Money blog: New rules on roaming charges from today - what you need to know (2025)

The October price cap is here - it now stands at £1,717 a year, meaning households are looking at paying an extra £149 on their bills on average over the course of the year.

The energy price cap sets a maximum price that energy suppliers can charge consumers in England, Scotland and Wales for each kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy they use. It does not limit your total bill, because you pay for the amount of energy you use.

But what can you do to avoid price hikes - and is there any support available?

The first - and probably easiest - thing to do is read your meter. As we reported on Friday, households on a standard variable tariff, which do not have a smart meter, should submit electricity and gas readings as soon as possible (if they have not already done so).

This stops your supplier from billing you based on estimated usage and ensures you are not inaccurately billed at higher prices.

Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem's chief executive, said people should "shop around" to see if they can get a better deal on their energy tariff.

"For the first time in a long time, we are seeing some good value deals emerge," he said.

"I'd encourage people to shop around and consider fixing if there is a tariff that's right for you - there are options available that could save you money, while also offering the security of a rate that won't change for a fixed period."

Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said people "can and should save by switching" their energy supplier, and consider a fixed-price energy tariff.

"The cheapest year-long fixes on the market right now are about 7% less than the new October price cap, but they might not be around long," he cautioned.

Mr Lewis suggested that people look for the cheapest option for their use and location, and they can use comparison sites to find and compare deals.

Is there any support available?

Ofgem urged people to make the most of any state benefits they are entitled to, which could help with paying energy bills as well as the wider cost of living.

Around 1.4 million pensioners are already receiving pension credit, but the government estimates up to 880,000 further households are eligible for the support for those with a low income.

People receiving pension credit qualify for the winter fuel payment, worth up to £300, to help with bills.

If you think you are going to struggle paying your bills, the best thing to do is contact your energy supplier to see if they can offer you the flexibility of a payment plan.

Earlier we brought you the news that Halifax and Lloyds banking services had gone down, leaving many people unable to access their accounts and make payments (see 11.20 post).

A spokesperson forLloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax and Lloyds Bank, has confirmed to the Money blog that its apps and internet banking are now back up and running.

"Our apps and internet banking are back to normal. We're sorry some of our customers had issues earlier today," they said.

As we reported yesterday, a new law has come into force today requiring restaurants to pass on all tips, gratuities and service charges, either paid in cash or by card, to staff.

Here are some of your comments...

Tips should also be exempt from tax. Employers who withhold tips should be named and shamed, with staff freely able to report without fear of losing their job. Tip directly in cash, saves any doubt.

David

Ban the tipping culture and pay the staff a proper living wage.

Freaky Nell

Excellent news. Tips were always meant to be for "waiting staff" anyway.

MoeCHandon88

"Some restaurants may increase prices..." They already have! Where I live there are a lot of restaurants that were nearly always full throughout the week, now it is an entirely different story.

Steve H

Service staff have relied on tips in the past to supplement low pay, but with the increase in the minimum wage and a further increase on the horizon, is there really a need to continue to automatically tip or should this be reserved for exceptional service?

Bluey

New rules come into force today aimed at protecting phone users from surprise charges when they use their devices abroad.

Mobile providers now have to notify customers when they start roaming and inform them of fair use limits, advise them on how they can set a spend cap and direct them to where they can find additional information.

Post-Brexit, a law requiring operators to alert customers of roaming charges was brought in, but it lapsed in June 2022.

A review by the regulator Ofcom found the quality of information being provided since then has been "inconsistent and unclear", with nearly a fifth of holidaymakers left unaware they could face extra charges.

Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, said the new rules should "reduce the chances of people being stung with sky-high mobile bills".

But she said it was "disappointing" that they don't outline how users can get compensation "if they have inadvertently fallen foul of roaming charges".

Meanwhile, Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, said the rules won't prevent holidaymakers from being subject to sometimes "eye-watering" roaming costs.

"There is still virtually nothing to stop providers from charging whatever they like when you use your phone abroad," he said, adding that Britons were hit with unexpected roaming charges totalling around £539m last year.

Halifax and Lloyds banking services are down for many customers this morning.

Some users on social media say they can't access their accounts while others are struggling to make payments.

Down Detector had logged just over 4,200 reports of issues with Halifax services as of 10.25am this morning, while there were around 2,330 reports about Lloyds Bank at 11am.

