Money blog: 'Commuter town' named least affordable place to buy house in UK (2024)

By Daniel Dunford, senior data journalist

The government currently subsidises bus fares across the country, supporting both private and public operators so that they can afford to keep fares at a max of £2.

In bad news for commuters, Labour confirmed at the budget last month that the current £2 cap would be raised to £3 at the end of 2024, meaning bus travellers could face a 50% hike on their tickets overnight.

The metro mayors for West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City region have pledged to extend the £2 cap to keep prices low in those areas, while Transport for London also has its own fare structure - £1.75 for a standard single and a daily cap of £5.25.

We had new Department for Transport data out yesterday about buses, so we can see how fares have risen in recent years, and how peoples' usage has changed since COVID.

Bus tickets are actually cheaper now than they were in 2020 on average, across all of England other than London, despite inflation for other goods and services running at record levels during large parts of that time.

Scotland and Wales have seen significant rises over the last couple of years, but are still cheaper in real terms than they were before the pandemic.

Despite tickets being cheaper, the number of passengers making journeys with local bus services was still about 10% lower in the year to March 2024 than the pre-COVID annual total to March 2020, across Great Britain.

It's the same trend across all parts of the country, but most clearly in Wales where there were still 22% fewer passenger journeys in 2023-24 than 2019-2020.

Wales is also the place where it's now most expensive to run buses, having previously been cheaper than Scotland and England, excluding London.

It now costs almost £5 per vehicle mile, having been just £2.80 in 2020, a rise of 77% or almost 50% in real terms.

With passenger numbers and ticket prices down, and the expense of running services significantly up, operators may be forced to cut less profitable services - potentially stranding or disconnecting people from other vital or social services, especially in rural communities.

The cold isn't just bad news for your energy bills - you could also have to fork out cash to cover damage to your technology.

Experts at Uswitch are warning Britons to check their tech as dropping temperatures can lead to issues with mobiles and broadband devices.

Richard Dowden, tech expert at the company, has the following tips to help your devices cope in the cold...

Don't leave your phone in the car

This can cause permanent water damage to your phone once you bring it in from the cold, due to chemical reactions inside your device.

If you do leave your phone out in the cold for a prolonged period, be sure to allow it to come back up to room temperature before you charge it again.

If you're cold, your tech is cold

Don't leave your router in an unheated area like a garage or on a windowsill, and be mindful of condensation that can form around the device, which could seep into the unit.

If you need to place your router in a colder space, try placing it in a box for insulation with holes for airflow.

Charge before you go

Colder weather hurts the battery life of many tech devices.

The lithium-ion batteries found in smartphones are known to struggle in cold temperatures, so be mindful of this and give it a full charge before you take it outdoors, as you may find the battery will drain faster than normal.

Put a jacket on it

One of the best ways you can keep your phone warm and avoid battery drain is by keeping it in a protective case that's insulated from the elements.

Keeping it in a secure pocket can also help, as it will benefit from your body temperature.

Power down

If you're going to be exposed to sub-zero temperatures, help conserve your phone battery by turning on low power mode, turning off location services and closing down apps running in the background.

You could also put it on airplane mode, which will still give you access to apps that don't require an internet connection.

Get them backed up

Most consumer tech is designed to operate at temperatures between 0C and 35C.

So if your devices are exposed to colder temperatures than this, ensure your data is backed up to avoid any loss or damage to the battery life.

A UK ticket holder has come forward to claim the whopping £177m jackpot from Tuesday's EuroMillions draw.

The claim will now go through a validation process and, if confirmed, will make them the third biggest NationalLotterywinner of all time.

The prize will then be paid at an appointment with one of the National Lottery's winners' advisers.

The ticket holder will be able to decide whether they share the news publicly or not.

Read the full story here...

More than 28,000 prosecutions for alleged rail fare evasions have been quashed during a two-minute court hearing.

The prosecutions were brought by Northern Rail and TransPennine Expressusing the single justice procedure (SJP) - they were not being permitted to do so.

Northern welcomed the outcome and apologised for the "errors".

"Customers affected by the issues raised in court will be contacted directly by HM Courts and Tribunal Service. We are unable to respond to individual queries at this time," a spokesman said.

The SJP was set up in 2015 to allow magistrates to decide on minor offences, such as using a television without a licence or driving without car insurance, without defendants going to court.

Rail companies were permitted to use the SJP in 2016 to privately prosecute fare evaders, but many have been brought under the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which is not allowed under the procedure.

Earlier this year, our cost of living specialist Megan Harwood-Baynes spoke to Sam Williamson who had been threatened with prosecution after he mistakenly bought an invalid ticket...

