Fancy getting your hands of a free National Trust ticket?

Following on from a hugely successful autumn pass giveaway in 2023, the National Trust once again have FREE family passes available.

You can currently get free entry to National Trust sites across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For a limited time, you can nab a free ticket, which allows entry to a huge number of historical and interesting sites for you and the family. All you need to do is sign up via the Daily Mirror here and you’ll get your pass emailed to you.

The best part? The ticket allows for up to two adults and four children to enter a National Trust site for free. Yes, you read that correctly. You can get free entry for six people. Adults, of course, are those aged 18 years and over, and children count as those aged between five and 17 years old. Those under the age of five get free entry to National Trust properties anyway. 

Make sure you double check the website of the property you are going to in advance, as some of them require you to book prior to the date of your visit. If you do not book for certain properties, you may not be guaranteed entry. 

There are also some exclusions, and some National Trust venues are not included in the promotion. You can see all the exclusions here. Make sure to double-check the list prior to arriving to avoid having to pay for a ticket! 

You can get your free ticket now and use it anytime up to Friday 14th June 2024.

Tickets are limited, however. The offer will continue on until the number of allocated tickets have been claimed, or until 15th May 2-24, whichever is sooner. Get your ticket here. 

The tickets are valid Monday to Sunday, so you can enjoy your visit any day of the week, but not Bank Holiday weekends. The pass can also be used within any of the advertised opening hours for the property you want to visit. However, some sites may have parking charges, which you will still need to pay. The ticket covers entry to the site only. 

The tickets are not valid at external National Trust events where an additional entry fee is required, and the tickets are not valid in conjunction with any other offer. You can read the full T&Cs here. 

So, whether you fancy Castle Ward, a unique 18th-century mansion in Downpatrick, County Down or want to roam freely in an ancient royal hunting forest such as Hatfield Forest in Essex, there is bound to be something for everyone to enjoy. 

The post FREE National Trust Family Pass Worth £50 appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Inflation

“figures show that forecasts from OBR say inflation was 11% when he and Rishi Sunak took office (not mentioning that that was after a number of years of Conservative government.)

The latest figures show inflation at 4%, and the OBR forecasts show it falling below the 2% target in ‘just a few months time’ – a year earlier than forecast in the autumn statement. However, it’s easy for the Chancellor to say this. Currently mortgage rates are going up with indicates that lenders assume inflation, and therefor interest rates, will stay high for a while. We will see in a few months time if the Chancellor is right or just ‘talking the talk’.

Debt Support

For people taking advance loans, he will increase the repayment programme from 12 months to 24 months, he says.

For some people a Debt Relief Order will help. But they cost £90, he says. He will abolish that charge.

Jasmine Birtles says “as the patron of the debt charity Community Money Advice, I am very pleased to see this stupid charge dropped. Right now there are thousands of people needing a Debt Relief Order and many can’t get one as they have no money…of course! So scrapping this is an obvious and helpful move.”

Duty Freeze

Alcohol Duty Freeze has been extended

Fuel

Hunt claims that “if I did nothing fuel duty would raise by 13%” by not doing this and offering a freeze he is claiming action but is in fact doing nothing.

VAT Changes

Tens of thousands of businesses will not need to pay VAT from April as the threshold at which they have to charge VAT will go up from £85,000 to £95,000. Mr Hunt says that this is the first increase in seven years.

New British ISA

And the government will introduce a new “British ISA”, allowing investments of an extra £5,000 in British firms. This ISA allowance will be on top of the existing one.

Its focus will be only on UK assets. Michael Summergill chief executive of AJ Bell say that  The new British ISA is doomed to fail in those objectives – UK retail investors are already putting 50% of their ISA investments into UK assets so the additional allowance will not change investor behaviour” they go on to say that “The aim is laudable, but the British ISA is simply the wrong way to achieve it. If the aim is to boost investment in UK companies, the answer lies elsewhere. For example, extending the existing AIM exemption from stamp duty and/or inheritance tax to a wider pool of UK assets would actually have a meaningful impact.”

