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 •

Martin Lewis warns holidaymakers over mobile mistake that could cost HUNDREDS

HOLIDAYMAKERS need to beware of the return of charges which could see them overpay on their mobile bill Martin Lewis and his team at MoneySavingExpert.com are warning travellers not to get caught out. The UK's biggest consumer website has today published a report on EU roaming rules, which suggest that people could be overpaying. Customers are being caught out by unexpected roaming costs after a key piece of EU legislation - carried over temporarily after Brexit - expired on June 30. Firms n
The Sun •

Millions of pensioners should urgently claim benefits now to secure £100s

OVER a million pensioners have received a £326 cost of living payment since July. And pensioners are set to receive a further £474 in winter bill support in the Autumn. The free cash forms part of the £650 cost of living payment and £150 Warm Home Discount. However, pensioners who haven't yet submitted a claim for pension credit should do so now to secure the £800 worth of bill help. The help will come in handy as some energy bills are predicted to hit £4,000 on average from October. But wi
The Sun •

Major water firm could pay you £100s to switch bills

A MAJOR water company is asking customers to switch their bills early and in return they'll receive money back. The firm is pushing customers towards fitting a water meter. Thames Water plans to move all its customers over to metered water bills by 2035. Customers will have little choice over the matter as the water market remains closed to competition - meaning you can't just switch provider. This means you're limited in what you can do to cut your water bills. However, Thames Water is inc
The Sun •

Exact date you'll need to submit meter reading before huge bill hike

MILLIONS of households need to note down their energy meter readings soon to avoid paying more than they owe. With energy bills set to hit £4,400 this winter, households need to act fast. Earlier this month experts from Cornwall Insight forecasted that energy bills would hit £3,358 from October and £3,616 from January. However, the energy consultancy firm Auxilione has now predicted that energy bills will hit £3,687 from October and £4,400 in January. With the current price cap for those on
The Sun •

How turning on your boiler now could actually save you money in the winter

EXPERTS are suggesting that turning your boiler on now may save you in the long-term. While it may seem counterintuitive it's suggested that households could save thousands by doing this. With energy bills forecasted to hit £4,400 this winter, it's important that households protect their pockets now to soften the blow. Experts have suggested that switching your boiler on now should prevent you from having to fork out on expensive repair costs when you need it most in winter. The advice comes
The Sun •

I'm a motoring expert - the one button drivers need to avoid to save on fuel

WITH fuel prices spiking and temperatures soaring, keeping cool while driving can put a dent in your back pocket. A driving expert has shared their two top tips to reduce your fuel consumption. There's nothing worse than a stuffy cabin, plus you can be fined up to £5,000 if you let the warmth affect the way you drive. But did you know you could be increasing your fuel consumption by up to 20% if you regularly have your windows down or air-con on. The RAC reports that the average cost of petr
The Sun •

Tesco reveals its Christmas food menu including sticky toffee cheese

TESCO has revealed its Christmas food menu, featuring sticky toffee cheese and espresso martini desserts as well as all the usual festive trimmings. With the big day still months away, it's never too early to start planning that festive food list. You'll be able to get your hands on a turkey from September 19, when the supermarket puts its Tesco Finest version on sale. However, the supermarket will launch most of its Christmas range in November. Families of four will be able to eat a three c
The Sun •

Homeowners set for compensation after they overpaid council tax for 30 YEARS

ALMOST 80 households in one council are owed thousands back after overpaying on their council tax. These overpayments often result from houses being in the wrong council tax band. STV news was the first to report that 79 households in the East Lothian Council region are owed thousands back. This resulted from a review conducted by the local valuation board which discovered that far too many properties were in the wrong council tax bands. The investigation saw 127 homes moved up a band - mean
The Sun •

The mobile phone roaming mistake that could cost you £6 to use a minute of data

HOLIDAYMAKERS need to beware of sneaky rules which could see them overpay on their mobile data. Martin Lewis and his team at MoneySavingExpert.com are warning travellers not to get caught out. The UK's biggest consumer website has today published a damning report containing worrying findings on EU roaming rules, which suggest that people are paying for more than they're getting. Customers are being caught out by unexpected roaming costs after a key piece of EU legislation - carried over tempo
The Sun •

Exact date you must claim to get £150 energy bill help this winter

MILLIONS of households should launch claims for benefits now to guarantee their eligibility for energy bill help this winter. Those on certain benefits will be able to get an energy bill discount through the Warm Home Discount scheme. Those eligible for the scheme will get £150 off their energy bills this winter. In previous years, households received a £140 discount. You no longer need to apply for the discount directly, as you'll automatically qualify if you are getting certain benefits. H
The Sun •

Millions of homeowners are being warned about a mortgage 'ticking timebomb'

