Shoppers who regularly buy groceries from local supermarket convenience stores instead of bigger supermarkets are likely to pay hundreds of pounds more over the course of a year, new research from Which? has found.
The consumer champion analysed the prices of own-label and branded items at the two largest traditional supermarket convenience chains, Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local, and compared the costs with the same items at their larger equivalents or bought online.
The results highlight the eye-watering costs people face if they live in an area where larger stores are scarce or online delivery access is poor.
Which?’s research found that shoppers buying the same 75 items at Tesco Express, including Anchor Spreadable Butter, a Hovis white bread loaf and own-brand milk would be spending an extra £15.73 on average a week than those shopping online or at a larger Tesco store – £817.91 more over the course of a year.
At Sainsbury’s, Which? compared the prices of 69 groceries including Heinz tomato soup, McVities biscuits and Birds Eye Potato Waffles and found that shoppers using Sainsbury’s Local instead of shopping online or going to a larger store would have spent an extra £477.93 over the year.
While supermarket prices fluctuate all the time, Which?’s analysis revealed steep mark ups at both Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express stores on individual items.
In the worst case included in Which?’s research, own-label sweet potatoes were 95p on average when bought online or at a big Tesco but £1.30 on average at Tesco Express – a difference of 37 per cent.
Which? also found Mr Kipling Bakewell slices were £1.27 online or at larger stores, but cost £1.62 at Tesco Express – 28 per cent more.
At Sainsbury’s the worst offender was Heinz Cream Of Tomato soup, which was £1.15 online and at the bigger store but £1.37 at Sainsbury’s Local – a 19 per cent mark-up.
Similarly Birds Eye Potato Waffles were £1.71 at Sainsbury’s, both online and at bigger stores, but £2.01 at Sainsbury’s Local.
Not all items were more expensive at convenience stores compared to big supermarkets. Anchor Spreadable Butter Tub (500g), Colgate Total Original Toothpaste (125ml) and Magnum Almond Ice Cream (4 pack) were all 3 per cent cheaper on average at Sainsbury’s Local compared to larger Sainsbury’s stores and online. Tesco’s own-label unsalted butter block (250g) was 2 per cent cheaper on average at Tesco Express than at larger Tesco stores and online.
The large differences in price show how challenging food shopping can be, especially for people who are more vulnerable to food insecurity, don’t shop online, or don’t have easy access to a larger supermarket.
In November, Which? published the Priority Places for Food Index, developed with the Consumer Data Research Centre at the University of Leeds, which showed that seven in 10 UK Parliamentary constituencies have at least one area in need of urgent help accessing affordable food – meaning that people living in these areas are most at risk in the cost of food crisis.
While supermarket convenience stores offer a local lifeline for many, or are an easy alternative when looking to avoid doing a big shop, Which?’s research shows that at a time when grocery prices are soaring, many shoppers face higher costs than they would do if they went to a larger supermarket or shopped online.
Which? is campaigning for supermarkets to do more to support consumers through the current cost of living crisis in a range of ways.
This includes ensuring that affordable ranges are available, for example by offering a range of budget lines for affordable essential items that enable a healthy diet across their stores including convenience stores and particularly in locations where people most need support.
As well as ensuring budget range availability in all stores, Which? is calling for supermarkets to make unit pricing clearer, more legible and consistent so that people can more easily understand the best deals. Offering targeted support by focussing their marketing budgets and promotions to support those struggling, with offers, vouchers and loyalty card benefits targeted at the places and households where people are most in need.
As part of its Affordable Food For All campaign, Which? has published a 10-point plan of steps supermarkets can take across these three key areas to help ensure affordable food is available to everyone who needs it.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Food Policy, said: “Convenience stores offer a local lifeline for some shoppers, but Which? research shows shopping at a supermarket convenience shop rather than a bigger store comes at a cost – at a time when soaring grocery prices are putting huge pressure on household budgets.
“We know the big supermarkets have the ability to take action and make a real difference to people struggling through the worst cost of living crisis in decades. That’s why we’re calling on them to ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food lines at a store near them, can easily compare the price of products to get the best value and that promotions are targeted at supporting people most in need.”
Which? recently launched its Affordable Food For All campaign calling on supermarkets to step up and help consumers keep food on the table. The consumer champion has defined how this can be achieved in a 10-point plan that sets out specific steps supermarkets can take in three main areas: clear and transparent pricing, access to affordable food ranges across all stores and more targeted promotions for consumers who are struggling.
Alongside the University of Leeds Consumer Data Research Centre, Which? has developed the Priority places for food index which shows where in the UK people are the most vulnerable to food insecurity.
The cost of renting a car on holiday this Easter is 72 per cent more expensive on average than the same period in 2019, according to new Which? research.
Which? examined data supplied by car hire broker Zest Car Rental for over 5,000 rentals in nine popular holiday destinations including Spain, France and the US, and found that seven out of nine destinations the consumer champion examined have seen weekly increases of over £100.
Cyprus has seen the most dramatic price rises, with the average daily rental rate more than doubling this year when compared with before the pandemic. A seven-day rental would now set holidaymakers back £248, up 112 per cent on pre-pandemic rates. Portugal and Greece were not far behind, with increases of 99 and 97 per cent respectively.
The USA was by far the most expensive country, with holidaymakers shelling out £537 per week on average, adding £239 onto the cost of a holiday compared with 2019.
Despite seeing the smallest price increases overall, at 25 per cent, France nonetheless emerged as one of the pricier regions to rent a car, with a week’s rental costing £364 on average.
In the face of widespread vehicle shortages, the cost of car hire rose hugely last year. While companies have now had an opportunity to begin restocking fleets that were sold off during the height of the pandemic, rates have not dropped as much as might have been anticipated, instead settling far higher than travellers were accustomed to pre-pandemic.
Demand remains extremely high this year, contributing to increased costs. Zest Car Rental reports that advance bookings are up 132 per cent compared to the same point last year.
Rental firms are also facing increased staffing and insurance costs, while cars themselves are also becoming more expensive – estimates by Zest suggest that the cost of purchasing a Fiat Panda, one of the smallest typical cars in a rental fleet, now costs around £5,000 more on average than in 2019.
Jo Rhodes, Deputy Editor of Which? Travel, said:“High demand combined with a shortage of rental vehicles means prices across Europe and the US are still incredibly high compared with before the pandemic.
“Shop around and book in advance to lock in the most competitive rates, especially during peak periods. Use recommended companies, or small local firms endorsed by a trusted broker, and always be wary of ‘too good to be true’ prices.