A spokesperson for Lloyds Banking Group, which owns both Lloyds and Halifax, said: "We know some customers are having issues with internet banking and our app.

"We're sorry about this and we're working to have it back to normal soon."

By Katie Williams, Money team

Basically, maternity pay is what women receive when on leave from work after giving birth.

Conservative Party leadership contender Kemi Badenoch sparked a backlash over the weekend after claiming statutory maternity pay in the UK was "excessive"- so we decided to make it the subject of this week's Basically...feature.

The shadow housing secretary later backtracked, saying her remarks had been "misrepresented" and telling Sky News she believed maternity pay was "a good thing".

So, what is statutory maternity pay, and how much are workers entitled to?

What you need to know

Statutory maternity pay (SMP) was introduced in the UK in 1987.

Someone who is legally classed as an employee (our Basically on employment rights explains this) can get SMP if:

• They've been working continuously for 26 weeks for the same employer before their 'qualifying week' (the 15th week before the baby is due);
• They earn at least £123 a week on average for eight weeks before their qualifying week.

SMP is paid for up to 39 weeks of the 52 weeks of leave that eligible employees are offered.

Some employers, however, may offer "enhanced" maternity pay packages for staff that have been with them for a certain length of time - such as 26 weeks' basic pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory.

Importantly, eligible women are still entitled to maternity leave and/or pay if their baby is stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy, or is born alive at any point but does not survive.

What is it worth?

For the first six weeks, SMP is paid at 90% of your average weekly earnings.

After this, you're paid whichever is lower:

• £184.03a week
• 90% of your average weekly earnings

Maternity pay is the same regardless of the number of children you have (eg twins or triplets).

If you take the full 52 weeks' maternity pay, the last 13 weeks are unpaid unless your employer offers you an enhanced package.

Who pays for it?

The employer pays SMP to their employee in the first instance - but they can claim back most, or potentially all, of the amount from HM Revenue and Customs depending on the size of the business.

If a company is smaller and has paid less than £45,000 in class one national insurance contributions in the last tax year, they can claim back the full SMP amount from the government plus 3% on top in small employers' relief.

Larger employers can usually claim back 92% of SMP.

How does UK maternity pay compare with other countries?

The UK is ranked very differently on two different measures of maternity pay in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) - a 38-member group which looks at economic and social policy.

When it comes to overall pay, the UK sits towards the bottom of the pack - but it's near the top when measured on the length of paid time women have the legal right to take off, according to research by the OECD in 2023.

A YouGov poll conducted amid the row over Ms Badenoch's remarks has found that just 7% of Britons think maternity pay is currently too much - compared with 36% who think it's too little, and 28% who think it's about right.

Women (42%) were more likely than men (30%) to think it's not enough.

What if I can't get statutory pay?

If you're not entitled to statutory maternity pay, you might be able to claim maternity allowance for up to 39 weeks of your leave, which is paid directly from the government.

You can get this if you:

• are employed but don't qualify for SMP;
• are self-employed;
• have recently stopped working;
• take part in unpaid work for the business of your spouse or civil partner.

If you're employed or self-employed, you must have been registered as suchfor at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due date.

You'll need to have earned at least £30 a week for at least 13 of those weeks.

If you're employed or have recently stopped working, you'll be paid an allowance of £184.03 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is less). If you're self-employed, you can get between £27 to £184.03 a week depending on how many class two national insurance contributions you've made in the 66 weeks before your baby is due.

Paternity pay

Fathers are also entitled to some pay and time off work when they welcome a child.

Like maternity pay, the statutory rate of paternity pay is £184.03, or 90% of your average weekly earnings - whichever is lower.

Typically, statutory paternity leave is for up to two weeks depending on eligibility, though some employers may offer more with their enhanced parental leave package.

Read more in our Basically... series...

By James Sillars, business reporter

News of Israel's expanded military operation in southern Lebanon barely made an impression on oil prices. Brent crude was even trading slightly down in early dealings – at $71 a barrel.

Analysts say the market's focus is currently on continuing evidence of dwindling global demand rather than the potential threat from the conflict in the Middle East.

The FTSE 100 was up slightly – by almost 0.2%. That followed a 1% loss on Monday that was experienced widely given the concerns for the global economic outlook.

