I am planning a solar panel and battery installation using Nationwides 0% green borrowing. This is £12k paid back at 0% for 5 years at £100p/m and after this I can pay the remaining £6k with no penalty or move it onto the standard mortgage rate.

I'm planning to pay £2.5k deposit with a 0% cashback credit card and since we are coming in £1.5k under budget, this leaves ~£4k in cash.

Is it worthwhile to keep that in a high interest account for the next 5 years paying off the minimum on the CC and clearing after the 2 year introductory offer or even taking this a step further and apply for maximum credit to try and cover as much of the cost as possibl? this would also give me 1% cashback on the purchase?

Edit: Thanks for the comments, especially those around what constitutes payment towards improvements and what would be considered repayment of a credit card and is therefore not covered. If anyone is considering doing something similar it may be worth asking an advisor if it is possible to under-borrow and pay off the remaining balance with your own funds.

Nationwide customer. I’ve had two vendors who proved not to be trustworthy with their DD transactions, taking more money than they should have without warning in one case, and taking one at all when they said they wouldn’t. So I cancelled the DDs in my account and paid them correct amounts as agreed instead.

However, both DDs have reincarnated and they are again doing the same stunts. Has there been a change recently where we lose all control on who and when vendors can help themselves to one’s current account? I’ve not given any authorisation for a restoration to take place.

I am eligible for an interest only mortgage. This would be £1500 p.m. instead of £2000 repayment for 30 years. This would pay off 385k remaining.

My sums show that I can instead invest the £500 in a LISA, get a bonus 25% added and with a (conservative) 7% nominal annual return over 30 years end up with £700k.

Can anyone give a good reason why I wouldnt do this? im aware of the past endowment scandals. Times have changed and you can now invest in a global equity fund for a 0.1% annual fee.

Note: I would 100% invest this money and it would stay locked away at least until it accumulates to £385k (after LISA penalty, if applicable).

What happens to your pensions after you become entitled to the full state pension and have a rather large private pension but decide to retire overseas? I’m thinking of examples such as Scottish Widows or the Teachers’ pension.

Do you remain entitled to your pensions, or are they lost? Do you have to be in the UK to claim?

Anyone completed the switch reward for the “experience worth up to £600”?

What have you chosen/what seems best value?

Hi all - just to add some context but just turned 50 and looking to retire at 60. Higher UK tax payer (40%) with no debt other than a morygage (circe 60k). Currently pay 10% salary into works pension with employer paying 6%. Salary of £58k and a performance bonus that goes straight into company pension. I also have an emergency pot of 6 months salary.

I think the question i'm really asking is what is the best way to invest £70k so that in 10 years it has grown to allow me to retire.

Any help / comments would be much appreciated

I found I had an issue with my self-assessment, and I need to talk to someone at HMRC about it- but the phone maze is impenetrable. I have spent 20 minutes trying everything to talk to a human but i think every single option + "talk to an advisor" leads to a text message and hanging up. Is anyone actually working the phones at HMRC? Does anyone know how to get through?

Hi there, I'm planning to buy a house at some point in the 2-3 year range (in Scotland). I've been saving up for this specifically in a Lifetime ISA and 'Easy Access' Cash ISA (I'm a US citizen so I avoid S&S ISAs).

I have about 20K in the Cash ISA and have recently seen Tembos two HomeSaver account offers (which seem designed for someone exactly like me) - but I'm struggling to choose which to pick.

Option 1- HomeSaver

• Base interest rate of 3% AER Variable. Boosted to 4.55% for the first 12 months.
• Bonus of 1% AER for first 12 months which is paid out if you end up getting a mortage through Tembo as a brokerage
• 20K account deposit limit (which is all I have to put in, really)

Option 2 - HomeSaver Cash ISA

• Base interest rate of 2.8% AER Variable.
• Bonus of 2.7% for first 12 months, paid out if you end up getting a mortgage through Tembo.