NHS Productivity

The government claims it will slash the 13m hours lost by doctors and nurses every year to outdated IT systems. “AI will be used to cut down form filling and operating theatre processes will be digitised”

The Chancellor claimed that antiquated systems delay care. He added: “We will slash the 13 million hours lost by doctors and nurses every year to outdated IT systems. We will use AI to cut down and potentially cut in half form filling by doctors. We will digitise operating theatre processes allowing the same number of consultants to do an extra 200,000 operations a year.

Child Benefit

Mr Hunt announced an increase in the threshold at which parents start paying the High Income Child Benefit Charge, from £50,000 to £60,000. Making almost half a million families better off by an average of almost £1300 per household.

Taxes

There will be a new tax on vaping products from October 2026 and also increase in tobacco taxes.

Tax relief on holiday lettings will be unfrozen to improve availability for long term letting.

Windfall tax will also be extended for energy companies.

Air Passenger Duty on non-economy flights will go up.

Income Tax Cut by 2p

From April 6 NI will be cut by 2p. From 10% to 8% and self-employed NICS from 8% to 6%.

Hunt claims, combined with the changes announced in the autumn statement, 27 million people will gain £900. And 2 million self-employed people will gain £650, the lowest tax since 1975 (Editor‘s note: in spite of a totally different taxation system in 1975 and VAT not even existing yet).

He says the OBR says this will put 200,000 more people in work. And it will increase GDP by 0.4%, he says.

The charity Turn2Us commented that “The reduction in National Insurance will not benefit those on the lowest incomes. What we need is a comprehensive overhaul of the relationship between our welfare system and its beneficiaries. Such reform should begin with adjusting benefits to adequately cover essential living costs and abolishing punitive, ineffective measures like the two-child limit and sanctions.” 

Taxing non-doms

From April 25 new arrivals to the UK will not pay any tax in first four years. After 4 years those who continue to live here will pay the same tax as other UK residents.

 Jasmine Birtles says:

“Honestly, I don’t think that anything Jeremy Hunt says in his Budget will swing the election in the Conservatives’ favour. He could dress up as Santa and distribute sweets for the next six months and it wouldn’t help! However, I would have expected more and bolder acts to improve our economy. He said himself, when cutting the higher rate of capital gains on property sales, that lower taxes would bring in more revenue because it would increase sales. Well, a similar thing happens with income tax where people spend more in the economy and also work harder because they will be able to keep more of the money they earn. I know that raising the income tax thresholds makes an initial big loss in tax revenue but it is quickly replaced by extra revenues from increased productivity. Tinkering with NI payments won’t cut it. We need bold moves starting with raising the income tax thresholds.”

The post Spring Statement 2024: The Key Points appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

· Asda reveals its latest ‘tap to win’ giveaway on the Asda Rewards app

· Every entry wins with prizes including 50p, £10 or £100 in cash pots or Home and General Merchandise coupons 

· Live now, customers can earn a game until 23rd February, and last chance to ‘tap to win’ is 3rd March with customers having until 8th March to spend coupons earned. 

Wednesday 7th March: Asda has announced it has over one million prizes to give away including Asda Rewards cash pot bonuses and coupons, to both new and loyal customers, by shopping its fantastic George general merchandise and homeware ranges.

The supermarket has launched a new ‘tap to win’ game in its Rewards app, giving customers a guaranteed cash pot bonus or money saving coupon for every qualifying purchase over a three-week period, between now and 23rd February. Last chance to ‘tap to win’ is 3rd March, with customers having until 8th March to spend any coupons.

To enter, customers need to buy at least one item across Home & Toys in store or online (excluding George.com), scan their Asda Rewards app and open their envelope in the Asda Rewards app to receive a prize. Prizes to be won include 50p, £10 or £100 added to their cash pots, or a fantastic savings coupon which will be added to their wallet in their Asda Rewards account. Coupons include £10 or £5 to spend on Homeware, £5 off a £10 Homeware spend or £2.00 toys voucher – plus many more.