“Paying in advance, if you can, often works out cheaper overall and helps secure your booking. We also recommend taking out third-party insurance before you travel; in the past, we’ve found hire companies selling inferior policies at the desk at marked up prices.”
One in ten consumers in Scotland are skipping meals, new Which? research suggests, as the consumer champion calls on essential businesses to do more to support people through the cost of living crisis.
The consumer champion carried out extensive research with more than 1,000 people representative of the Scottish population to understand how the cost of living crisis is affecting Scottish consumers.
Which? research found financial pressures are leading consumers in Scotland to make choices that could be harmful to their health. One in ten (11%) are skipping meals due to rising food costs – with parents hit particularly hard by this.
One in five (22%) of more than 250 parents in the Scottish survey are prioritising feeding other family members over eating themselves – compared to 8 per cent of the population overall.
One 55-year-old woman said: “We are having to skip meals, not have the heating on and not going out due to fuel costs”.
Nearly eight in 10 (77%) said they had been putting the heating on less due to energy price rises – compared to just under half (46%) last year. 15 per cent of Scottish consumers had been eating fewer cooked meals to save on energy costs and 2 per cent had used a food bank.
A 42-year-old respondent said: “I’m heating the house to a maximum of 15 Degrees… Eating cold things like sandwiches etc. instead of using the cooker”.
Almost nine in 10 consumers said they were worried about energy prices (89%), while concern around food and housing costs have increased sharply compared to the previous year.
The proportion of people worried about food prices increased by 10 percentage points to almost nine in 10 (87%) in December 2022, compared to eight in 10 (77%) in 2021 and six in 10 (63%) in 2020.
Which?’s research shows how justified these concerns about price rises are. The consumer champion estimates that if consumers in Scotland tried to maintain the same spending habits they would need to spend an additional £40 per week – or around £2,080 a year – on food, energy and fuel in December 2022 compared with December 2021. That would mean almost a third (29%) of their household expenditure would be spent on just these essential goods.
This has led many households to make adjustments to cover essential spending. Nearly six in 10 (56%) consumers in Scotland said their household had made at least one adjustment to cover essential spending in the last month, up from nearly half (48%) in 2021 and nearly four in 10 (37%) in 2020. The most common adjustment was cutting back on essentials – which increased to four in 10 (39%) from a quarter (25%) in 2021.
Which?’s research also found that some household types are being hit harder than others by the cost of living crisis. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of parents in Scotland surveyed had to make adjustments to cover essential spending, compared to just over a third (35%) of pensioners.
Only four in 10 (37%) working-age parents surveyed in Scotland say that they are living comfortably or doing alright – compared to half (50%) of Scottish consumers overall.
These financial pressures are causing widespread emotional harm among Scottish consumers. Nearly half (45%) of consumers in Scotland said that concerns around the cost of living have left them feeling anxious and more than a fifth (22%) said they were struggling to sleep due to worries about the cost of living.
A 34-year-old woman said: “I’m severely depressed and worried all the time about being able to pay my bills and have enough money to feed and clothe my kids as well as electricity and gas to heat my home.
“It’s having a massive effect on my mental health, I feel anxious and stressed out all the time”.
A 54-year-old man said: “I’m having sleepless nights worrying what else is rising in price”.
With the UK heading into recession, mortgages and rent costs rising and the energy price guarantee becoming less generous from April, Scottish consumers will only face further financial pressures in 2023.
Which? recently launched a campaign calling on essential businesses – energy firms, broadband providers and supermarkets – to do more to help consumers struggling to make ends meet. For example, supermarkets must ensure that budget line items are widely available, make pricing and offers more transparent and provide targeted promotions to support people that are struggling most with access to affordable food.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “It’s hugely concerning that people in Scotland are losing sleep, skipping meals and sitting in the cold due to rising prices.
“As the cost of living crisis puts huge pressure on household finances, we are calling on businesses in essential sectors like food, energy and broadband providers to do more to help customers get a good deal and avoid unnecessary or unfair costs and charges during this crisis.”
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:“Which? research has found that millions of households are missing or defaulting on essential payments – such as mortgage, rent, loan, credit card or bill payments – every month and it’s hugely concerning that families are predicted to suffer even more hardship over the next financial year.
“As families across the country struggle to make ends meet, Which? is calling on businesses in essential sectors like food, energy and broadband providers to do more to help customers get a good deal and avoid unnecessary or unfair costs and charges during this crisis.”
The consumer champion has launched a campaign calling on businesses in essential sectors – supermarkets, telecoms and energy – to do more to help their customers through the cost of living crisis.
More information on the campaign is available here.
Supermarket own-label champagnes have beaten offerings from the most-celebrated champagne houses in Which?’s festive taste tests this year, while the consumer champion also rated sparkling wines – with one impressive performer costing just £8.99.
Waitrose Blanc de Blancs Brut (£25.99) clinched one of this year’s Which? Best Buy titles, scoring 82 per cent and impressing the expert panellists with its balanced finish and savoury aftertaste. The experts described it as a pleasing and rewarding champagne with delicate, toasty notes and ripe fruit aromas.
Coming joint top with an 82 per cent score, and also earning a Best Buy, is Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne, a slightly cheaper option retailing at £23. Experts were initially surprised by the unusual golden colour, but they were impressed by the expressive aromas and flavours of brioche, roasted apples and a nutty finish.
These bottles were rated higher than the most expensive champagne the panel tasted. Popular brand Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, costing £39.00 per bottle, did not particularly impress the experts – receiving one of the lower ratings at 68 per cent.
For those looking for a cheaper fizz this festive season, Which? also found a cheaper alternative to champagne that impressed the judges and earned a Best Buy. Aldi Specially Selected Crémant du Jura 2019, £8.99, scored an impressive 74 per cent and demonstrated that paying less does not have to mean compromising on quality.
Despite not coming top of the festive pops – other supermarket offerings delivered some delicious options. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Champagne Brut NV, £18.50, was flagged as a delicious – and cheaper – choice, with judges noting its smooth, complex, and well-integrated flavours.
M&S Louis Vertay Champagne Brut, £18, was also hailed by the panel for its gentle, crisp palate, nutty finish and elegant, pleasant aftertaste. The experts enjoyed the good complexity and intensity of this toasty, fruity champagne.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Home Products and Services Editor, said: “No matter what your budget is, you can be sure that your celebrations will fizz with top-quality champagne and sparkling wine for friends and family to enjoy this festive season.
