James Flanders

I have bylines across a variety of local and national publications which highlight my skills as both a reporter and commentator. I am available for commissions so get in touch.

The Sun •

I've slashed my mobile phone bill to just 1p a month with little-known trick

A BARGAIN hunter has revealed how he's slashed his mobile costs to just a penny a month and it's much simpler than you'd think. Peter Redhead, 61, puts his savvy savings down to checking comparison websites "every week of the year". The painter and decorator who usually works on cruise ships out at sea used to spend over £25 a month on his mobile and data costs before Brexit wiped out his free roaming allowance. Peter, from Newcastle upon Tyne, told The Sun: "I've always budgeted and looked o
The Sun •

Poundland launches new own brand range - but it's not as cheap as it seems

POUNDLAND has launched a brand new own-label range to help shoppers with the cost of living. Dubbed The Manor Grove range, customers can now get their hands on a number of cheaper alternatives to the big brands. Lovers of Heinz ketchup which usually costs £2.75 in Poundland, can get a bottle of the Manor Grove version for just £1. This means the average shopper would save £1.75 on each bottle of ketchup bought. While the Manor Grove ketchup is 17% smaller than Heinz's offering, at 380g versu
The Sun •

Martin Lewis warns millions set to miss out on £522 childcare boost from today

MARTIN Lewis has warned that millions of parents are set to miss out on a £522 childcare boost from today. It comes as those on Universal Credit who receive the childcare element will start to receive a bumper payment boost. In a Good Morning Britain interview with Claire Coutinho, minister for children, families and wellbeing, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com said: "This is a good move for people on Universal Credit. "But there are still very substantial numbers of people who are still o
The Sun •

I'm a shopping expert - two items to always buy at Greggs and what to avoid

GREGGS has plenty of low-cost goodies on offer to satisfy any sweet or savoury cravings. From the iconic sausage roll to freshly prepared sandwiches and baguettes, there's lots to choose from. But like many other companies, Greggs has been slowly increasing the prices of some of its products. The beloved sausage roll has now risen to £1.20 and Greggs bosses have warned that prices could shoot up again later this year. With this in mind, it's more important than ever that fans know they've go
The Sun •

Major change as DWP to close 36 job centres - see the full list

DOZENS of Jobcentres will shut for good in months, affecting thousands of households on benefits. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is closing a further 36 Jobcentres as it looks to shrink its high street presence. The closures only affect Jobcentres which were set up temporarily during the pandemic to help ensure social distancing guidelines were followed. The DWP has said that the closure of these additional temporary sites, where they are no longer required, will not reduce its le
The Sun •

Warning as 5.2million households face paying £137 MORE for energy within days

MILLIONS of energy customers will be charged more than other billpayers within days because of the way in which they pay. Average gas and electricity bills are set to drop by £426 a year from Saturday, July 1. However, millions of households will still end up paying £138 more per year than those who pay by direct debit or through a prepayment meter. Over 68% of the 29million households on the standard variable tariff (SVT) pay by direct debit. But 18% of customers still pay on receipt of bil
The Sun •

Little-known scheme offering £350 free cash grants if you have common illness

STRUGGLING Brits can get free cash grants to help with the cost of living if they have a common illness. Cancer charity Macmillan has made the cash grants available to those living with cancer. Macmillan's Financial Grants Scheme is there to help support those who are struggling to cover essential living costs. So anyone living with cancer and who needs help with bills and other essentials can apply for the grant. It's worth up to £350 and is a one-off payment and can be used to help with th
The Sun •

Full list of lenders offering major mortgage help within weeks

OVER 30 lenders have signed up to a new mortgage charter to help offer struggling households more support within weeks. The providers represent around 85% of the mortgage market giving new hope for millions. It will mean that from July 10, customers approaching the end of a fixed-rate deal will have the chance to lock in a deal up to six months ahead. Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown said: "Plenty of mortgage lenders already let you lock in a mortgage rate six mont
The Sun •

Five big benefit changes coming this year including free cost of living cash

A HUGE shake-up to the benefits system is taking place this year and some will affect hundreds of thousands of households. It's vital to take note of how new rules could soon affect your payments or benefit eligibility so that you don't miss out. Hundreds of thousands of parents on Universal Credit will see a major boost to the childcare element from June 28. While thousands more could see their payment dates change later this year. More cost of living payments are on the way for millions of
The Sun •

Major supermarket to close more branches after string of closures

A MAJOR supermarket is to shut more stores following a string of closures earlier this year. Iceland has already shut the doors on more than half a dozen shops this year, but more closures are on the way. The frozen supermarket chain first started shutting locations in February and a string of closures have followed. At the moment there are around 500 Iceland branches across the UK. But the supermarket has announced the closure of a further two stores within months. The Swansea City Centre
The Sun •