The Home & Toys Instant Win follows the success of previous Asda Rewards tap to win games which have seen customers earn over £28 million in cash pots, and over 4m vouchers redeemed.

How to join the Asda Rewards scheme

To get started with Asda Rewards, you will need to download the Asda Rewards app on your mobile device. You can download it from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. It is easy and quick to download, meaning you can start receiving your rewards quickly.

When you shop online or in store, you can earn Asda Pounds. Simply scan the barcode on the app when you shop within a physical store. To earn online, make sure you are logged into your account at checkout. The Asda Pounds will cumulate and be added to a Cash Pot. This Cash Pot can then be converted into coupons to get money off your future food shops.

The post Tap to Win Thousands of Prizes with Asda appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Last month, we revealed that in 2023 Aldi dominated the top spot, with competitor LIDL only getting the top spot once for the whole year.

This month we take a look at whether ALDI will continue their reign of glory for 2024, or whether another supermarket is upping its budget game

And the for the small basket winner is… 

Nope they still have it …Aldi is still in on top!

Aldi was the cheapest of the eight UK biggest supermarkets, with a basket of items costing £76.77 on average, while Lidl was just 79p behind, with an average cost of £77.56, according to consumer group Which?.

Which also compared the cost of a larger trolley analysis, including a mix of 134 branded and own-brand items, Asdawas the cheapest once again this month (£328.15), followed by Morrison’swhich was £10.01 more expensive.

The analysis also showed that Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket for a big shop this month,  at £369.80 for the same list of groceries. Sainsbury’s was the next priciest, at £360.26 for those without a loyalty card – almost £10 cheaper than high-end Waitrose.

Once again, this analysis from Which? shows that considerable savings can be made by consumers, depending on where they tend to shop for food. Whilst more supermarkets are introducing discounts and value brands, more must be done to support consumers with rising food costs. 

Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said: 

“The price of food and drink has continued to soar as people suffer through the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. It’s no surprise to see many people turning to discounters like Aldi and Lidl when our research shows they could save up to £17 on a basket of everyday groceries by doing so. 

“Supermarkets aren’t currently doing enough to help shoppers. Which? believes the big retailers have a responsibility to ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, and to provide transparent and comparable pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.”  

The post The Cheapest Supermarket for 2024 is… appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

If you’re on a low income, or certain benefits, you can get a Cold Weather Payment from the government, as hundreds of postcodes in England and Wales will receive £25 over the next two weeks. 

What is a Cold Weather Payment?

The post Cold Weather Payment Available Due to Current UK Freeze appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

From 1st November until the end of February, Asda are offering people aged 60 and over the chance to enjoy soup, a roll and unlimited tea and coffees for just £1 in any of Asda’s 205 cafes. The retailer first launched Winter Warmers in November 2022 for two months in a bid to support older customers who were disproportionately affected by the spiralling living costs, with 65-to-74-year-olds experiencing a £163 year-on-year drop in disposable income in August 2022. The initiative saw over 650,000 £1 soup meals served, the retailer has extended the deal until February 28^th in 2024.

The offer is available all day, every day and will run alongside the Kids eat for £1’ offer which continues to be hugely popular, with more than 2.6 million meals served since its launch in June 2022, and over 180,000 in the last four weeks alone.

The latest figures from Asda’s income tracker reveal that 40% of the lowest earning households are still experiencing negative disposable income in September, meaning that their income does not cover what they need to spend on bills and other essentials.

Kris Comerford, Asda’s Chief Commercial Officer said: “We know winter is set to be incredibly hard for thousands of pensioners as they continue to worry about how to keep themselves warm in the face of rising living costs and on a fixed income.

“Last year we served over 650,000 meals to the over 60’s in two months, by bringing the initiative back for 2023 and extending it until February we hope it will prove just as impactful across the winter months for those who need it most.”