“Once again our taste tests have proven that supermarket champagnes can more than hold their own against the famous champagne houses, delivering excellent quality and great value for money.”
From small jobs to big changes, here are our top tips for cutting your energy bills
WHICH? consumer research found that in August 2022, 65% of households cut back, dipped into savings or borrowed money in order to cover essential spending. And with most people’s gas boilers whirring into action this month as the temperature drops, outgoing expenses are only increasing.
Our experts have identified a variety of ways to reduce your heating energy bills this winter.
The big things can drastically change how much energy you use every year, while the small things can cheaply make an immediate dent in your bills during a time where a bit of help goes a long way.
Sometimes it’s simply a matter of using a new boiler setting or spending 15 minutes plugging a gap in your home that provided a welcome breeze during the summer heatwave. We’ve also listed a few more expensive, longer-term fixes. If you do feel able to, it’s worth thinking about whether any of these could suit your home.
Read on for our top tips for getting ahead this winter.
Emily Seymour, Which? Energy and Sustainability Editor, said:“Many people will be looking to save money by reducing their energy use this winter. Some easy ways to cut your bills include using radiator valves to make sure each room of your house is only ever as warm as you need it to be.
“If your home has a single room thermostat, it should be set at the lowest comfortable temperature as heating bills will rise by about 10 per cent for every additional degree you turn it up.
“Combi boiler owners can try turning its flow temperature down and the preheat setting off. Tap water will initially come out cool before it heats up, but you’ll be wasting less energy.
“If you have a hot water cylinder, you can’t make use of low flow temperatures. Instead, insulate your hot water tank with a jacket no less than 75mm thick and make sure you’ve got lagging on pipes.
“Simple steps like placing weatherproofing tape over gaps or putting down a draught excluder can guard against heat loss.”
Boilers are easy to cast as a cost-of-living villain. They’re big, sometimes noisy, most of them run on fossil fuels, and they can have a big impact on your energy bills – in fact, in most homes the boiler is the one single thing that uses up the biggest portion of your annual energy bill.
But a central heating system that’s working efficiently and using energy proportionate to your home’s heating need is still the best way to heat your home during the coldest months of the year.
For most people, the priority should be making your boiler cost less to use, and not deferring to replacements like portable heaters.
There’s a lot you can do to make your heating run more efficiently:
Get your boiler serviced. This will reduce the chance of a costly emergency repair and keep a new boiler in warranty. Plus, a well-maintained central heating system will run more efficiently, and you can ask your boiler engineer about whether your boiler’s settings can be toggled to run more cheaply. If you rent, you are within your rights to ask your landlord to arrange a boiler service every year.
Toggle pre-heat off. Combi boilers use water on demand, but sometimes they pre-heat water so it’s ready to get to taps quicker. This is nice, but it will keep your boiler burning more than it needs to.
Bleed your radiators – or ask an engineer to do it if you prefer – and install thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) onto them so you can turn radiators off in rooms you don’t often use (more on this below).
Combi boiler owners should look at their flow temperature. You can save up to 8% on your heating bill by turning down the temperature of the water that gets circulated around your radiators. If your boiler heats this water to its max, your boiler won’t even condense, which means it’s running inefficiently.
The Heating & Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC) recommends that people adapt their boiler settings with the advice of a boiler engineer. This is particularly true if you have a system or regular boiler that keeps water stored in a tank. Because stored water needs to be heated a certain amount to avoid Legionnella bacteria, you should only change settings with professional advice if you have one of these.
However, if you have a combi boiler, you’ve made sure it’s safe and you’ve checked your boiler’s technical manual, you can adjust these settings yourself.
This setting is accessible to anyone and it can be changed using your boiler controls. The flow temperature for heating is generally symbolised by a little picture of a radiator, and for hot water, a picture of a tap. Up and down arrows will change the temperature settings.
It recommends a 55°C setting, but we suggest starting a bit higher initially to see if you’re comfortable with the change.
3. Insulate your boiler’s hot water cylinder and pipes
if you have a boiler with a hot water tank, the advice above doesn’t apply. That’s because boilers that store water in a tank usually can’t manage the efficiency gains of combis as they’re not well suited to running low flow temperatures without modification.
You shouldn’t change the flow temperature of a regular or system boiler with a hot water cylinder without consulting an engineer, because your boiler must be able to pasteurise stored water effectively to avoid bacteria such as Legionella developing.
However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to improve your boiler’s efficiency. You’ll be using a lot of energy to heat up the water in your storage cylinder, and you don’t want to lose out on any of that. So make sure the cylinder itself is well insulated. This can be as easy as buying a jacket for about £20. It should be no less than 75mm thick according to industry standards.
You can also lag the pipes that carry water around your home for around £5 a metre. Water loses a lot of heat in transit, so it’s a small expenditure for a good long-term saving. It’s particularly useful to do it for the pipes coming in and out of the cylinder.
Lagging pipes will also reduce the risk of them freezing in a cold spell, which can be costly to repair.
Smart technology isn’t for everyone, but if you do like using your phone, tablet or voice assistant for managing your home, then a smart thermostat will give you easy and precise control over your central heating.
They’re designed to provide automation to help you use your heating at the best times. Whether it’s toggling your boiler when you’re nearby to benefit from it, learning your routine so it can predict the optimal times to run or even checking the weather forecast to anticipate increases and decreases in heating need, smart home heating is becoming increasingly clever.
While many of these features are designed for your comfort, rather than your wallet, smart thermostats really come into their own when it comes to making savings if you set up zonal heating with compatible radiator valves.This means you can vary the routine and temperature of different rooms so you’re not wasting energy by heating rooms at the wrong times.
For example, you might want to programme your kitchen to get a burst of heating in the morning before you put the kettle on and your living room to be warmest in the early evening, while you’re happy for your bedroom to stay cold all day until you’re about to go to bed. All of these adjustments mean you’re saving crucial kilowatts by never heating a room you’re not actually using.
Since the introduction of new legislation in 2018, new gas boilers need to come with one of four energy-saving add-ons. Smart heating controls are one of them. But if you have an older boiler you can still buy and install a smart thermostat separately.
If smart tech isn’t for you, you can still make significant improvements by installing manually operated thermostatic radiator valves, or TRVs. They control the heat of your home by adjusting how much hot water flows through the radiator they’re fitted to, so you can make sure each room of your house is only ever as warm as you need it to be.