Mulberry shares were among those on the move. They fell by 3% after the struggling luxury brand rejected a proposed takeover bid from Mike Ashley's Frasers Group.

Another faller this morning is Greggs. Its stock was 5% lower after it said in a trading update covering the third quarter that sales growth had slowed. The food-on-the-go retailer did, however, stick to its annual profit guidance.

Former EastEnders star Danny Dyer has gone undercover to sell the Big Issue magazine.

Wearing a flat cap and red tabard, he said he was surprised how many passers-by failed to recognise him as they rushed past with their heads down.

He was trying his hand at selling the magazine in London's Tottenham Court Road alongside seller Andre Rosant, who Money spoke to earlier this year...

Rosant said: "Danny made a good stab at selling it.

"But as enormously famous as he is, still people walked past and ignored him.

"The expression on his face when people did walk past, and tried to ignore him or avoid him, was interesting, because I'm sure he's not used to being ignored or avoided."

"There's a lot of very kind people out there," Dyer told the Big Issue.

"I understand they were probably buying because of who I am - I was signing a few copies and stuff.

"I think it's really interesting to be out here on the streets.

"There's not a lot of money about from anybody, everyone's struggling at the moment, so I'm really happy we sold a few, I didn't think we'd sell one, so I'm over the moon, I'm buzzing."

Every week we ask one of the best chefs in the country to pick their Cheap Eats where they live and at home.

We've talked to chefs across the UK, from Northern Ireland to Norfolk - and this week our focus is on London.

The capital is home to 80 Michelin-starred restaurants, almost half of the UK total, so instead of the usual Wednesday feature, we're stretching it across the week, with nine of the city's most celebrated chefs giving their recommendations before we round up all our London chefs from the year on Saturday.

This morning we speak to2020 Great British Menu finalistKerth Gumbs, head chef at Fenchurchin Sky Garden.

Hi Kerth, what is your go-to cheap eat to cook at home when you have a night in?

My go-to is ramen with baked salmon, tenderstem broccoli and curry boiled eggs. The ingredients for this come to under £15 for two - I'm always satisfied after this meal and happy with my spending, and there's room to splash out on a nice bottle of wine as a treat.

A tip when making ramen noodles at home would be to add the flavouring powders to a bowl with an egg yolk and a little bit of the ramen cooking water. Whisk well, and then add this mix into your hot ramen to create a creamy texture, resembling that of a carbonara, giving a really luxurious mouthfeel.

Can you tell us your favourite places around London where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

My favourite cheap eat in London is kind of a hidden gem: Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall in Edgware. I first came across this food hall style of dining when I lived in Singapore, and it's honestly a must-try - you'll be mesmerised by the wide range of cuisines all under one roof, with Indonesian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Singaporean to name a few.

I often take my kids and partnerthere,and our usual order is special fried rice, stir-fried noodles and sweet and sticky beef. The portions are huge too so it's great for sharing - after ordering those three dishes I'llusuallyhave some spare cash to splash out on some bubble tea.

I also lovethe newly opened Mishky in Hux,by chef Jorge Pacheco, which serves a delicious selection of sharing starters. The ceviches are a must-try. I'll happily share two ceviches, two sides and two cocktails and be satisfied for an early dinner within the £40 budget – it's fresh and not too heavy.

We've spoken to lots of top chefs - check out their cheap eats from around the country here...

eBay has removed fees for almost all private sellers.

Users will no longer have to pay final value fees or regulatory operating fees, except on motor vehicle listings.

It comes amid increasing competition in the resale market.

Facebook Marketplace has no listing or sale fees unless you set up a professional shop, Vinted doesn't charge sellers and Depop scrapped its seller fees in July.

eBay already scrapped fees on fashion products earlier this year.

"Removing selling fees across categories is designed to give buyers access to greater breadth and depth of inventory, while creating a simplified and streamlined experience for sellers," saidKirsty Keoghan, general manager of eBay UK.

eBay said the removal of seller fees for fashion in April had already led to an increase in listings for popular items such as jeans, shirts, and dresses.

Alongside the rule change comes other new features:

• eBay Local will allow shoppers to find nearby items available for in-person collection;
• AI-generated descriptions and photo-enhancing tools will now be accessible to sellers;
• The company will offer sellers a tracked and covered delivery prepaid by the buyer.