In addition to the Winter Warmers, the Kids Eat for £1 meal deal continues to be popular with families, now serving over 2.6 million meals since it’s launch back in June 2022.

Selected Asda stores also run a ‘Community Cuppa’ campaign in our cafes by creating space for community groups who may otherwise struggle to meet due to rental costs or high energy costs. Spaces will be available on weekdays in November and December from 2pm to 6pm and all community group members who visit will receive unlimited free tea or coffee.

The post Asda’s ‘Winter Warmer’ £1 Meal For Over 60’s appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

The energy price cap- the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of energy used – will fall from £2074 to £1,923 from October 1, but it’s still much higher than we’re used to and likely to remain so for some time. 

If fear you’ll struggle to keep your home warm this winter, here are some ways to get financial assistance across the UK. 

Household Support Fund 

In April The Department of Works and Pensions extended the funds availability to March 2024 and injected an additional £842 million to help those most in need with essential food and energy costs. 

Local Authorities have discretion on exactly how the funding is used by drawing from local knowledge and there is no set criteria for who is eligible but the grant is for those in the community most in need of financial help. 

You should contact your local council or take a look at their website to see what they offer and how to apply.  

Council Tax Discounts 

You might not realise it but you could be eligible to get money off your council tax bill.  If there is only one adult in the household you could get 25% off under the single person discount.  This includes if you are single and have a live in carer, only eligible adult with students in your home. 

Any adult diagnosed with a severe mental impairment who has a live-in carer is eligible for a 50% discount.  If they are living alone they will be eligible for a 100% discount. 

If you are on a low income or claim benefits then your household could qualify for a reduction up to 100%. 

If you’re home has been adapted for someone disabled this could potentially enable you to drop a tax band. 

Go to the www.gov.uk site and it explains how to apply for a council tax discount.  Sometimes payments can even be backdated, so check it out. 

You never know!  

Warm Home Discount Scheme 

If you get benefits, including universal credit, the guarantee part of pension credit, housing benefit or income based jobseekers allowance, you could get £150 off your electricity bill or £150 added to your prepayment meter.  

You will need to show that you have high energy costs so use the government’s online tool to see if you are likely to be eligible, www.gov.uk 

You don’t need to apply for the scheme – payments are automatic if you meet the criteria and you are with one of the following suppliers who are in the scheme. 

• Affect Energy   
• Boost  
• British Gas  
• Bulb Energy  
• Co-op Energy  (now part of Octopus) 
• E (Gas and Electricity)  
• E.ON Next  
• Ecotricity   
• EDF Energy  
• Good Energy 
• Octopus Energy  
• Outfox the Market   
• OVO  
• Rebel Energy   
• Sainsbury’s Energy   
• ScottishPower  
• Shell Energy Retail  
• So Energy  
• SSE (now Ovo) 
• Utilita  
• Utility Warehouse  
• 100Green (previously Green Energy UK) 
• Housing Benefit  
• income based Jobseeker’s Allowance  
• income related Employment and Support Allowance  
• Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits  
• Income Support
  

Fuel Vouchers 

If you can’t afford to top up your prepayment meter or you don’t use gas or electricity to heat your home, you could get a fuel voucher.  You will receive a code in a letter, text or email and this will allow you to credit your gas card or electricity key.  If you don’t have one of those contact your supplier to get one. 

Vouchers can be used at shops signed up to PayPoint or Payzone or a Post Office.  You’ll need to take your code and instructions with you as well as a form of ID like a passport or bill with your name and address. 

Check the expiry date on the voucher as some have to be used within 15 days.  Contact your local Citizens Advice office if you need help.   

Winter Fuel Payment 

This is an annual one-off payment to help you pay for heating during the winter for households with someone born on or before 24 September 1957. 

You could get between £250 and £600. The amount you will get incudes a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, this is between £150 to £300.  You’ll get this extra amount in winter 2023/2024.  If you are eligible you will get a letter in October or November to let you know how much you’ll get. 