It works by sensing the room temperature and opening or closing the valve as appropriate.
The numbers on TRVs determine how much a radiator is allowed to heat up. They correspond more to a level of comfort than a specific temperature, but as a rough guide the following applies:
0
Off
* (the maintenance setting)
The radiator will turn on as a protective measure when the temperature nears 0°C.
1
Approximately 12°C, a low room temperature for an unoccupied room
2
Approximately 16°C, a lukewarm heat for an occupied room.
3
Approximately 20°C, a comfortable heat for an occupied room.
4
Approximately 24°C, a warm heat for an occupied room.
5
The valve is fully open.
Use trial and error. We recommend using settings two and three to try and cut heating use, knowing that you can go higher if you’re feeling chilly.
If you’ve also turned down your boiler’s central heating flow temperature, you might find you need to open your TRVs to higher settings to reach comfortable temperatures.
Smart radiator valves can work with smart thermostats to do this automatically. Some of them also take temperature readings to fine-tune your thermostatic system.
6. Turn your thermostat down a little
It’s age-old advice, and for people who are already frugal with their heating it may not apply. But each degree you turn your thermostat down is energy saved. According to the NHS, temperatures as low as 18°C are healthy for most people.
The Energy Saving Trust claims that turning your thermostat down by one degree can save you up to 10% off your heating bill. Realistically, a lot of variables affect this, but even one degree lower will move your bills in the right trajectory.
For older people, Age UK reminds that very low temperatures can increase your risk of flu or other breathing problems, and can raise your blood pressure. When you’re older, your blood pressure takes longer to return to normal once you get cold. Try to make sure you’re keeping at least one room at a comfortable temperature for you, and keep the doors closed as much as you can to keep that room as warm as possible.
7. Only use electric heaters sparingly
We’re often asked whether people should turn off their heating completely and replace it with electric heaters. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to be cost effective over long periods of time.
Portable electric heaters use electricity to warm the air by convection, either with an exposed heating element, or with a radiator design that transfers heat from the element through a system of fins.
They are great at providing a quick heating fix for a short period of time, such as for a 10-minute blast on a particularly freezing morning. And if your central heating system isn’t working, they’re reliable back-ups.
It’ll take a portable heater between 15 – 30 minutes to raise the temperature of a medium-sized room by 10ºC at full blast. After that it will toggle on and off as needed to maintain temperature, based on its thermostat.
Remember that you pay for energy by the unit. With the current price cap, electricity is much more expensive than gas. So be prudent when you use your electric heater in place of gas.
They usually have rated outputs of 2 or 3kW – that’s how many they’d get through in an hour on full blast. For reference, that’s about the same amount of energy as a kettle. Heaters do generally have settings that let them run at lower outputs too.
If you’re on a standard variable tariff, the average unit price for dual fuel customers is 34p per/kWh for electricity and 10.3p per/kWh for gas. That means that a 2kW portable heater at its full output would use 34p of electricity every half an hour.
If you’re short on cash, there are things you can do right now to plug in gaps in your home and hold onto your heat.
You can draught proof any gaps in your home, whether that’s keyholes, postboxes, door cracks, cavities near doors and windows, or gaps around electrical outlets and pipes. Just remember that homes do need some ventilation, so make sure you leave any purpose-built vents clear, such as window trickle vents or grills in wodden flooring.
Draught-proofing may involve putting down tape or a draught excluder where there’s a draft. Even something basic like a door snake is a help in the war against heat loss. Many of these solutions cost less than a tenner, or can be homemade.
Other tools include:
Adhesive weatherproof tape made of PVC or foam to go around doors and windows.
Threshold seals to go on either side of doors.
Letterbox excluders with brush pile material.
Thermoplastic rubber (TPR) to fit flexibly into door and window cavities.
Pillows designed to fit inside an open chimney to block off draughts when it’s not in use.
One visit to a DIY shop can provide you with several small solutions that don’t break the bank and can be installed yourself.
While individual draught-proofing measures are unlikely to save huge sums from your energy bills in isolation, collectively they will make your home feel more pleasant and cosy to be in. You might even find you can comfortably turn your thermostat down a degree.
In the long run, the key way to keep energy bills low is to trap as much as possible of the heat we generate inside our homes.
If you have the money to do it, insulation is a very good long-term investment. As energy bills go up, the time it takes to see a return on your investment becomes shorter. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that having a professional install loft insulation in a typical semi-detached home would cost around £480 in October 2022, but once it’s done you’d save £355 a year on your energy bills. So in less than 18 months you’d be making a saving.
Professional installation in a detached home would cost more – around £630 – but the savings are as much as £590 a year. And you’ll be saving around 1,000kg CO2 emissions from being released.
So it’s a win-win: you’ll waste less energy and be able to run central heating more cheaply – and break even relatively quickly.
Plus, you’ll be ready for whatever comes next. The central heating options of the future will operate more cheaply if homes can retain heat. Technology like heat pumps are able to operate efficiently because they’re designed for well insulated properties.
Floor insulation usually comes next, and it can reportedly reduce heat loss by 15%.
Cavity wall insulation is useful for properties built in the last century. It’s injected into the gap between your outer and inner walls.
Solid wall insulation can be placed within or outside a wall that’s not eligible for cavity wall insulation. It’s very expensive to install, so a longer term investment.
The energy efficiency of your home or of the home you’re renting is quantified by an EPC certificate. Find out how to get assessed and what the ratings mean here.
10. Update windows with double glazing or alternatives
Windows are a source of heat loss in any home. But if you have single glazing, you’ll notice you need much more energy to heat your home sufficiently. Double or even triple-glazing windows will reduce your heating needs dramatically.
Installing A-rated double glazing could save between £95 and £115 a year on the heating bill of a typical home. However, it doesn’t come cheaply.
We ask Which? members to rate the double glazing companies they’ve actually used.
If you need a quick fix and don’t have the money to spend, window foam seal, foam sealant or metallic brush strips can all help.
We’ve tested secondary glazing film in the past, like clingfilm for your windows, but we thought it wasn’t very resilient. It also needed re-stretching with a hair dryer periodically.
Thick curtains across windows can make a big difference too. Drawing them creates a barrier between your room and the elements and keeps your heat inside.
11. Explore home grants
If you’re replacing your heating system, the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme helps you to decarbonise with a heat pump if your home has no outstanding insulation recommendations.
