 17Mb or 36Mb and pick between 12, 18 and 24 months fixed contracts. But the deal will still allow them to switch to a better deal with the provider if they see one mid-contract.

We all shop at Tesco. So when it takes over a much smaller rival - most of us know of Booker by its Budgens and Londis chains - we sit up and take notice.

Westminster City Council are trialling a scheme where drivers of diesel cars will be charged double to park in central London. The scheme hopes to try and tackle the capital's pollution problem.

In an attempt to stick to a 'brownfield first' policy Ministers are considering using surplus railway land for new houses. The proposals could include station car parks being moved underground.

Twenty years ago - and amid much opposition from motor manufacturers - British car buyers saw the results of the very first crash tests.

MPs’ verdict is due over fixed odds betting

MPs investigating the gambling sector are this week expected to recommend a drastic cut in the maximum stake allowed on betting machines, but the betting shop industry has already dismissed their findings. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on fixed-odds betting terminals reports on Tuesday. Last month, it said there was a strong case for cutting the maximum £100 stake to £2 on roulette games and reducing the number of FOBTs allowed per shop. Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales said he agreed with the initial findings of the group, adding: ‘If the Government is to prove it is on the side of both consumers and communities, it must act quickly to reduce the maximum stake to £2 and remove high stake, hard gambling from the high street.’

York is famous for its Minster and the National Railway Museum. But a small investment team is beginning to gain the city something of a reputation for managing Japanese funds rather effectively.

Alliance Trust has brought to an end a bitter battle with a US hedge fund by snapping up the shares owned by the American investor.

One rebel said last night it was considering invoking FCA rules that would force Marks to face a shareholder vote over his position, while stripping him of his 40 per cent voting rights.

BT's boss has apologised to savers who saw the value of their investments collapse following its Italian accounting scandal.

How investors have made 40% in a year betting on China

Today marks the start of a new year in China. Those who believe in it say the Year of the Rooster is oriented towards progress and integrity. And the stock market has been steadily rising for the past year. But it’s a risky place to put your cash. Fears over investment in infrastructure, a property bubble and an economic slowdown mean savers should tread carefully.

Retirees in 2017 look forward to income of £18,100 a year

Retirement incomes remain below the peak of £18,700 at the start of 2008, before the financial crisis fully hit home and low interest rates slashed annuity and savings income. Prudential research also found that 45 per cent of retirees felt financially unprepared to stop work, a number that has barely changed over the past decade despite huge changes to pensions.

RCI Bank has increased the rate on its Freedom Savings Account to 1.1%, the third time this month it has upped its easy-access offering.

Asked what they would spend their windfall on, the majority of people said holidays, while cars were also a popular choice, new research suggests.

The £834,000 Eagle E-Type Spyder GT has landed

Just look at it. Gobsmacked? Wait until you see the £834k price tag. This is the latest reborn E-Type from British manufacturer Eagle, called the Spyder GT. And it is nothing short of glorious. Want one? So do we.

The new product requires an owner to take out a monthly subscription of £10 to £30 that covers the car when it's parked up. Each time they want to drive the car they then have to pay an hourly rate.

A fiver. A beer. Dinner out. These are the things we offer as part of a bet with friends and family. But a video has emerged of a man handing over a Bentley he lost on a wager placed a decade ago

Link ATM's could start charging for withdrawals

Banks at the moment pay 30p to independent cash machine providers each time one of their current account customers withdraws cash from a non-bank ATM. Some account providers are threatening to pull out of the Link system because they say the fees are too high- especially compared to what they pay other banks for use of their ATMs.

Gold isn't an investment it's a bet on people freaking out

I get the reasons for buying gold, from a long-term store of value, to the idea of it as an investment insurance policy, but I've never taken the plunge and stuck some in the Minor Investor portfolio. Recently though, I've been wondering whether this is a mistake. Should I perhaps buy some gold?

At the end of March, the new style 12-sided £1 coin will enter circulation and replace the round ones which have been around since 1983 - here's how to bag an uncirculated version.

Gold is still 30 per cent off its all-time dollar high, but for some investors it retains an enduring appeal. Adrian Ash, of BullionVault, explains who is buying and looks at gold's prospects.

If I fill my attic will it help to insulate my house? 

I've heard that having a full attic will help to insulate my home, keep the warm air in and in turn reduce my energy bills, is there any truth to this or is it just an urban myth? If it is true will packing my attic full of boxes help or do I need to pay for loft insulation?

People who buy 20 or more items at discounters like Lidl and Aldi spend on average £39 - which is about £15 less than across the Big Four, where a big shop cost on average £53.