Cold Weather Payments 

Cold Weather Payments are one-off payments to help you pay for extra heating costs when it’s very cold.  

You’ll get a £25 payment each time the temperature drops to 0 degrees or below for seven consecutive days between November 1 and March 31.  To be eligible you need to be receiving pension credit, income support, income based jobseekers allowance, income related employment and support allowance, universal credit or support for mortgage interest. 

If you’re eligible, you’ll get paid automatically. Go to the www.gov.uk website for further guidance. 

Energy Debt Grants 

If you find yourself getting behind with your energy bills, you could get a grant to help pay it off from your supplier.  Find your supplier below to see what they offer.  

British Gas Energy Trust  

Scottish Power Hardship Fund 

Ovo Energy Fund 

E.ON Energy Fund 

E.ON Next Energy Fund 

EDF Energy Customer Support Fund 

Octopus Octo Assist Fund 

If your supplier isn’t listed then charisgrants.com have partnered with UK energy companies to support household through the Let’s Talk Energy Fund, and you may find some additional help there.  

If you are a pensioner, registered disabled, have a hearing or visual impairment or suffer from long term ill health, then sign up to the Priority Services Register (PSR), it’s a free service which provides extra advice and support to vulnerable households including things like if there is a power cut. 

Local Energy Grants 

Always remember to check what your local councils are offering, if you don’t look you won’t know what you could get.  they may have ways to improve your home’s efficiency  whether it’s grants for boilers or insulation. 

And Don’t Forget 

If you’re struggling with money, there are things you can do to save on your regular living costs. Check what to do if you need help with living costs.  

If you’re finding it hard to pay your bills, you can get help. Find out more about getting help with your bills.  

You can also get help with debts.  

If you’re struggling to pay for food, find out how to get help from a food bank. 

The post The Energy Grants Edition: All the support available to help you pay your energy bills 2023 appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Today, Pepco Group, the owner of Poundland, has announced they will be taking over 71 Wilko shops across the UK. The leases will be taken over, and the stores will be converted into Poundland stores.

Barry Williams, Managing Director at Poundland, has suggested current staff at the doomed Wilko will have first priority when filling vacancies in the new shops.

Last week, retail giant B&M has agreed to buy 51 stores from Wilko administrators – for a whopping £13 million. A previous bid from M2 Capital – who previously bought HMV stores – fell through last week, leaving many worried. It’s believed this deal – to buy up to 300 of the spaces – collapsed due to Wilko’s debts to suppliers. 

However, now retail park favourite B&M has announced they will be taking over more than 50 stores across the UK, with more details on opening dates to come alongside B&M’s half-year financial results this November. 

B&M currently runs a staggering 1,150 stores across the UK and in France, and the purchased Wilko stores are expected to rebrand as B&M.  

Currently, it is unknown what will happen to the remaining few Wilko stores. HMV owner Doug Putman is still in talks to take over some stores, however there is an anxious wait for thousands of Wilko employees currently facing redundancy. When the firm announced administration back in August, it employed over 12,500 people. 

Just last week, almost 270 employees at the Wilko support centre lost their jobs in the company’s head offices. 

It is still unknown which Wilko stores have been bought by B&M, and the locations are being kept under wraps. There is also much discussion being had about the location of the current stores. Wilko stores tend to be in town and city centres – beneficial for those without cars. However, most B&M stores are just out of these locations, in retail parks. So, will B&M create a new, inner-city mode of retail for themselves? 

The sale of the 51 Wilko stores is believed to be enough to settle some of the current debt held by the business and will also be able to pay for staff wages and other business costs. 

Here at MoneyMagpie, we will keep you in the loop with all the latest updates on this huge deal. As the discount giants B&M and Poundland take over a chunk of the Wilko stores, will other competitors step forward to snap up these locations? 

The post B&M & Poundland to buy up Wilko stores appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

In the 2022 Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled cost of living help for millions across the UK. It was revealed people would receive up to £1,350 directly into their bank accounts, starting from spring of this year. 