With the latest price cap, a heat pump needs to run at an efficiency of 280% to have parity with a gas boiler’s running costs. Heat pumps can run at 300-400% efficiency, so they can prove cheaper to run.
Other grants can help if you’re in a vulnerable situation, such as:
Cold weather payment to top-up your energy bills during cold snaps.
Winter fuel payment to help people born before September 1955 pay their energy bills.
Fuel Direct lets you deduct essential bills directly from income support, Universal Credit and other assistance available to you. The amount is decided by Jobcentre Plus or your pension centre.
The government’s 2022 Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bill Support Scheme will both provide households in the UK with a bit of extra help this winter.
As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, many university students will be looking for ways to cut back.
A recent study by the National Union of Students (NUS) found that a third of students are living on less than £50 a month after paying rent and bills. With the cost of living soaring, 96 per cent of students are cutting back on spending as a result.
Which? has nine tips for students wanting to save money while they study:
1. Choose the best student bank account
Choosing the best student bank account should be a priority. When looking for an account to suit your needs, Which? recommends finding one with a generous 0% overdraft that lasts for the length of your course.
Student bank account providers offer different perks and offers – so it’s worth making sure you get the deal best suited to you. For example, Santander offers a free four-year railcard which is worth around £90 but it doesn’t offer the largest interest-free overdraft and you’ll need to pay in £500 per term.
While NatWest offers one of the largest overdrafts for first-year students, the freebies, such as its one-year Tastecard membership, aren’t as valuable. Other accounts offer cash incentives of up to £100.
2. Consider what kind of laptop or computer you need
Most students find a laptop, rather than a desktop computer, better for university as they’re easy to carry around and don’t take up too much space. Don’t overspend on a laptop that’s too powerful for your needs. Between £250 and £400 should be enough if you’re only going to be researching and creating Word documents.
It’s worth searching for student discounts and deals on laptops. For instance, Lenovo offers up to 30 per cent off for students, but you might need to show a valid student ID. You can often find the best deals direct from manufacturers’ websites. For example, HP offers £150 cashback if you trade in an old laptop for a new one. Buying second hand or refurbished laptops is another way to save.
If you plan to work from home most of the time and you’re on a tight budget, a desktop computer might be a cost-effective option, especially if you already have a computer monitor, keyboard and mouse. Desktops typically have a faster processor, more ports and more RAM and storage, compared to the same-priced laptop.
Most universities have computers around campus for students to use, and some have laptops that can be used in their libraries.
3. Find out what additional support is available
Most universities offer additional financial support, particularly – although not exclusively – to students from lower-income families. The most common examples are bursaries and scholarships to help with some or all of a student’s tuition fees or living costs. Companies, charities and special-interest groups are all common sources of funding, too. Bursaries and scholarships may be awarded based on academic merit (i.e. achieving high grades at A-level), a talent or skill, and extracurricular achievements.
If you have a disability or dependants who rely on you for care or financial support (for example children, or parents you care for), you might be eligible for grants or allowances to help you. Students will be asked about this when applying for student finance, but it’s worth researching what your university, charities and other groups offer, too.
4. Share subscriptions with your flatmates
Lots of student accommodation doesn’t come with a television or TV licence, and many students rely on streaming services as a result. You can cut this cost by sharing streaming subscriptions within a household. Most services have plans that could help users save money, without losing their personalised features. For example, Spotify offers a Premium Duo plan for £13.99 a month for two people in the same household, saving £71.88 a year compared to the price of two individual subscriptions.
For larger households, the Spotify Premium Family plan for £16.99 a month allows up to six users to get premium benefits, saving a whopping £515.40 a year over six individual subscriptions. Amazon Prime also allows users to share benefits with another person in their household, halving the cost of having two separate accounts.
5. Buy books second hand
Students will no doubt be presented with a long list of books that they’ll need to buy as part of their course. Tutors often insist you buy them all, but it might be worth checking how many are mandatory and how many are ‘nice-to-haves’. Find out if any necessary books are available in your library to borrow, or if the relevant bits are available online to download for free. Some departments have their own second-hand book schemes, and many university bookshops sell second-hand copies as well. It could also be worth searching for cheaper second-hand copies on online marketplaces.
6. Find student discount codes
It’s always worth checking if you can pay less with a student discount, whether you’re going out for a pizza with friends or treating yourself to a new pair of jeans. Discounts can range from around 5 per cent to 40 per cent, so there are often big savings to be made. While students can typically use their physical student card in shops and restaurants, there are also online cards and schemes you can sign up for such as Totum, Tastecard, Unidays, Student Beans and International Student Card. Each service offers its own exclusive online discounts, so you’ll get different deals with each.
7. Look for freebies
Several companies offer freebies for students, so it’s worth searching for the best ones. For example, Amazon Prime offers six months free when you sign up to an Amazon Prime Student Trial. Students can also sign up for Microsoft’s Office 365 Education for free with their university email address. McDonald’s also offers a free cheeseburger, mayo chicken, or McFlurry Original when you buy any extra value or wrap meal and show a valid student or Student Beans ID.
8. Save money on bills
While those living in student accommodation will likely have their utilities included, students living off campus usually need to pay for this themselves. Think about ways you could reduce energy use for cheaper bills, such as cooking with housemates, charging your laptop on campus and not leaving gadgets on standby. Students are also exempt from paying council tax.
9. Save on transport
There are several ways to save on transport as a student. For example, the 16-25 railcard gives a third off rail journeys for just £30 per year, or £20 a year if you purchase via the Trainline before 31 August 2022.
You can also buy a railcard with £10 of Tesco Clubcard vouchers. National Express offers a Young Persons Coachcard for £15 that grants a third off journeys as well. It’s worth checking if you can get local travel cards or bus passes – different cities around the UK will have different options.
It might also be cost-effective to take a bike with you to save on transport costs. Some universities have their own bike loan schemes, so it’s worth checking when you arrive.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Senior Shopping and Money Editor, said: “University is already expensive and the rising cost of rent, food, energy and train fares, as well as books and other student essentials, means that many will be feeling the squeeze and looking for ways to cut back.
“There are ways to stay on top of things. Try sticking to a budget to keep track of your spending. Find a student bank account that offers a decent 0 per cent overdraft and perks that meet your needs. You can also save in a wide range of shops and restaurants with student discounts and offers – so it’s always worth keeping an eye out for deals.”
Energy price hikes will cause ‘stress, anxiety, illness, debt and death’
Today (26 August) Ofgem has announced the energy price cap will increase to £3,549 per year for dual fuel for an average household from 1 October 2022.
