Money

EE, owned by BT, beats all rival networks when it comes to reliable mobile signal, according to an independent research across 267,000 miles of the UK. Of the four major networks - EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three – O2 performed the worst across all categories, according to the RootMetrics data.

Although cash Isas don't currently offer fantastic rates, it is still worthwhile opening one to shield money away from the taxman. Our savings correspondent Lee Boyce picks his five favourite cash Isas for savers in 2018 - essential reading to help you choose a top savings account for your money. This page is kept up-to-date throughout the year - bookmark it for the very latest developments.

Pensioners could be given a tax break to pay for their own care under plans being considered by the Treasury. Westminster officials are weighing up a move to allow tax-free withdrawals from retirement savings to solve the care funding crisis. Pensioners would have to use the cash to buy a care insurance policy that would pay out if they needed care later in life.

Four new Beatrix Potter coins will enter circulation this year adding to the eight that have been released in 2016 and 2017. The four coins will feature Peter Rabbit, Flopsy Bunny, Mrs Tittlemouse and a helpful mouse from The Tailor of Gloucester. Interest in the coins in recent years have seen many Britons attempt to collect the set.

I have received an email from ADVFN that offers an investment bond yielding 16 per cent a year. The bond is from a company called Apex Algorithms that has been managing funds for at least seven years. The investment looks safe as it is secured against assets, just like a mortgage, but this leaves me wondering why the yield is as high as 16 per cent. Have you heard anything about this?

The consequences, they say, could be dire with homes potentially losing their power supply and hackers selling stolen details to criminals. Fraud is also a worry if hackers are able to inflate meter readings and intercept payments. Tackling the security concerns is the key reason why the introduction of new-style SMETS 2 smart meters is already three years overdue. One expert has told us that poor smart meter technology has created a 'Trojan horse' for criminals to use.

The takeover left Capital boss Clive Watson with unfinished business. He had not sought the deal and felt as if Capital had much more potential for growth. Within months of the Greene King swoop, Watson was back in the game with a new venture, City Pub Group. The business joined Aim last November at 170p a share, the price rose to 181p but has now dropped back to 167p. At this level, the stock is a bargain.

German investment bank Berenberg downgraded to the bank to 'sell', arguing that the outlook for the firm looks bleaker than it did a few months ago. Berenberg already downgraded the AA in October over worries that investment in its IT systems and insurance division would cause costs to spiral. In a note to investors yesterday, Berenberg warned that AA could be forced to cut its dividend on Wednesday.

KPMG, which has been appointed as administrator, said 266 jobs out of the total 302 have already been axed. Only 36 staff have been retained to help wind down the company, however it is expected that these positions will also be axed. The directors of Russell Hume said that the food investigation, and consequent halting of production, had 'created impossible trading conditions' for the company, basically forcing it into administration.

Rising rates are often painted as bad news but for many a world in which they go up will look more enjoyable. What would be even more pleasurable is being paid more, so is Britain finally about to break out of its money's too tight to mention phase and get a pay rise? We discuss what we can do about it and how to look on the bright side of rising interest rates.

Mortgages may currently be cheap, but it will not be long before rates start climbing. While this spells bad news for many homeowners, it represents a double whammy for those borrowers who do not meet standard lending criteria. Being newly qualified or near retirement can make you a 'mortgage misfit'...but don't worry, the good news is that there are lenders prepared to take on borrowers who are not quite the norm. There are also steps you can take to improve your chance of getting accepted for a home loan.

Tony Dearsley was left stunned when he was told he could keep his lifetime pet cover - but only if he was prepared to pay an annual premium three times higher than the year before, a staggering £7,410. He believes the sum demanded was a 'push off' premium, designed to persuade him to lapse cover because the insurer no longer wanted to cover his ageing dogs.

When stock markets tumble, the temptation can be to take your money out and head for safety. But experts say there are plenty of opportunities for investors to make money amid the stock market turbulence of recent weeks. Higher-than-expected US inflation figures this week led to another wobble in share prices, although prices have staged a recovery since.

With destinations around the world seeing their currencies fall, you can make your pound stretch further this winter in top jet-set locations like Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. New figures by Post Office Travel Money show that the pound is up against 80 per cent of the UK's top 14 overseas holiday currencies. But, for those looking for a short-haul trip to Europe, the picture looks 'patchier' and your pound won't stretch as far than a year ago.

It may be the 'Year of the Dog' for China, but for investors looking to avoid the bite of market falls and economic turmoil - is the Asian nation a good bet for 2018?

The black mark had been put on his records following a failed mortgage application a year earlier. It only came to light after the reader failed background checks for two jobs, leaving him unemployed and in the dark about what was being held against him. The case raises real questions about what information is held about Britons without their knowledge, and their ability to contest it.

Economists now say that the Bank of England will raise rates in May and that they will edge up faster than previously thought. The perception is often that higher rates are bad news but for many people rate rises - or the environment which causes them to go up - are a good thing.

It may not seem like a grand romantic gesture, but making sure your spouse is financially comfortable in retirement, will go a long way towards securing your future happiness together. Here are our top tips.

Anyone who has looked at buying a property with the intention of renting it to a family member will know it's not easy. But now a new family buy-to-let mortgage has been launched by Mansfield BS that actively targets those who may want to rent a home to their children - or perhaps even their parents.

Biotechnology is an exciting industry, where technology creates medicine tailored to individuals. We interview Carl Harald Janson, the manager of International Biotechnology Trust and a qualified medical doctor. He explains what biotechnology is, how it works and what he looks for when investing in companies that could change healthcare over the next decades.

I transferred my internet service to TalkTalk recently, but within an hour or so, I lost broadband and landline connections completely. Since then, I've had to rely on a very old mobile phone and use our local church's landline. I have written several times, but received back only impersonal, unsigned and computer-generated responses. I decided eventually to cancel the service. Even though I had no landline for several weeks, I have received a bill for £299.55. I believe I'm owed compensation, but TalkTalk continues to send me bills.

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.

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.

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?