The Scottish government has announced that all pensioners in Scotland will receive a winter fuel payment in 2025-26.

The benefit is expected to come into force by next winter and will help the estimated 900,000 people north of the border who were cut off from accessing the once universal winter fuel payment.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced the news in a statement to the Scottish parliament on Thursday.

It comes after both the UK and Scottish governments earlier this year axed the universal winter fuel payment, except for those in receipt of pension credit or other means-tested benefits.

At Westminster, Chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed the decision was made due to financial woes inherited from the previous Conservative government.

The decision led the Scottish government - which was due to take control over a similar payment through the devolved Social Security Scotland but has since announced a delay - to follow suit.

There are signs first-time buyers are racing to complete house purchases to beat an increase in stamp duty rates in a few months' time.

Property website Rightmove said buyers in higher-priced areas of England are set to be particularly affected when thresholds increase from April, having been temporarily cut by Rishi Sunak's Conservative government.

The nil rate - the value of a property at which you start to be charged stamp duty - will drop for first-time buyers from £425,000 to £300,000. For the rest of the market, the nil rate will halve to its old level of £125,000.

Stamp duty is 5% up to £925,000 - and 10% or 13% over that.

Rightmove said just 8% of homes in London would be stamp-duty free come April for first-time buyers, with percentages estimated at 24% in the South East and 32% in the East of England.

In those areas, the property site said it had seen an uptick in demand "suggesting some first-time buyers are rushing to avoid paying higher charges".

In London, demand jumped from 28% pre-budget to 31%, while the South East also increased by 1%.

Demand was measured by the volume of inquiries being sent through the website to estate agents.

Movers and buyers need to act quickly, as the average British house sale takes five months to go through.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove's property expert said: "With stamp duty thresholds in England lowering from April, we're seeing early signs of first-time buyers reacting.

"In London and higher-priced areas, where first-time buyers are most likely to be affected, we're seeing some pull forward their plans to try and avoid higher charges.

"In most other areas of England, which have a greater availability of stamp duty-free homes for first-time buyers, we're seeing the opposite trend of some first-time buyers taking a pause for breath."

Whether it's seeking out a Christmas market, or jetting off for some sun, a holiday in the colder months can be a great way to get through the winter blues.

Surprisingly, Expedia has found dates around Valentine's Day offer the best flight deals for a winter getaway.

Flights between 12 and 14 February 2025 were found to be the cheapest, it said.

The most expensive were between 16 and 19 December.

For hotel stays, people have been told to target 8 or 15 January 2025, when average daily rates are almost £40 cheaper per night than the seasonal average.

This year, Britons are opting for more affordable and lesser-known locations, the travel company has found.

In its latest report, it discovered Strasbourg in France had seen the biggest jump in holiday interest, with hotel searches growing by 670% since last year.

Gothenburg in Sweden and Poznan in Poland were also big hitters, with searches for accommodation in the cities up 660% and 360% respectively.

Here's a list of the other trending destinations:

• Zurich, Switzerland (+275%)
• Tromso, Norway (+270%)
• Bruges, Belgium (+255%)
• Agadir, Morocco (+245%)
• Bucharest, Romania (+240%)
• Budapest, Hungary (+235%)
• Langkawi, Malaysia (+230%)

Despite this, there are still some firm favourites based on search data, and London has been found to be the most popular.

Here's a list of the top 10 most popular winter destinations:

1. London
2. New York
3. Edinburgh
4. Paris
5. Dubai
6. Amsterdam
7. Manchester
8. York
9. Bath
10. Reykjavik

Restaurant chains could be "ripping parents off" by serving "ready meals" and processed food to children, according to a study.

Food and farming charity The Soil Association found meals are "rarely" being prepared and cooked on site using fresh ingredients.

Some restaurants including Bella Italia, Prezzo and TGI Fridays were simply warming up pasta sauces, it said, following a study which involved using secret diners and surveying restaurants directly.

Its annual Out To Lunch restaurant league table found an "abundance of unhealthy options, excessively sugary desserts, problematic additives, plus ultra-processed and low-welfare meat" at some of the most popular chains.

Pizza restaurant Franco Manca was bottom of the table, with the charity criticising a lack of vegetables on the children's menu, as well as its failure to reveal how its food is prepared or what its sourcing policies are.

In contrast, Wahaca received the best rating - children's meals were mostly prepared on site using fresh ingredients while being less pricey than other chains offering reheated meals.

Only Wagamama, Nando's and Leon offered children's menus free from artificially sweetened and added sugar drinks, the Soil Association said.