This comes as Ofgem’s CEO warns of the hardship energy prices will cause this winter and urges the incoming Prime Minister and new cabinet to provide an additional and urgent response to continued surging energy prices.
The increase reflects the continued rise in global wholesale gas prices, which began to surge as the world unlocked from the Covid pandemic and have been driven still higher to record levels by Russia slowly switching off gas supplies to Europe.
The price cap, as set out in law, puts a maximum per unit price on energy that reflects what it costs to buy energy on the wholesale market and supply it to our homes. It also sets a strict and modest profit rate that suppliers can make from domestic energy sales. However, unlike energy producers and extractors, most domestic suppliers are currently not making a profit.
The price cap protects against the so called ‘loyalty premium’ where customers who do not move suppliers or switch to better deals can end up paying far more than others. Ultimately, the price cap cannot be set below the true cost of buying and supplying energy to our homes and so the rising costs of energy are reflected in it.
Although Ofgem is not giving price cap projections for January because the market remains too volatile, the market for gas in Winter means that prices could get significantly worse through 2023.
Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem, said:“We know the massive impact this price cap increase will have on households across Britain and the difficult decisions consumers will now have to make. I talk to customers regularly and I know that today’s news will be very worrying for many.
“The price of energy has reached record levels driven by an aggressive economic act by the Russian state. They have slowly and deliberately turned off the gas supplies to Europe causing harm to our households, businesses and wider economy. Ofgem has no choice but to reflect these cost increases in the price cap.
“The Government support package is delivering help right now, but it’s clear the new Prime Minister will need to act further to tackle the impact of the price rises that are coming in October and next year.
“We are working with ministers, consumer groups and industry on a set of options for the incoming Prime Minister that will require urgent action. The response will need to match the scale of the crisis we have before us. With the right support in place and with regulator, government, industry and consumers working together, we can find a way through this.”
Ofgem will continue to work with government, consumers groups, charities and suppliers, in supporting any new package of help or measures to ease the crisis.
Ofgem has also today strengthened the rules around direct debits to ensure suppliers set them at the right level, meaning that customers only pay exactly what they need to. The changes will stop suppliers from building up excessive customer credit balances and using them in a risky way as working capital.
Ofgem’s clear role is to protect consumers, and it has also today:
Strengthened requirements for suppliers to have sufficient control over the key assets they use to run their businesses. Together, this and the direct debit rule changes build on existing requirements to boost supplier resilience to better protect customers from costs associated with supplier failures.
Extended the Market Stabilisation Charge (MSC), which is paid by suppliers and helps protect customers from the cost of supplier failure.
Extended the ban on acquisition only tariffs which ensures all energy tariffs are available to existing as well as new customers, ensuring all consumers can get a fair deal on their energy.
Launched a review into the mechanism and level of profit margin available under the price cap to ensure that suppliers do not earn excessive profits and receive only a fair return for the services they provide to customers.
The new price cap level will take effect from 1 October 2022, but it is possible some suppliers may begin increasing direct debits before this date to spread costs. Customers worried about when their direct debit will increase should contact their supplier. Any money taken from customers to build up a credit will only ever be spent on their energy supply and customers can ask for their credit balance to be returned at any time.
Anyone worried about paying their bill should contact their supplier in the first instance. They are obliged to discuss payment plans and direct customers to government and third sector support where available. Ofgem is tightly monitoring suppliers’ performance in this area and has told all suppliers now is the time to step up their support for customers, especially those on low incomes or in a vulnerable situation.
Ofgem continues to monitor the impact of the price cap and to work with stakeholders and government on what more can be done for those least able to pay but most in need of energy.
When the new Prime Minister announces what additional support packages will be available, Ofgem will continue to examine how best it can help those groups of people that need it the most.
Reacting to today’s announcement by Ofgem, Poverty Alliance director Peter Kelly said: “The first moral duty of government is to protect people and provide them with security. The UK Government and Ofgem are failing badly in that duty and acting without any sense of compassion and justice.
“This massive price hike is in line with predictions. Ministers knew this was coming for months but have put nothing in place to prevent a humanitarian disaster.
“We must be clear. Bills of this size will be completely and utterly unaffordable for people on low incomes, many of whom have already been struggling with cuts to social security and huge wage squeeze for years and years. They will cause stress, anxiety, illness, debt and death.
“The UK Government must act now. It is simply not right that they continue to dither – prices must be frozen and targeted support must be put in place to help those most in need.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi said:“I know the energy price cap announcement this morning will cause stress and anxiety for many people, but help is coming with £400 off energy bills for all, the second instalment of a £650 payment for vulnerable households, and £300 for all pensioners.
“While Putin is driving up energy prices in revenge for our support of Ukraine’s brave struggle for freedom, I am working flat out to develop options for further support. This will mean the incoming Prime Minister can hit the ground running and deliver support to those who need it most, as soon as possible.”
He later told the public to cut back their energy consumption – this from the man who once claimed parliamentary expenses for heating his stables!
This morning, Ofgem announced that the energy price cap will rise by 80%, taking typical household bills from £1,971 a year to £3,549 a year on 1 October.
People will rightly be worried by these huge price hikes. These eye-watering increases will simply be unaffordable for households up and down the country.
We’re demanding the government increase its support package for every household to at least £1,000, with extra support for the most financially vulnerable, or risk pushing millions of households into financial distress this winter. We also expect energy suppliers to ensure their customer service centres are adequately resourced to resolve queries quickly and help those struggling to pay their bills.
THE Government needs to spend £100 billion to freeze household energy prices for a year, according to an industry expert.Derek Lickorish, chairman of retailer Utilita Energy, told GB News: “Back in the banking crisis, Gordon Brown found £500 billion pounds to stop the banks falling apart and I’m advocating that we’re looking at about £100 billion to freeze prices for one year.
“At the moment, we don’t know what Liz Truss is bringing to the party and we don’t know whether it’s going to meet the size of the gap.
“While we have a price cap , when we get to the first of January, that figure is going to have a five in front of it, and it’s going to be another couple of thousand pounds and people cannot possibly afford to pay that amount of money for their energy bill.”
Speaking to Alastair Stewart on GB News, he added: “I think the area that needs to be looked at quite closely is the market structure, in terms of the way electricity is bought and sold, and I know there are plans to look at this now with some urgency.
“But you have a situation where you’re bringing on to the network power that has been effectively subsidised by the renewables obligation, yet they are getting these huge prices in terms of generation because the market price is set by gas.
