The UK housing market is heading for a year of steady improvement rather than dramatic change in 2026. Falling interest rates, easing affordability pressures and new mortgage products are expected to support buyers. I warn against expecting a return to ultra-cheap borrowing or runaway house price growth. 2026 should be a great year to buy a property.

With the cost of living still biting many households, and projections of declining disposable incomes for the rest of the decade, many people are looking at ways of making extra cash. And around half of UK adults now have a second job, or a ‘side hustle’. Whilst average earnings are often modest, at around £200 a week, others can do well enough that it becomes their main form of income.

Despite the wintery weather hitting the UK hard in the New Year followed closely by Storm Goretti, bringing more snow to the already struggling communities, I consider myself to be extremely lucky ….. so far.

This January is set to see UK consumers returning over £1 billion worth of Christmas gifts. Whether it is something you’ve purchased yourself, for a friend or loved one or it’s an unwanted gift, it can be a trying experience. If you’re trying to return something after Christmas, your rights depend on how and why you’re returning it.

It is possible to pick up freebies for stocking fillers and get Christmas dinner bargains if you know the right places to look. The average person will spend over £1,100 this Christmas on gifts, food, drink and going out – a significant chunk of most people’s monthly pay at a time when we’re all feeling the pinch from the cost of living,” says Jane.

A north-west based mortgage expert has shared his advice on how first-time buyers can increase their chances of securing a mortgage and get that first foot on the housing ladder.

Our regular columnist and consumer champion has shared advice on how people can embrace ‘Second hand September’ - and save money without compromising on style. Jane Hawkes says the campaign, which encourages people to avoid buying new clothes for a whole month, is a great opportunity to ditch ‘fast fashion’ and save money.

With the new energy price cap coming on the 1st April, many people will be thinking of switching their energy provider to benefit from the best deals. The switching itself is the easy part as your new supplier will organise the transfer for you. The more difficult bit is ensuring you’ve switched to the right provider.

Our consumer expert Jane Hawkes has shared her advice on dealing with delivery firms. Her tips come as delivery disasters become an increasing irritant of modern life. According to OFCOM, who regulate parcel deliveries, Evri and Yodel customers are the least satisfied with their experience when it comes to contacting parcel firms for help. Amazon and DHL are the best performers.

January is always a really hard month for everybody due to the aftermath of the overspend of Christmas. That January pay slip also always seems to take much longer to arrive. “It’s little wonder then that many people end up with the blues at this time of the month. “But as hard as it is, January can also be the springboard to financial change by adopting a few changes.

Our consumer expert Jane Hawkes shares her tips on how to find the best credit card deals this month.

It’s that time of the year where shops, and online retailers will really be hoping to cash in. Brits plan to spend an estimated £3.8 billion in the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales alone. 59 percent of us plan to spend during the Black Friday weekend – which adds up to nearly 32 million people.