With the pound remaining at weakened levels, Unilever's chief executive Paul Polman said the company's decision to increase prices in the UK was 'definitely the right one'.

Mortgage rates cut so should you remortgage now? 

Banks and building societies are battling it out in an effort to tempt homeowners to remortgage with a spate of mortgage rate cuts and offers in the past week. Yorkshire, West Brom and Coventry building societies have all sliced their rates to new lows, while high street lender HSBC has launched several cheaper deals for those with a reasonable slug of equity.

The most expensive place to buy a house and commute into London included Oxshott in Surrey, while one of the cheapest is Chatham in Kent, according to the study by estate agents Savills.

A further fifth of executors were warned before someone's death, but only after a will was already written, making it awkward for them to refuse the role, according to Co-op Legal Services.

This Lamborghini Huracan is the ultimate ski resort car

Just three months after creating what he calls the 'MONSTER Huracan', the former professional winter-sport athlete turned YouTube star has decided to put his ski-ready supercar up for sale. Costing in excess of £300,000 to build, he's asking for £210,000 for the car, which has covered 2,360 miles in total.

The firm revealed rising sales in the six months to December, thanks to growing popularity of its key brands.Sales in the six months to November 30 increased by 15 per cent to £14m.

More than 1.72 million vehicles were built in Britain during 2016 - up 8.5 per cent on the previous year and the highest figure since 1999.

'Flash boys' defeated over 1,000ft radio masts

Flash traders have had their bid to build a giant telecoms mast on the Kent coast turned down by councillors. Dover District Council rejected the bid by two secretive American high-frequency trading firms to build two masts taller than the Eiffel Tower, which is 1,063ft high to its tip. Vigilant Global - which is owned by Chicago trading firm DRW - and New Line Networks - which is part owned by New York firm Jump Trading - wanted to each build a radio mast in Richborough, north of Sandwich, to increase trading speeds between London and Frankfurt.

BT profits plunge 37% as European chief exits

A source at BT said: 'Corrado is leaving the business, this happened on his watch.' PwC, BT's auditor, is also facing questions over how it failed to spot the wrongdoing. BT is engulfed in a accounting scandal which has seen £8billion wiped off its value this week.

Retail is a tough game these days. Spiralling business rates; the living wage; online behemoths like Amazon ruthlessly undercutting you at every turn.

Employers are getting guidance ahead of regulations that come into force in April forcing firms to report on their gender pay gap.

The US economy grew by 1.6 per cent in 2016 - the weakest pace since 2011 and well behind the 2 per cent rate of expansion seen in the UK.

Drone group Strat Aero has stalled badly over the past few months, and this week it hit more turbulence as it raised £380,000 through a heavily discounted share issue at 0.1p.

Can I be due full £155 state pension if I contracted out?

Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb is This Is Money's Agony Uncle. He is ready to answer your questions, whether you are still saving, in the process of stopping work, or juggling your finances in retirement. This week, a reader who thought he would get less than the full £155-a-week state pension is confused to find out otherwise.

Announcing a cull of 48 more branches, the Yorkshire revealed that holders of the popular N&P; Gold accounts would have to arrange their banking elsewhere over the next year.

The lender said only 483,000 customers switched to its account in 2016 compared to around a million the year before.

Ford Mustang flunks safety test as examiners blast UK cars

The UK version of the muscle car lacks 'basic life-saving technology,' say crash-test examiners who have condemned it by awarding the first 'two-star' rating for safety since 2008 - stating that it 'bucks the positive trend towards safer cars'. Orders have poured in for the Mustang since it went on sale in Britain, but safety watchdogs say Ford made a 'deliberate decision' to exclude key safety features that are available to consumers in the USA.

Ford confirms its new GT supercar will do 216mph

Ford confirmed the figures for its new GT supercar, pictured, in a long overdue announcement, claiming it'll be quicker than Ferrari's 458 Speciale and McLaren's 675LT. The sold-out car - which has been reserved only for the rich, famous and social influencers and could cost about $500,00, or £400,000 - will be capable of a staggering 216mph flat out. We reveal more details on the new Ford GT.

How YOU could lose thousands in a new email scam

Richard Barber, 69, a former editor of Ok! magazine, transferred £4,000 to his trusted Polish builder after an email from his usual address asked for cash upfront for a loft conversion. But five days later Richard discovered his builder's email account had been hacked and the money had gone to a fraudster's bank account. Because he handed over cash voluntarily he will not get it back and has been sent a cheque by Barclays for the £4.33 that was left over (pictured). The retired journalist is one of thousands of victims falling for sophisticated bank transfer scams, with no way of clawing back their cash.