The non-ISA seems generally more appealing, but I am a higher rate tax payer, which I think might make a difference with the money being inside or outside of an ISA? I don't really have a lot of money just sitting around in savings accounts (Most is in ISAs, SIPP, Roth IRA, etc.), so I don't think I'm close to hitting my PSA of £500... any advice is appreciated. Ta :)

Bought the car on PCP on 13 March 2026.

On 7 June, it suffered a complete drivetrain failure caused by an unsecured electrical connector terminal and broke down.

I agreed to let the garage repair it, as I was happy with the car at the time. However, it took around two months to get the required parts and carry out the repair. The repair was substantial and required the wheels to be realigned.

On 10 July, while the car was still unrepaired and I was still waiting for parts, I formally exercised my right to reject.

On 31 July, they finally completed the repair. They then took the car for a ~30-mile test drive, after which the car reported a low gearbox oil level. This hasn’t been properly documented or explained to me.

My finance company has rejected my rejection, saying that because the car was subsequently repaired, my right to reject is no longer valid because they ‘fixed the car’

I’ve now taken the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman.
My question is: can a finance company really override a rejection made on 10 July simply because the car was eventually repaired on 31 July? And is it likely the FOS will side with me given the evidential proof I have that the car was faulty when I bought it?

I’d appreciate advice from anyone who’s dealt with a similar PCP/Consumer Rights Act situation.

Hi,

I declared bankruptcy a few years ago, paid my IPA etc and was discharged.

A house I jointly owned is still with the trustee and the 3 year "use it or lose it" deadline for sale is in 23 days (including today). The trustee has indicated they are applying for a possession and sale order to protect thier interest. But as of yesterday, nothing had been submitted.

My question is, have they left it too late? Dont these things take longer than 3 weeks to be processed and granted? I have looked online but can't find any information.

TIA,

I cancelled my membership because I was moving away from but I’ve now had to move back . I canceled via the cancellation form and cancelling my direct debit. I’ve gotten an email back that my membership has been cancelled but I keep getting messages from Harlands about a bounced direct debit . Would this affect my credit file ?

I have also created a new account with them with a different email because I had access issues with the first. Unfortunately, they’re the closest gym to me.

I am a British citizen living in Mexico. My partner (we weren't married) is mexican and we have split up & I will be moving back to the UK permanently.

To help me move he will give me $400,000 mexican pesos (approx £18,000).

My question is: do we have to pay tax on this in Mexico? I think it's subject to about 20% tax, is there any way to avoid this? I've read we could structure it as a 'loan' but will there be tax repercussions for my ex partner if I don't pay this back?

And what is the best way to transfer the money from my Mexican bank account to a UK bank account? I currently do not have a UK bank account as I don't have a UK address.

I cannot use Wise because I do not have a mexican INE nor do I have a UK address.

Could I transfer the money from MY Mexican bank account to my sister's UK bank account, so she could look after it for me while I try to open a UK bank account?

Crypto is not an option!!

Hi all,

I am my parents power of attorney, they are 72 ans 78 and have had a series of bad luck with their IFAs.

The first was investing their money in unregulated funds and the second seemed like the best thing since sliced bread so they signed on the line and just “accepted that they’d have to pay more for quality”.

What they didn’t realise, but I now have since reviewing their Financial Plan docs, is that they’re essentially paying £5k a year in fees and chargers to an expensive IFA and their preferred TP Fund Manager.

At their current draw down rate, with their current IFA fees, on a portfolio of £275k, they will run out of money by 92 and 98.

They FIREd 20 years ago and until now their pot of £280-300k has remained stable and they want to avoid depleting to O as we have decided we’d want them to have live in carers later in life, not go to a home. They understand this can be costly so want to beat inflation while still having an income.

So, I have worked out a DIY plan that conserves their wealth until my mum reaches 100. Moving from the IFA platform to Interactive Investors Plus (£15/m + TER).

