March 2024 Newsletter

Welcome to our March 2024 Newsletter. Product of the Month is Van Insurance. It has been suggested that we submit meter readings before new energy prices come into force - read why. We all like a breakfast before we jet off on our holiday but have you ever thought which airport offered the best priced breakfast?!

Product of the Month

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UK households urged to submit meter readings ahead of energy price cut

Martin Lewis among those encouraging consumers to make a note so they do not overpay when cap reduced

Millions of households are being urged to submit meter readings to their energy supplier this weekend to ensure they do not overpay when cheaper prices come in on Monday.

The consumer champion Martin Lewis is among those urging people to get their phones, pens and notepads out so that they benefit fully from the 12.3% cut to the Ofgem energy price cap, which is altered quarterly.

The difference between a week of energy at March’s rates compared with April’s is £4.65 for the average household, according to the comparison and switching website Uswitch.

The energy price cap in Great Britain will fall by £238 to £1,690 for the period from 1 April to 30 June, thanks to a mild winter and lower gas prices, easing the pressure on household finances a little. That figure is for a typical household that uses electricity and gas and pays by direct debit.

The average household on a standard variable tariff is expected to spend £127 on energy in April, compared with £205 in March, owing to a combination of cheaper rates and lower usage as the weather warms up, said Uswitch.

If consumers fail to submit meter readings, suppliers have to calculate bills based on estimated usage, meaning some people could be overpaying, while others may not be paying enough.

Those on standard tariffs who do not have a working smart meter and do not submit meter readings at around this time risk having some of their usage after 1 April charged at the previous, more expensive rates.

The number of affected households is estimated at 9.6 million.

Lewis, the founder of the site MoneySavingExpert, has said it is “meter reading week”. He urged those affected to try to give an up-to-date meter reading within a few days either side of the 1 April rate change, to reduce the risk of their supplier estimating that they have used more energy at the current higher rate than they actually have.

“For extra peace of mind, email yourself a time-stamped pic of the meter,” he advised.

Uswitch said that if the 9.6m households affected neglected to read their meter by 1 April, and were incorrectly charged for just a week’s worth of energy, they could risk overpaying a combined £44.6m.

Its research found that nearly a fifth (18%) of households that do not have a smart meter have not submitted their meter readings in the last three months, and 4% have not done so for a year. The advice is to submit a meter reading every month.

Come fry with me! The UK's cheapest and priciest airports for a full English breakfast revealed - and it's Newcastle International that has the best deal (and the best reviews)

Come fry with me! The UK's cheapest and priciest airports for a full English breakfast revealed - and it's Newcastle International that has the best deal (and the best reviews) | Daily Mail Online

The UK's cheapest and priciest airports for a full English breakfast have been revealed - and Newcastle International has landed sunny side up.

Jet-setters here can tuck into a pre-flight fry-up for an egg-cellent £10.96, compared to the national average of £13.50.

Peckish passengers set to take off from London City Airport, meanwhile, will pay the most - the average price of an English brekky here is £18.50.

This is according to research by Jack's Flight Club, which ranked the average price of a hot breakfast at the UK's 15 most popular airports, using data from Statista.

The ranking was drawn up based on analysis of menu prices from 65 restaurants across these airports. It was also noted that the average airport fry-up includes seven components with the majority of restaurants excluding toast from the dish.

The UK's cheapest and priciest airports for a full English breakfast have been revealed in a new study and Newcastle International, pictured, has the best bargain. Here, the average fry-up costs an egg-cellent £10.96, compared to the national average of £13.50

Peckish passengers set to take off from London City Airport (above) will pay the most for a pre-flight English brekky - the average price here is £18.50

Runner-up for the cheapest airport breakfast is Manchester, losing out on the crown by just 4p, with an average price of £11.

Rounding off the top five is Glasgow (third, £12.16); East Midlands International (fourth, £12.40) and Edinburgh (fifth, £12.40).

Birmingham ranks sixth (£12.88), followed by Belfast International (seventh, £12.98) and Liverpool John Lennon (eighth, £13.15).

THE MOST EXPENSIVE FRY-UPS

The five most expensive airport fry-ups are all dished up at London's most major airports, according to the ranking.

Behind London City is Heathrow in second position (£14.98) followed by London Stansted (third, £14.08); London Luton (fourth, £13.83) and London Gatwick (fifth, £13.59).

Passengers taking off from Bristol will get a slightly better deal for their eggs and bacon at Bristol (sixth, £13.49) and Leeds Bradford (seventh, £13.24).

The most affordable airport breakfast overall was found at Newcastle International's The Beer House, costing a mere £8.95 - almost £5 less than the national average.

The most expensive is served up at London City's Juniper & Co, according to the study, with a price tag of £18.50.

The research also suggests that passengers can sometimes get a cheaper deal by ordering at a restaurant before passing through airport security.

This is the case at 20 per cent of airports, which saw prices increase among restaurants inside the terminal, the findings show.

Glasgow International Airport saw the biggest price hike after the metal detectors. Here, restaurants charge 24 per cent more on average, according to the study. This was followed by Edinburgh at 15 per cent, and Gatwick at 11 per cent.

The findings suggest that passengers can sometimes get a cheaper deal by ordering at a restaurant before airport security

Separate to the cost ranking, the study also ranked the average ratings for each restaurant breakfast based on Google reviews for each establishment.

Newcastle International and London City Airport were found to be the best rated, each scoring 4.3 out of 5. Leeds Bradford and London Stansted, however, were unveiled as the worst, both scoring 3.4.

Drew Stewart, director of marketing at Jack's Flight Club, said: 'For many Brits, kicking off a holiday without a cooked breakfast is unthinkable, but finding one that doesn't break the bank is key before jetting off on an expensive trip.

'It turns out those in the North East hit the jackpot, boasting not only the most wallet-friendly full English but also the top-rated airport for dining experiences.

'Our team has eagerly begun testing the restaurants we analysed, and we're excited for our index to assist any travellers looking to get the best bangers for their buck.'

UK'S CHEAPEST AND PRICIEST MAJOR AIRPORTS FOR A FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

Cheapest

1. Newcastle International - £10.96

2. Manchester - £11

3. Glasgow - £12.16

4. East Midlands International - £12.25

5. Edinburgh - £12.40

6. Birmingham - £12.88

7. Belfast International - £12.98

8. Liverpool John Lennon - £13.15

Most expensive

1. London City - £18.50

2. Heathrow - £14.98

3. London Stansted - £14.08

4. London Luton - £13.83

5. London Gatwick - £13.59

6. Bristol - £13.49

7. Leeds Bradford - £13.24