Do It Digital's mission is to get the 20 per cent of SMEs who still aren't online - to embrace the internet. Google, eBay and the Federation of Small Businesses have all signed up to help.

Insurer is blaming me for an accident that I didn't have

On November  21, I parked in a multi-storey car park in Norwich. Three days later, I received a letter from my insurer, Hastings Direct, claiming I'd been in an accident. I phoned to say this was not the case. On December 9, I received a further letter saying their review had found I was responsible.

Britain's cash-strapped care system exposed

Today we can reveal that a lack of state funds has resulted in a giant £1.3 billion care home funding gap. This is being plugged by families who pay their own care bills, who are being charged £8,000 more a year than they should be to cover the shortfall. Local authorities have so little cash to look after our ageing population that they're trying to push through eye-watering council tax hikes.

Whether it's an elderly relative forced to sell their home to pay the exorbitant monthly fees or a wallet-busting 15 per cent increase in council tax bills in Surrey -there is no hiding place.

The perk introduced in April last year allows married couples to transfer one spouse's unused personal allowance to the other. Currently, if you earn under £11,000 you do not have to pay any income tax.

Customers of insurance firms UIA and Zenith are less likely to have a successful claim via their combined building and contents cover and Hiscox and Royal & Sun Alliance most likely, the FCA said.

Best cash Isa accounts online and on the High Street

Some deals let you make as many withdrawals as you want, then return the money to the account later in the tax year without busting your cash Isa allowance - but others don't. Similarly, some, but not all, will let you transfer your existing cash Isas to them. The confusion makes choosing an account a real slog and it's easy to pick the wrong one.

In an alarming new scam fraudsters intercept cheques sent through the post, change their names to that of the intended payee by deed poll - before cashing them in.

Freelancers and entrepreneurs have just six days left to file their returns before the January 31 deadline - or face an automatic £100 fine.

And the winner of our annual Wooden Spoon Award is... BT

Once again, BT has been crowned the winner of Money Mail's annual Wooden Spoon award and we were meeting the firm's bosses to find out what had gone wrong. It is the second year in a row the telecoms giant has scooped the crown for shoddy service - and it has now won three out of our last four Wooden Spoon awards.

Sky has confirmed that its line rental price will increase by £1.59 per month from March meaning the annual cost will be £227.88, £19.08 more than it is currently.

Some 391,978 18-year-olds were on the electoral roll in 2016, marking a 27 per cent increase compared to the previous year, data collected by credit rating agency Experian suggests.

How do I turn cash and investments into retirement income?

In our series Money Pit Stop, we ask an investing expert to give one of our readers a free portfolio makeover. This week, a 60-year-old fireman and former postman, who has built up a healthy portfolio, with £152,000 in investments, £183,000 in cash and some buy-to-lets, wants to boost his retirement income and fund future holidays.

The Crit-Air scheme now in force in Paris requires all vehicles to display a round sticker in the windscreen to confirm which emissions group the vehicle fits into.

Flights have been cancelled at London Heathrow, City and Gatwick airports while icy road surfaces and poor visibility also hit commuters trying to travel by road.

Holidaymakers urged to check small print of winter sports 

Of the 880 annual travel insurance policies on the market only 15 per cent include winter sports cover as standard and just four per cent of single policies do according to new research. Travelling without the right cover could leave holidaymakers out of pocket by thousands if they have to pay out for medical costs.

The Amazon Platinum Mastercard pays one point for every £2 spent on the card with a boosted rate of 1.5 points for every £2 spent with the online retailer.

Some £124million were stolen by hackers and criminals over the internet last year - a 1,266 per cent jump compared to 2015, according to a report by KPMG.

I lent a friend £25k, now he's ignoring me, what can I do?

When I lent my friend the £25,000 I never thought there would be a problem with him paying me back, as we both agreed I would need it by the time I retired, and I didn't know he was struggling with money. As we're so close it's very hard to ask for the money back, but I'm now worried I won't see it again.

Magnet kitchen worktop is disintegrating but it won't help

The laminate kitchen worktop tiles were installed a year ago but they have started to wear away in several places. Magnet says this is acceptable wear and tear and won't give me a refund or let me exchange the tiles but I disagree as the tiles are only a year old.

My TV was smashed by ‘Parcel Farce’

Parcel Force asked us to submit several documents including receipts and photos and then told us it didn't cover televisions in its compensation scheme, even though we sent the TV from Coverntry to Northumberland in its original packaging.