“The wind doesn’t cost any more. The sun doesn’t cost any more. But these schemes are making an awful lot of money.
“To be fair, that’s about solutions that were brought in prior to 2017, so there was a change so that renewable projects from 2017 would get the price that they agreed.”
Asked to make a final point, Mr Lickorish said: “I want the Government to tell us what’s happening and it needs to be a very, very big number that we need to know now.
John Redwood MP, who has been tipped for a post in a new administration, suggested that VAT on energy will be scrapped for businesses when a new Prime Minister is in place.
“Cancelling VAT on fuel, at least temporarily while fuel costs are elevated, is a serious runner and any new government team will want to look at that,” he told Liam Halligan on GB News.
“I certainly agree with you that there are a lot of businesses under a lot of pressure and I think that must be part of a comprehensive package to explain to industry what help might become available.
“And what can be done about the excessive fuel bills that will directly now lead to some closures, as we’ve heard recently.”
Commenting on the energy price cap rise announced today, Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE, the countryside charity, said: ‘This winter’s energy bills are a ticking time bomb threatening to blow apart household finances.
“Rural areas, where wages are lower and homes often cost more to heat, will be devastated if the full force of the price rises are felt by consumers. The government must step in to prevent those living in the countryside from having to choose between eating and heating this winter.
‘We’ve been here before in the pandemic – the country is entering a national crisis that requires an emergency response. Ministers must urgently put in place direct financial support to get people through the winter, while working to deliver the only viable long term solution – improving the energy efficiency of our homes.
‘In addition to stratospheric energy bills, the cost of living crisis is being driven by a lack of housing and soaring rents for millions in the private rented sector. Homelessness is rising as half a million people languish on social housing waiting lists. In the Eden district of Cumbria, homelessness rates are more than four times what they were in early 2020.
‘Twiddling with taxes won’t cut it. To ease the cost of living crisis the government needs to provide immediate monetary support. To prevent a generation of rolling winter crises, we need to get off gas and rapidly invest in home insulation and cheap renewable energy. A longer term fix must also include providing many more social and affordable homes.’
Energy regulator Ofgem has told a number of energy suppliers to take immediate and urgent action, after a review found a range of weaknesses or failings in the way they charge customers direct debits.
Out of a total of 17 large suppliers in the market, the majority were found to only have minor issues, but five were found to have ‘moderate or severe’ weaknesses with Ofgem demanding immediate action.
This is an initial snapshot of findings and suppliers affected will now have to submit action plans within two weeks to set out how they will take the required actions, which Ofgem will scrutinise for effectiveness and comprehensiveness.
Although we have not found evidence of unjustifiably high direct debits, as an additional reassurance for consumers, the regulator will require all suppliers that increased their customers’ direct debits by more than 100% (impacting over 500,000 customers) to review them.
Where appropriate, Ofgem also expects suppliers to adjust any miscalculations, including making repayments if needed, and consider whether a goodwill payment is warranted.
The review of domestic energy suppliers found that:
Over 7 million energy consumers on a Standard Variable Tariff (SVT) saw an increase in their direct debit between February and April 2022
On average, direct debit levels for customers on an SVT increased by 62% in this period. Most of this reflects the increased cost of gas*
8% of SVT customers seeing an increase (around 500,000 households) experienced an increase of more than 100% and Ofgem is concerned by this and wants to ensure there is good reason for it (e.g., coming off an SVT, increase in energy use etc)
Evidence that some suppliers’ processes are not as robust as they could be, and that this could lead to inconsistent, incorrect or poor treatment for customers
A lack of formally documented policies and processes within some suppliers, which risks inconsistent and poor consumer outcomes.
Ofgem recognises that increases experienced by consumers will differ depending on a range of factors, and that some of these, such as recent tariff changes, high debit balances or recent meter reads, can drive large adjustments to customer direct debits.
But it is for suppliers to ensure that direct debits are set correctly based on all relevant information available, and that they clearly communicate any changes in a way that helps consumers understand their payments.
Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem CEO, said:“We know how hard it is for energy customers at the moment so it’s crucial that the amount they pay each month in direct debits is right so they can manage their money.
“Suppliers must do all they can, especially during the current gas crisis, to support customers and to recognise the significant worry and concern increased direct debits can cause.
“We know there is some excellent service out there, but we want to make sure that it’s consistent and standard across the board. It’s clear from today’s findings on direct debits that there are areas of the market where customers are simply not getting the service they need and rightly expect in these very difficult times.
“Today’s findings show that with the urgent changes we are now expecting, the current system will be much fairer for consumers. Bringing down the price of gas is not in Ofgem’s control; however, we will do all we can to have a fair system and ensure suppliers look after their customers.”
The Ofgem assessment divided supplier findings into three groups:
No significant issues (four suppliers)
Minor weaknesses (seven suppliers)
Moderate to severe weaknesses (five suppliers)
Suppliers in the first group, with no significant issues found, are British Gas, EDF, ScottishPower and SO Energy. Our review found that these suppliers generally had robust processes in place, although we did make some recommendations for improvement, and Ofgem will work with these suppliers for continuous improvement. We are asking these suppliers to review customer direct debits to ensure they are correct, as an additional assurance for consumers.
The second group, with minor weaknesses, consisted of Bulb, E.ON, Octopus Energy, Outfox the Market, Ovo, Shell and Utility Warehouse. For this group of suppliers, we identified some weaknesses or gaps in their processes that could lead to poor consumer outcomes.
Examples include lack of documented policies or guidance for staff, potentially not taking account of all relevant factors when setting customer direct debits, or risks that some customers’ direct debits are not assessed when appropriate. We have started compliance engagement with these suppliers to secure improvements.
Suppliers in the third group had moderate to severe weaknesses identified. This group includes Ecotricity, Good Energy, Green Energy UK and Utilita Energy, and covered a spectrum of weaknesses, ranging from inadequately documented or embedded processes, weak governance and controls, to an overall lack of a structured approach to setting customer direct debits.
Ofgem is concerned that in some cases this could lead to customer direct debits being set incorrectly, or not being evaluated for a long time, which can cause the build-up of either unnecessarily large credit balances or debt, depending on whether the customer is under- or overpaying.
Ofgem is starting compliance engagement with these suppliers to drive rapid and robust improvements to processes and reassess customer direct debits where necessary. If these suppliers don’t take action fast enough, Ofgem will consider enforcement action.