A Bella Italia spokesperson told Money: "We're proud to offer a wide range of delicious children's meal options, including freshly prepared pasta and pizza, alongside fresh fruit and vegetables.

"Anysauces made by our excellent suppliers are done so to our own recipe."

They also said their menu featured "both smaller and larger portion sizes to suit every child".

Money has contacted Prezzo, TGI Fridays and Franco Manca for comment.

By signing up for a free Lidl Plus account, you can grab £65 off a Jet2 holiday.

And your savings could be even higher if you stack this with the company's Black Friday discounts, Which? has found.

The airline is offering reductions of £100 per person on some holidays.

Here's a quick guide to booking a cheaper holiday with this hack:

1. Download theLidl Plus appand sign up for your free account;
2. Click "partner offers" and select the £65 off Jet2 Holidays deal;
3. Click "redeem this offer" to reveal your discount code;
4. On theJet2 Holidays websitemake sure to sign in, or register for an account to get access to Black Friday deals;
5. Click "see offers" across the top of the site offering Black Friday deals and select the £100 off per person offer;
6. Select the departure airports, destinations, number of travellers and nights and add the holiday you'd like to your basket;
7. Fill out all the passenger information and confirm your booking details and billing address;
8. Add your Lidl discount code on the final page, right before paying.

Lidl's £65 off deal is available until 19 December 2024 on all holidays departing from now until 31 March 2026, while Jet2's Black Friday deal is valid until November 2026.

ByOllie Cooper, live news reporter

Welcome to the next part of my series on fitness supplements - where I aim to discover whether they are helping you get ripped, or you're getting ripped off.

I've enlisted the help of performance nutritionistAndrew PettsandArj Thiruchelvam, personal trainer and head coach at Performance Physique, to analyse 12 different supplements every lunchtime over the next two weeks - and today we're looking at caffeine and pre-workout.

Caffeine and pre-workout

Do you really need a caffeine hit to get you pumped for the gym or a run?

And if so - is a killer coffee preferable to a pre-workout powder?

Let's take you through what's out there.

What is it?

Caffeine is a natural central nervous system stimulant, referred to by some as a drug.

It's most commonly found in coffee and is famed for making you feel "awake".

In reality, it prevents the onset of the feeling of tiredness, by blocking the effects of adenosine - a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired.

It may also increase adrenaline levels and brain activity of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which are associated with arousal, alertness, and focus.

Do gymgoers need it?

If those benefits sound good for you, then you can take caffeine via coffee, powders, pills or gummies before a session.

Lots of gymgoers report getting a "boost" by using pre-workout or drinking coffees and many bodybuilders or fitness influencers swear by them. It's relatively cheap too.

But, when speaking to professional athletes, Andrew says: "My best advice is to use caffeine sparingly where possible and only use it when needed, on event/game day."

For the average person, he says it's simply "not needed".

Arj agrees, saying "outside of performance sport, there's minimal need".

Pre-workout powder

Andrew recommends that if you are hell-bent on using caffeine before a workout, use a supplement that allows you to accurately track how much you are consuming - as coffee caffeine content varies wildly.

Pre-workout powder is one such alternative - usually flavoured and packed with E numbers and other chemicals and compounds promising to improve your "pump".

Beta alanine, carnosine and sodium bicarbonate are usually included, and while "these are very effective for repeated sprints and lactate tolerance", outside of performance sport these additions are pretty much "pointless", Arj says.

"Generic pre-workout supplements can be based around proprietary blends, this means that companies can disclose the ingredients in that supplement blend, but not the exact amounts - which to me is pretty scary," Andrew notes.

The need for moderation

Like everything, caffeine is best consumed in moderation.

Pre-workout powders contain a large amount of the stimulant - somewhere between 150-300mg per serving (recommended adult limit is 400mg per day).

Consistently having too much caffeine can lead to short and long-term health risks, including heart-related issues.

There's also been studies that suggest over-use of caffeine can lead to a reliance on it, with some gymgoers suggesting they cannot perform without it.

"Do you need a stimulant to train, or can you find the habit and internal motivation to train?" Arj asks.

"Relying on something external to get you into the gym is a slippery slope, and not one I encourage."

The verdict: Not essential - but not to be completely avoided

For the average gymgoer, a good diet and regular sleep will likely do more for you than caffeine ever could.

That being said, we all need a boost sometimes, so don't feel bad downing a big coffee before you head into that cold winter gym session, or want to try out a pre-workout product.

As always, take it within a balanced diet and crucially with this one, in moderation.