Rolls-Royce reveals seven unique cars it made in 2016

Rolls-Royce built and delivered a total of 4,011 vehicles last year. No two cars leaving its British factory at Goodwood are ever exactly alike. But these seven cars are extraordinarily tailored to the requests of buyers. From tiger-themed armrests to champagne tables in the boot, take a look at some of the surprising requests customers made in the last 12 months.

Fourteen ways to get fit without spending a fortune

Adults are advised by the National Health Service to do 150 minutes of weekly physical activity to keep healthy. If you fancy getting fit for less, or even for free, try our 14-step guide to keeping down the cost of workouts and gym membership.

50 ways to save money....

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.

Pick the best (and cheapest) investment Isa platform

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.

L Board sign on the rear of a blue saloon car , UK

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.

On the up: Emerging markets such as Brazil are where much of the world's growth is expected to be over future years.

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

Income investing: Dividends can deliver both a healthy boost to long-term growth and a way to earn from your investments.

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.

After the turbulence of 2016, many investors will be wondering what this year could possibly have in store for them. Here, three experts pick funds they believe could be winners.

How much money do I need to save for my pension?

The amount you can save into a pension ultimately depends on what you can afford - but the longer you leave it the more you will need to save. We tend to put ambitious targets on our hoped-for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. So how much should you save?

Even at a time when we are stretching our finances further to afford a home, moving less, and pushing mortgages beyond 30 years, we still remain captivated by two-year fixed rate deals.

When will UK interest rates rise?

An interest rate cut before the end of the year looks less likely following the plunge in the pound. However, the Bank of England has indicated that higher inflation driven by rising import costs won't make it lift rates.

Handy Brexit table explains options for the UK's EU exit

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. But a clever table put together by HSBC cleaves some clarity from the murk.

What next for mortgage rates?

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

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

Best paid jobs and biggest pay rises of 2016 revealed

Compare your pay to the national average and see whether your employer treated you to a pay rise in line with the the rest of your profession. Farmers, care and air travel assistants were big winners on the pay scales in 2016. Travel agents, careers advisers and probation officers lost out.

Premium Bonds winners

January 2017
Prize value Winning bond No. Area
£1,000,000 246AD564653 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
£1,000,000 244PR471632 West Sussex
£100,000 95QV191662 North Yorkshire
£100,000 200BA464300 Hertfordshire
£100,000 19RC263145 Outer London
£50,000 34FS057524 North Yorkshire
£50,000 247ZK817797 Berkshire
£50,000 233MD060953 Northern Ireland
£50,000 217DZ763847 Surrey
£50,000 122EE745522 Gloucestershire
£50,000 120EK701941 Overseas
More Premium Bonds winners
   

MOST READ MONEY

Tourist rates

Currency Rate Buy now
Updated 30 Jan 2017.
Euro 1.148 Buy Now
US Dollar 1.228 Buy Now
Australian Dollar 1.621 Buy Now
Canadian Dollar 1.611 Buy Now
Chinese Yuan 8.285 Buy Now
Croatian Kuna 8.494 Buy Now
Czech Koruna 30.95 Buy Now
Danish Krone 8.489 Buy Now
Egyptian Pound 16.27 Buy Now
Hong Kong Dollar 9.478 Buy Now
Hungarian Forint 353.8 Buy Now
Icelandic Króna 135.9 Buy Now
Israeli New Shekel 4.551 Buy Now
Japanese Yen 141.7 Buy Now
Malaysian Ringgit 6.2624 Buy Now
Mexican Peso 25.51 Buy Now
New Turkish Lire 4.595 Buy Now
New Zealand Dollar 1.695 Buy Now
Norwegian Krone 10.19 Buy Now
Polish Zloty 4.942 Buy Now
Singapore Dollar 1.748 Buy Now
South African Rand 16.4 Buy Now
Sterling 1.0 Buy Now
Swedish Krona 10.8 Buy Now
Swiss Franc 1.229 Buy Now
Thai Baht 42.65 Buy Now
UAE Dirham 4.492 Buy Now

Monthly Or Lump Sum Savings Calculator

Monthly savings plan

Find out how much a regular monthly savings scheme could make me.

Results
Or lump sum investments

Calculate how much a lump sum investment could be worth.

Result

Mortgage Affordability Calculator

Your monthly payment

Enter how much you plan to borrow and find out your monthly bill. Assumes interest calculated annually.

Result
Your total mortgage

Enter the amount you can afford to pay monthly (eg. your current rent) to find out how much you can borrow...

Result
Are you over-stretching

How much of your income goes on your mortgage?

Result