We reclaimed £6,000 free cash for our daughter with little-known trick

PARENTS Wendy and Rob Stone were distraught after learning how difficult it would be to get money out of their disabled daughter Leah's child trust fund. Unable to bear the costs of the solicitor fees usually required to get access to £6,000 worth of savings, the Stone family, from Bristol considered not clawing the cash back. Those responsible for children who do not have the mental capacity to manage their own money must apply to the court to gain access to child trust funds (CTF). CTFs wer
The Sun •

I'm a mum-of-one - Universal Credit change next week is life-changing for me

HUNDREDS of thousands of parents on Universal Credit will see a major boost to childcare help from next week. In a huge win for The Sun’s Make Universal Credit Work campaign, childcare costs will now be paid upfront for many parents and the amount they get will rise. The move has been described as “life-changing” by one mum who can finally apply for jobs knowing she won’t have to find more than £900 to pay a month’s nursery fees before she can start work. From Wednesday, the rates paid to fam
The Sun •

Supermarket chains with the best use-by dates to make your food last longer

AN INVESTIGATION has revealed which supermarket chains offer the most and least fresh groceries to online shoppers. The research by consumer watchdog Which? ranked the major UK supermarkets on the freshness of their products. A team of 12 undercover shoppers from across the UK placed online orders of 25 items, all with use-by dates, from six major supermarkets. This included orders from Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose. Sainsbury's finished at the bottom of the table f
The Sun •

DWP issues update on Universal Credit changes for parents getting childcare help

THE Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a major update on childcare changes for those on Universal Credit. It comes just days before the childcare element of the benefit will get a bumper payment boost. But the DWP has now issued further guidance to work coaches to decide exactly who qualifies for new upfront childcare payments. At the moment, parents on Universal Credit can claim back 85% of their childcare costs – but they have to pay first before claiming the money back later
The Sun •

I'm a shopping expert - three things to always buy at Costco and things to avoid

COSTCO attracts thousands of shoppers every year wishing to buy in bulk at low prices. From foodstuffs and cleaning supplies to electronics, you can bag some absolute bargains at the retailer. But not everything on the hangers in Costco is worth the change. We spoke to Stephen Robinson, founder of Outrank and digital marketing veteran to find out the three things to always buy at the retailer. Plus, Stephen shared which items to always leave on the shelf. Cleaning spray, soap and toilet rol
The Sun •

I tested McDonald's new items - one was a real winner but not all are for summer

MCDONALD'S has dropped a host of new menu items and we've tested them to give our verdict. The fast food giant changes its menu every few weeks in a bid to attract customers and June is no different. Items are often swapped for brand new ones, but McDonald's can also bring back familiar faves - and it's usually a win for fans. Several new items hit the Maccies menu today, all of which are now available in all restaurants across the UK and Ireland. The Sun's Consumer Reporter James Flanders h
The Sun •

Major update on pub chain with 250 restaurants 'on the chopping block"

A MAJOR hospitality chain is looking to speed up plans to sell hundreds of pubs and restaurants. Whitbread is reportedly looking to sell hundreds of Beefeater and Brewers Table pubs and restaurants. The hospitality business could be taken over by the owner of Harvester and Toby Carvery. Mitchells & Butlers is said to be tipped as the frontrunner to buy Whitbread's loss-making pubs, The Times reports. But other rivals including Greene King, Heineken and Marston's and Punch have also been appr
The Sun •

My mum's broadband provider took cash out of her account months after she died

A BEREAVED son was horrified to discover that BT was still taking money out of his mum's account 10 months after she died. Steve Bird, 52, found out that the telecoms giant had taken £800 from the bank account of his dead mother months after she passed. It comes at a time when companies have been urged to do more to help customers battling to sort out the finances of loved ones who have passed away. Thousands of bereaved relatives have reported issues with the process, according to the UK Com
The Sun •

Tesco boss gives major update to shoppers about price increases - what it means

TESCO'S boss has given a major update on food prices and how it affects shoppers. The supermarket's boss has said there are "encouraging early signs that inflation is starting to ease" after shoppers faced soaring food prices. The UK's rate of inflation fell to 8.7% in April, but the annual rate for food prices only dropped to 19.3% down from 19.6% in March 2023. But this doesn't mean that prices are falling, instead they are just rising just at a slower rate. Food price growth is at the sec
The Sun •

Energy supplier launches 'cheapest' fixed deal that's £100 less than price cap

ANOTHER major energy supplier has launched a cheap fixed deal that is cheaper than the price cap from July. Utility Warehouse is offering new and existing customers the chance to fix their energy bills at a cheaper rate offered to those on the standard variable tariff (SVT). UW's new "Fixed Saver 1" tariff will allow customers to fix their energy prices at an average cost of £1,974. For the average household, this will be £100 cheaper than sticking to the SVT which is pegged to Ofgem's price
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