The cost-of-living payments announced by Mr Hunt include a £900 sum for those on benefits, £300 for pensioners and £150 for those with disabilities. It is unlikely that households will qualify for all three payments. However, if you do, you will automatically be paid the full amount of £1,350. 

If you claim pension credit, attendance allowance and are eligible for the winter fuel payment, you will receive the amount in full, directly into your bank account. You do not need to ask for the help – the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will get in touch with you. 

Eligibility requirements, bank codes to look for on your bank statement and exact dates for the payments will be announced nearer to spring time. All payments are tax-free and do not count toward your benefits cap. This means it will not have an impact on the benefits you receive. 

• Spring
• Summer
• August Bank Holiday
• Autumn
• Winter
• Spring 2024

Spring

From spring of this year, the first £300 of the £900 cost of living payment was paid directly into claimants’ bank accounts. The payment was split into three instalments. Over eight million people will have received this into their bank accounts. 

To be eligible, households must have been claiming at least one of the following benefits: 

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance 
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance 
• Income Support 
• Pension Credit 
• Tax Credits (Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit) 
• Housing Benefit 
• Social Fund (Sure Start Maternity Grant, Funeral Payment, Cold Weather Payment) 
• Universal Credit 

Summer

Over six million people with disabilities across the UK will receive a payment of £150 during the warmer months. As of yet, it is unknown what the exact eligibility criteria or date will be. However, the previous £150 cost of living payments were available to those receiving at least one of the following: 

• Attendance Allowance 
• Constant Attendance Allowance 
• Disability Living Allowance for adults 
• Disability Living Allowance for children 
• Personal Independence Payment 
• Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland) 
• Child Disability Payment (in Scotland) 
• Armed Forces Independence Payment 
• War Pension Mobility Supplement 

August Bank Holiday

The usual state pension support was paid out in August. The August Bank Holiday on Monday 28, however, meant those expecting to receive payment were paid the working day earlier – likely Friday 25 August.

This applied to those expecting to receive the following in August:

Autumn

As the weather turns chilly again, the second £300 cost of living payment will be paid to those eligible. Exact dates to be released in due course. 

Winter

Across the UK, millions of pensioners will receive another £300 payment. It is still unknown whether households will qualify for this payment if they usually receive the Winter Fuel Payment. 

Previously, you qualified for the last Pensioner Cost of Living payment if: 

• You were born on or before September 25, 1956 
• You lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 2022 (ie September 19 to 25, 2022) in what is known as the ‘qualifying week’. 

Spring 2024

Next spring – although it seems a lifetime away – a further £299 cost of living payment will be made.

Further details for qualifying criteria will be announced nearer the time, according to the DWP. 

The post When will you receive the cost of living payments? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

You have just six days – until August 28 – to make HMRC aware that your 16-year-old is continuing their education in some way, otherwise your payments will stop.

You should have received a letter warning you that Child Benefit will stop now your child has turned 16, but life is busy – and it can be easy to forget to update HMRC on your child’s plans. Forgetting to do this paperwork could be an expensive mistake – with the cost of living at a high, losing Child Benefit unnecessarily could be detrimental to many.

Child Benefit is currently worth £1,248 each year for the first child and £826 per year for additional children – a massive help for many, especially with the rising costs of food and clothing.

Alice Guy, Head of Pensions and Savings, interactive investor said:

“Children are still eligible for Child Benefit who are studying full time, which can include, A-levels, International Baccalaureate, home education – if it started before their child turned 16 or after 16 if they have special needs, T levels, NVQs up to Level 3 and traineeships in England.

“Although parents earning between £50,000 to £60,000 will start to lose their Child Benefit, it can still be worth claiming. Your pension contributions reduce your contributions as far as the taxman is concerned, so you may be entitled to keep at least some of your Child Benefit.”

The post Has your child turned 16? Act now to keep claiming Child Benefit! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.