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Energy suppliers accused of hindering smart meter scheme after failing to follow Ofgem rules

The smart meter rollout has suffered another blow after it was revealed that nine small suppliers have not yet signed up to be Data Communications Company (DCC) users.




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In an energy fix? You CAN move before energy prices go up over the next two months  

A total of 77 cheap deals are set to finish at the end of January or February meaning consumers will be shunted on to their provider's more expensive standard energy tariff.




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Four simple ways to cut energy usage to reduce bills and emissions

The power to reduce bills and emissions is in the hands of households. The Energy Saving Trust has four simple changes to help towards doing just that.




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Airtime Rewards: Could this app bring down your mobile bill?

Airtime Rewards, which has over 550,000 members, lets users get up to 10% back on purchases at certain retailers with the savings then used to reduce their mobile bill.




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World league table of monthly broadband costs 2020

Thanks to lower average speeds compared to much of Europe, Britain came 23rd out of 29 countries in Western Europe for value for money with a cost of 82p per 1Mbps of bandwidth, per month.




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Rise in households signing up to new energy tariffs on their doorstep

The number of customers who switched to a new deal following a face-to-face sales pitch rose by 38 per cent to 1.1million in the year to October, according to analysts Cornwall Insight.




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Mobile users unwittingly clicking on sites that push monthly fees

At some point on October 15, 2015, possibly in the dead of night while waiting for my then one-year-old to go back to sleep, two clicks on my mobile phone cost me £615, says JOANNA TWEEDY.




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Broadband customers are still paying £9m more A DAY than needed

Broadband customers are still paying £9m a day more than they should, according to data from check and challenge site, Is My Bill Fair.




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Five ways for shoppers to get the best price on an item they want

Televisions were the item that varied the most in price via retailer with the average price difference of £364.77, according to the price comparison website, Idealo.




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The best and worst firms in Britain for broadband, TV, mobile and landline 

Vodafone is the most complained about broadband, mobile and landline provider, new data has revealed. It is the second quarter in a row it has been voted the worst for broadband.




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Five MILLION in broadband slow lane can get more speed... for less cash 

Internet providers are ripping off up to five million customers with a shoddy snail's pace service - when they should be paying less for a faster broadband.




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DEALS OF THE WEEK: From half-price personalised pillows to free eye tests and discounted coffees

This week's deals include: half price personalised pillow costing £17.50, 50p off the cost of a coffee at Pret a Manger, a free eye test at Specsavers and a 'free' audiobook from the Amazon service Audible.




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Small energy firms top the energy satisfaction table: But where did your supplier rank? 

Octopus Energy has taken the top spot in Which?'s satisfaction survey yet again as small and medium sized energy suppliers dominate the rankings.




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Ovo Energy to pay out £8.9m after overcharging customers

Ofgem says Ovo has agreed to pay the voluntary redress after some customers were undercharged while some were overcharged due to problems with its IT systems.




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Car insurance is the most switched financial product of the decade

Proving that the 2010s was the decade households embraced switching, 80% moved at least one financial product to a rival firm in the 2010s, according to data from Go Compare.




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We reveal the 12 tips you can use to keep your energy bills low 

Fuel poverty is a problem that still affects thousands of Britons every year, resulting in an estimated 16,500 deaths in the winter of 2017 to 2018 - an average of 175 a day.




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GiffGaff makes changes to pay-as-you-go: Best 2020 mobile deals

GiffGaff is increasing costs for its standard pay as you go customers - whilst simultaneously providing bigger allowances for those who purchase its 'goodybag' bundles.




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Can smart home tech lower your insurance premiums? We ask insurers

Those who have the latest technology installed - could, in theory - pay lower premiums thanks to enhanced safety. But is this the view of the major insurers?




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Don't rush to rip out your landline - it could pay you to WAIT for the wireless 5G revolution

For better and for worse, our lives have been revolutionised by the internet. But a new high-tech innovation known as 5G is set to transform everything once again.




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Big Six customers jet off to San Francisco with energy savings

Currently, 1.9 million Eon customers could be missing out on £283 by staying on a standard variable tariff, the equivalent of a return flight to San Francisco.




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Is Loop energy saving assistant better than a smart meter?

A new energy saving assistant is claiming that it can help users save money, electricity and the planet - but insists it isn't the same as smart meters.




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Veganuary: Would you pay £13 for 27g of watermelon 'meat?'

Watermelon is the tuna or steak, restaurants would have you believe. But just how much of the bland fruit do you get for your buck - and is it all a step too far?




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How £25bn a year is wasted on subscriptions Britons don't use

The typical adult spends £496 on regular payments each month, but £39 heads for unused direct debits, standing orders and recurring card payments, according to NatWest.




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EE tops mobile league table for data speed and reliability

EE recorded the fastest median download speed across the UK at an impressive 36.5Mbps - nearly double as fast as the second best speed of 19.8Mbps, delivered by Vodafone.




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Gyms classes that encourage parents to work out with their children

There are an increasing number of gyms offering more personal, family friendly classes that mean you don't need to ditch your child in a crèche and pay more.