MILLIONS of homeowners are being warned about a mortgage 'ticking timebomb' which is set to explode as fixed rate deals come to an end. Yesterday, the Bank of England hiked interest rates to 1.75% and those on variable and tracker mortgages can expect to pay £888 more. But experts have warned that millions on fixed deals which expire in the next 12 months are sitting on a knife edge, as mortgage rates are already thousands of pounds higher. Figures from Rightmove also show that average rates
The Sun •

I'm a debt expert - the easy methods to pay off debt

STRUGGLING with debt can be incredibly stressful, but there are a number of methods you can use to get you on the way to paying it off. With energy bills forecasted to hit £3,612 this winter and inflation running rampant, paying off your debts can be difficult. However, there are tactics you can use - and extra help available - that could help you become debt free. From snowballing to paying off your highest interest debt first, we explain how to approach wiping your finances clean. The Sun
The Sun •

Urgent bank note warning as £13BILLION about to expire - do you have one?

BILLIONS of old-style £20 and £50 paper notes need to be deposited urgently. If you've still got some of the old notes hanging around, now is the time to cash them in. The Post Office has exclusively told The Sun that over £13 billion worth of these paper notes are lying around in people's homes. People have less than a month to deposit these old banknotes before they lose legal tender next month. After September 30, paper £20 and £50 notes will no longer be accepted as a form of payment. Y
The Sun •

Hard-up Brits will be hit by year-long recession as interest rates hit 1.75%

HOUSEHOLDS were told yesterday to prepare for a 15-month recession and the highest inflation rate in 42 years. In what was dubbed a Black Thursday for the economy, the Bank of England raised interest rates by 0.5 per cent — the biggest increase since 1995. Amid an almighty cost of living crisis, it warned of more hardship to come, with inflation expected to hit 13.1 per cent later this year — far outstripping wage growth. It came as rocketing energy bills are set to reach £3,500 a year in Oct
The Sun •

The three areas giving out EXTRA free cash for cost of living - how to claim

MILLIONS of households across England are eligible for bill support to help with the cost of living crisis. The money comes from local authorities through the Household Support Fund. Some councils are now increasing the financial support as part of this scheme. In April, local councils in England were given funding to the tune of £400 million to help families who are most in need. Households on the lowest incomes are eligible to receive free cash or food vouchers to help with the cost of liv
The Sun •

Energy firms pull exclusive fixed deals as fears of £3,600 energy bills loom

ENERGY firms including British Gas and EDF are ditching exclusive market-leading fixed tariffs as wholesale prices rocket. Yesterday, analysts predicted that bills will rise to £3,616 this winter. Experts at Cornwall Insight have said that bills are now likely to rise to £3,358 from October and £3,616 from January. Energy bills have been sky-rocketing since last year, but some energy firms have been offering their own customers the chance to fix their bills. Fixed rate energy tariffs give cu
The Sun •

Best and worst supermarket loyalty schemes - and you'll pay MORE without one

SUPERMARKET shopping costs are going up - but you could stand to save money by using their loyalty schemes. From Asda to Tesco, we reveal how the latest reward programmes compare. Asda is the latest supermarket to promise shoppers extra perks. The supermarket giant is trialling the scheme across 300 stores, so you might not be able to get it just yet where you are. The move brings the retailer in line with its competitors - Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco. Here we explain the pe
The Sun •

I got £9,400 back from HMRC with easy tax code trick - here's how you can too

TAXPAYERS are being urged by Martin Lewis to check that they're on the right tax code. If your code is wrong you may be paying thousands more than you need to and you'll likely be owed money back. Your tax code determines how much income tax you pay on your earnings - so it's important you're on the right one. Michele emailed MoneySavingExpert.com to say she'd been in the wrong tax code and was overpaying. She featured in the site's recent weekly email and said: "I checked my tax code and di
The Sun •

Thousands of mobile customers to be charged more within DAYS

LOW-COST mobile carrier Giffgaff is upping its prices and the changes will affect all customers. The budget carrier is hiking the costs associated with using your mobile abroad. The changes will come into force in a matter of days. From August 9, Giffgaff members will be able to use up to 5GB of their "goodybag" allowance in the EU and selected destinations at no extra cost. Once customers use all this allowance, they'll be charged 10p per mb to continue roaming abroad. Previously there was
The Sun •

Cutting VAT on mobile and broadband bills could save customers £120 a year

MILLIONS of households could save £120 a year if VAT was cut on telephone, mobile and broadband bills, according to Which?. Over six million households are struggling to pay their bills due to the cost of living crisis, the consumer group warned. Households, including those on cheaper social tariffs for low-incomes, currently pay 20 percent VAT on bills. Which? says that by cutting the VAT rate from 20 percent to 5 percent would see bills drop by an average of £120 a year. It would also brin
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