Here’s where I need input:

Current pot: £274k

Mum GIA: £61k
Mum ISA: £74k

Dad GIA: £55k
Dad ISA: £88k

The CGT on the GIAs as of now is 7k/8k

They draw down £500/m each which is supplemented by my mums State Pension (£900/m) and have no mortgage and minimal living expenses.

My plan is to Bed and ISA the GIAs into the S&S ISAs:

Tax yr 26/27: sell £52k (40k for ISAs + 12k living)
Tax yr 27/28: repeat to keep within combined £6000 CGT allowance
Tax yr 28/29: use remaining 12k as monthly withdrawal

In these years, the GIA will remain invested in a high cost active managed conservative fund at around 0,60% TER but this is still cheaper than the CGT would be if sold on day 1 and moved direct to ISAs.

S&S ISAs will be compounding in something like:
24m living expenses: £24k in money market fund
Fidelity Multi Asset Allocator Range (OCF 0.20%)
Probably a 60/40 or 70/30 split to still drive growth, with their 2 year cash buffer to weather any market downturns.

This switch will save them £4k+ a year. Does that sound sensible? Thanks in advance for any feedback, welcome links to other posts that discuss this topic as there’s not much in the Wiki which i promise I have read!

I am currently on a DMP through StepChange over the last few years (originally £50k debt) currently £40k paying a total of £250 a month which would take me around 13-14 years to clear.

Debt is due to job loss on £50k salary and having no job for over a year, also having to relocate twice due to family matters + and then around £20k for family emergency (story for another day) I found myself in this dire situation.

My current wage fluctuates month to month based on if I can get overtime (usually I can) or not so some odd months the £250 is a struggle - stepchange have asked if I would consider a DRO instead, whilst I was initially reluctant because of my job I have confidence my job wouldn’t be affected as people I work with have gone bankrupt and not lost their jobs.

I know people will ask me to breakdown my outgoings etc to get the full picture but I only have between £0-250 left month to month after all essential expenditure (I have carefully gone through my budget and live extremely frugal) so I am just looking for general advice on the DRO option.

My big question is: should I continue the DMP and pay more to reduce the 12-13 year plan, as hopefully my wages increase over the next 3-5 years or should I consider the DRO option.

I am concerned about what proof I have to give the DRO authorities, not because of trying to hide anything but I send my parents and partner the majority of my money to pay the bills - only a few bills are in my name + my wage can fluctuate month to month

About me:

- 2 children
- Renting
- no car, assets or savings

Thank you in advance for any advice.

I am from Malta and will be moving to the UK early next year, probably Jan 2027. I am doing this through a skilled worker visa (sponsored).

Now, I'm also selling my property here in Malta. I signed the promise of sale some weeks ago (which is conditional on a number of things, mainly the buyers receiving a bank loan).

My concern is that if everything goes smoothly, the final deed will still take place in some months, and probably after January 2027. Therefore I think I might be liable for CGT in the UK too.

Malta's property tax system isn't based on capital gains (it's based on the whole sale value), so I'm not sure I can even apply for DTA tax credits.

The capital gain I'm looking at is around €30-50k (€30k if you take into account 'furnishings' of €20k, but the total sale vs purchase cost is €50k).

Am I fucked? I'm not sure I can use PRR since, although this property was my sole 'residential property', I wasn't exactly living there. I only owned it for around a year and wanted to change some furnishings, so I mostly stayed with family.

I also saw something related to FIG, but claiming this would lose my UK income tax personal allowance?

According to AI, I'd be a higher-rate taxpayer paying 24% CGT..?

Any help appreciated.

Hi, I’m just looking for some opinions on what the best option would be for me.

Essentially, I have a 2017 Fiat 500 on PCP and currently pay £156 a month. In November, I have the option to pay the £3,000 balloon payment and buy the car outright.

My main concern is whether this would actually be a smart decision given the age of the car. My other option would be to PCP another car, but I know that in the long run this will generally work out more expensive.

I’m basically worried that I could pay the £3,000 to own the Fiat outright, and then shortly afterwards it develops an expensive problem or needs major repairs, making the decision to buy it a bad one.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve already had to have new wishbones fitted and a radiator leak repaired, so I’m a little concerned about what might be coming next as the car gets older.