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Five foolproof tips to spotting fake reviews on the internet

Negative reviews can make or break a business with 94% of people saying an online review has convinced them to avoid a business altogether.




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The eco boilers that cost £5K a year: A 'green' energy deal gone wrong

Lisa McGregor, pictured with three of her five children, saw her bills jump to more than £100 a week after Falkirk Council installed a new, eco-friendly boiler in her council property.




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My Farm Fresh Box: I was charged £50 for leaving negative review

A frustrated customer has revealed that she was charged £50 after writing a supposedly negative review about a food subscription service she had ordered a free trial from.




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ScS told me I was sitting on my new sofa wrong after it sagged

A disgruntled couple have been left fuming by a furniture giant that claimed they were sitting on their new sofa incorrectly after complaining about it sagging




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Claim your marriage tax allowance before April or lose as much as £212

Introduced in 2015, marriage allowance entitles non-taxpayers to transfer up to 10 per cent of their annual personal allowance to a partner who pays 20 per cent basic rate tax.




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How to stop PayPal picking your pocket when you sell on eBay

American payment giant PayPal stands accused of 'pickpocketing' tens of thousands of people every month who turn their clutter into hard cash.




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Millions of unused Tesco Clubcard vouchers expire at the end of February

Tesco customers are advised to check their Clubcard vouchers this month after the supermarket revealed that millions of unused vouchers are set to expire at the end of February.




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Ski hell taught me not to cut corners on insurance, says LUCY WHITE

When Lucy White broke two vertebrae in a skiing accident in the French Alps, she was relieved to have bought insurance. But two hours after calling the emergency line, she was still being left on hold.




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New insurance rules could save holidaymakers with pre-existing medical conditions up to 40%

Millions of travellers with pre-existing medical conditions should soon be able to find appropriate cover more easily, according to new rules from the Financial Conduct Authority.




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Lotto players encouraged to double check their slip as they could win a free lucky dip

Many might not know that matching two numbers on a Lotto ticket means that they are eligible for a free lucky dip ticket - with reader managed to bag £109 from three numbers this way.




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BT customers will see broadband and mobile rise 1.3%

The telecoms giant is now using the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation for bill rises. Last year, it froze prices while it says it has never used inflation-linked rises in the past.




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Broadband customers are seeing their bills increase by as much as 89% when their contract ends

Out of the 68% of customers hit with a price rise, some providers even increased prices by as much as 89%, according to data from Which?.




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Can a Fitbit help you lose weight and improve your fitness?

Since November, I have warn a fitness tracker and joined the millions who keep an eye on their exercise habits - what did I learn and is it worth having one?




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British Gas reverses the minimum top up limit back to £1 for prepayment customers after backlash

The Big Six supplier decided to change the limit at the same time it announced it was moving from Paypoint to Payzone terminals, leaving customers with 15,000 fewer locations to top up.




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Critical illness policies used to make my blood boil...but now I'm a fan

Jeff Prestridge met Emma Thomson, who has just benefited from the financial safety net provided by protection insurance. Emma is unsure how she would have coped without it.




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Six ways to make sure your jewellery is protected by insurers

Households are more likely to claim for theft or loss of jewellery in the winter months. Lloyds is urging those with pricey jewels to take measures to protect their new jewellery as soon as they can.




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What is Shopmium and can it save on supermarket shops?

Shopmium is an app that promises to give customers money back on their weekly grocery shops by offering exclusive supermarket offers - we take a look.




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We reveal how you can haggle down window prices and how the vulnerable can tackle the cold callers 

The BBC drama White Gold shows actors Joe Thomas and James Buckley encouraging customers to spend thousands of pounds on, often unnecessary, new windows.




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Sky ups the price of its core entertainment package by an inflation-busting 9%

The telecoms giant has announced its popular entertainment package - which includes Sky One, Sky Atlantic and MTV - is due to increase by £2 from £22 to £24 a month.




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'I'm £3,000 out of pocket after A Suit That Fits went bust'

A frustrated customer has revealed that he paid £3,000 to a tailored suit company in return for six suits to be made, only for the company to go bust and leave him thousands of pounds out of pocket.




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Local milk deliveries: Why are they making a comeback?

Thousands more British households decided to get their milk delivered last year in glass bottles - what's behind this booming trend? I go on a round to find out.




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Finest Dental: Has company closed and will I get my money back?

A group of dental customers have been left frustrated and confused after a chain of private dentists closed without warning - with many having paid thousands of pounds in advance.




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Broadband customers charged up to £90 a year to keep email addresses after they switch providers

BT charges customers up to £7.50 to hold onto their address, equivalent to £90 annually. TalkTalk charges previous customers £5 each month to keep their old email address - or £60 a year.




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Dad of two fights HMRC and overturns £2,400 child benefit penalties

'My experience has been absolutely dreadful,' says father who claims he got 50-60 letters from the taxman about his case in the past 18 months. 'They are incompetent at HMRC. They show no empathy.'




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DEALS OF THE WEEK: 100 photo prints for free; £5 cashback Just Eat voucher

This week's deals include: 100 snaps for free when you buy 50 classic standard photo prints from Photobox; discounted Roku Express online streaming gadget and much more.