Also in this group, with severe weaknesses were TruEnergy and UK Energy Incubator Hub (UKEIH). In both cases we found suppliers did not have a consistent and structured approach to setting customer direct debits, and found severe concerns over the maturity of their processes, putting consumers at a serious risk of inconsistent or poor outcomes, with need for rapid and significant improvement.
To this end, we are considering whether enforcement action is warranted. Since the findings were made, UKEIH have ceased to trade and so we will not pursue any further action against them.
If Ofgem does not see swift and sufficient improvement, as well as redress for consumers where necessary, the regulator will not hesitate to initiate enforcement action against more suppliers, which can include fines, enforcement orders and banning the acquisition of new customers.
Ofgem has now instructed suppliers to:
· review the accounts of all customers whose direct debit was increased by 100% or more between 1 February and 30 April 2022, to assess whether the uplift was appropriate
· adjust any miscalculations and consider whether a goodwill payment is warranted in the circumstances
· address any process issues which may have incorrectly led to significant increases or other poor consumer outcomes, such as systemic over- or underpayment, and
· submit action plans within two weeks to set out how they will take the required actions, which Ofgem will scrutinise for effectiveness and comprehensiveness.
Journalistic website Money Saving Expert (MSE) sent Ofgem a dossier of information earlier this year on the same issue, after it was raised by consumers.
This is all part of the wider work that Ofgem is doing to make the energy market fairer, including a robust recent review into lessons learnt from Storm Arwen, a more frequent and fairer price cap, and most recently, action to improve the financial resilience of companies.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:“The cost of living remains consumers’ number one priority, yet Which? has heard concerning stories of consumers having their energy direct debits miscalculated or increased by huge amounts, while our research shows many customers are struggling to understand their bills and pricing.
“It’s encouraging to see the regulator taking action over poor performance and Ofgem should not hesitate to impose penalties on any suppliers that fail to make the necessary improvements.
“At a time when consumers are paying more than ever before for energy, the regulator must also work with government and suppliers to explore ways of using data proactively to offer targeted support to those in most need of help before they have to turn to debt charities.
“Which? will seek to work with businesses in energy and other key sectors to find more ways to support consumers through the tough times ahead.”
Social media sites are rife with dodgy companies offering car insurance that is either non-existent or missing key details, resulting in tens of thousands of drivers being potentially left uninsured on the roads, Which? research has found.
‘Ghost broking’ is a scam that cost its average victim £1,950 last year. It involves ‘brokers’ forging insurance paperwork completely or more commonly selling victims a ‘real’ policy at a reduced price, by changing some of the victim’s details in the application, such as their address or claims record. It leaves those affected potentially liable for fraud and at risk of penalties for driving uninsured.
Ghost brokers mainly operate online, particularly on social media. In May, Which? searched on social media platforms for profiles and pages that showed signs of being run by scammers.
Which? analysed the first 50 pages returned from a search for ‘cheap car insurance’ on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Of the 47 profiles that matched Which?’s search on Instagram, more than half, 25, appeared to be offering quotes or cover to UK drivers, while showing no signs of being authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
In a separate search, Which? found one Instagram profile that boasted it could save customers ‘up to 50%’ on their premium – it also offered ‘NCB (no-claims bonus) Documents’ and ‘Speeding Ticket Removal’. It had 45,900 followers – more than the five biggest insurers combined – and claimed to have ‘over six years experience in [its] field’. It also had a sister profile with an additional 15,200 followers. Which? flagged these to Instagram, and both have since been taken down.
On Facebook, seven pages of the 50 profiles were dubious. On video-sharing site TikTok, two of the 50 profiles analysed were suspect.
Experts Which? spoke with in the police and insurance industry seem to agree that ghost brokers generally operate most prolifically on Facebook and Instagram.
According to the Insurance Fraud Bureau, last year insurers collectively reported more than 21,000 policies that could be connected to the scam.
Some victims will not report being scammed because they are too embarrassed. Others might be aware their quotes have been manipulated, but ghost brokers can be persuasive in downplaying the significance of this.
Some ghost brokers also put real effort into creating a positive word-of-mouth buzz, which helps them seem trustworthy.
Some 517 cases of ghost broking – with losses totalling £1 million – were reported to Action Fraud in 2021. However, this will only be people who make a report to Action Fraud and actually know that they have bought a fraudulent policy. The true numbers are likely to be much higher.
Many of these losses, unsurprisingly, were from young drivers, who face the steepest premiums. Ghost brokers also heavily target non-native English speakers.
People who have not even bought a policy can also be affected by the scam through having their address or other details used as part of forged insurance paperwork.
To test how social media platforms are vetting unregulated insurance middlemen, Which? set up six accounts of its own on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, claiming to be car insurance brokers.
Which? promised cheap quotes and asked interested drivers to contact via a mobile phone number or directly message through the website.
The two profiles Which? set up on Facebook were taken down by the site within a few days, as was an Instagram profile linked to an email address containing the word ‘ghostbrokerscammer’. However, a second Instagram profile, connected to a less conspicuous email with a ‘normal’ name (e.g. ‘johnsmith’), stayed up for 35 days until Which? took it down.
The two TikTok profiles, one linked to a ‘ghostbrokerscammer’ email, also stayed up for the same period.
Which? believes social media companies should have stronger processes in place to protect consumers from fraudulent pages offering financial services.
When the Online Safety Bill comes into force, platforms should be required to prevent this kind of activity. To ensure this is the case, Which? is calling on the government to amend the Bill to ensure its definition of fraud does not allow some scammers to slip through the net and to guarantee that Ofcom has appropriate powers to adequately enforce the Bill when it becomes law.
Meanwhile, consumers should be wary of insurance brokers selling their services on social media and carry out other basic background checks to ensure they are not buying a fraudulent or misleading insurance policy – and are dealing with a company that is actually authorised by the FCA.
Jenny Ross, Which? Money Editor, said:“Ghost broking is a really nasty kind of fraud, where scammers operate by stealth and typically take advantage of those who feel locked out of, or bewildered by, the car insurance market.
“Social media sites must do much more to crack down on car insurance scammers that are infiltrating their sites and harming consumers, and should address these problems now, ahead of the Online Safety Bill becoming law.
“The Online Safety Bill should require platforms to tackle this type of fraudulent content. The government must ensure this happens by amending the Bill so that its definition of fraud does not allow some scammers to slip through the net and guaranteeing Ofcom is ready to enforce these new laws when they come into force.”