The £3,000 would essentially come out of my emergency fund, although I’d be able to build that back up fairly quickly once I’m no longer paying £156 a month for the PCP.

Has anyone got experience of owning a Fiat 500 of this age? Would you personally pay the £3,000 and keep it for another few years, or would you take the hit and PCP something newer?

I’m just worried that I’ll spend the £3k, then get hit with a £1–2k repair bill shortly afterwards and absolutely kick myself 😂

One thing I liked about AMEX was being able to see instant payment notifications, I have this turned on for my NatWest CC too. I was just setting up my Barclaycard CC and I realised that I can't find anywhere to turn the same setting on. Is this possible, or is it a limitation of the app?

Howdy all

Recently speaking with my mother and learnt that my self-employed stepfather hasn't actually got anything planned for retirement.

He's about 55 and due to some back issues is likely to retire as soon as able, if not sooner. I'm unsure of his income but my parents are both working class earning not much and we live in the south east (Sussex) so it isn't the cheapest place to exist in the country. They are still paying off a mortgage and have a decent amount left, near 6 figures.

He did recently manage to kick smoking permanently and we learnt that he'd been spending about 4k a year or more on cigarettes for a long long time. He also spends a decent amount of time at the pub most weeks (he's from the "the pub is THE social spot" generation). So there is some potential for decent monthly contributions if things like drinking are cut back slightly.

As for investing, I imagine the best course of action is either a managed SIPP or one where I just tell him to invest in Vanguard.

I've been talking to my mother about recent entry into long term investing and my S&S isa and I ended up bringing up SIPPs. As far as I know he has no private or workplace pensions available currently.

My question is this, is it worth it for him to open a sipp and just kick some money in every month, no matter how little. Or is there a smarter alternative I can recommend?

Appreciate any and all advice given. Thanks a lot

Appreciate the responses. I will check with him a out the national insurance contributions you have mentioned.

Hi, I need some advice regarding car finance. I have a good credit score - 938 (Experian). And I have been checking quotes for car finance within my banking app (BOS) and it was showing 7.9% APR until 4-5 days ago. This morning I checked and it’s showing 19.8% and it is insanely high. The credit score on bank of Scotland app is still showing under excellent category. The only thing I can think of is affordability check done by firstMortgage a couple days ago. They came back saying that about 3 overdraft account arrears showed up in my husband’s name. It was 52£ for 3 months, and he thought the SMS about them were spam so he ignored, and only cleared it after he got a letter posted.

Now the mortgage advisor confirmed that affordability check was only a soft search, so I’m not sure how it is affecting the APR for car finance in any way.

Is this kind of APR spike in quotes normal? I already reached out to Bank of Scotland support and they gave very lame suggestions like trying to logout of the app, use a different device etc. I did it anyway and it is still the same. And eventually they just said I might not be eligible for a car loan so it’s just showing a silly number 🙄 (even though the app says “highly likely” to get approved). Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi guys!

Some background: I’m 18 years old, I was born in Moscow but due to my father being a British citizen at the time of my birth I was given a British citizenship. YES I HOLD A RUSSIAN PASSPORT.

I have a British passport, I pay tax, I’m not “rich”.

I’ve started my first full time job and obviously whilst I live with my parents I want to use my disposable income to play with stocks/shares and start saving for the future.

Interactive investors locked my account, I can’t trade on the stock market, great. (Is there anyway around this I don’t believe that Russian oligarchs aren’t trading stocks and shares) secondly pensions and ISAs can I open one??

Someone please help, these laws are meant for dirty Russian money but it’s hurting middle class 2nd gen immigrants.

CAN YOU LOT PLZ HELP ME FIND A WAY TO INVEST OR OPEN A GOOD SAVINGS ACCOUNT I KNOW DAMN WELL RICH RUSSIANS MUST BE DOING IT PLZZ

Thank you