AG百家乐在线官网

Some parents are going to extreme measures to pay for school trips, including selling possessions and "going without", according to a new survey.

About one in eight (13%) parents with school-age children said they have worked overtime to meet the costs thrown up by away days and residential trips, public sector insurer Zurich Municipal said.

Meanwhile, almost one in ten (9%) have sold possessions on sites such as eBay and Vinted to cover the cost.

Research also found that, in some cases, children's own pocket money or fundraising efforts were needed to pay for the trip.

'Go without'

About one in seven (15%) of parents said they had to make sacrifices and "go without" to be able to afford to send their children on an educational trip.

More than a third (35%) said the ongoing cost of living crisis was their biggest challenge.

Nearly a quarter (24%) blamed utility bills.

On average, it was found parents paid 拢30 for a day trip and 拢412 for a residential trip.

The survey also found that schools were aware of the costs parents were facing, with many stepping in to cover all, or part, of the cost of a trip to ensure no one missed out.

'Important milestones' missed

Jason Elsom, chief executive officer at Parentkind, a network of PTA fundraisers, said: "School trips are an important milestone in children's lives and something that many of us look back on and reminisce about as we get older.

"But these trips are becoming more expensive and unfortunately many parents are struggling to afford them."

He said, while PTAs often work to fund such trips, they are increasingly needing to step up to fund extracurricular activities too.

Natalie Bate, head of education at Zurich Municipal, said: "School trips should conjure up happy memories, but the truth of the matter is that they're now often steeped with guilt or embarrassment as parents struggle to find the money to pay for their children to attend."

The survey research was carried out by OnePoll in May, among 1,000 parents of children aged five to 16 years old across the UK.

Every Friday, we take an overview of the mortgage market with industry experts and round up the best rates with the guys from . This week, we are focusing on buy-to-let mortgages... 

Landlords have more mortgage options than ever after the number of buy-to-let products available hit a record high. 

There are more than 4,000 deals on the market, with the majority of them being five-year fixes.

The average five-year fixed rate is at its lowest point since last October, while two-year fixed rates have hit a low not seen since 2022. 

Several lenders cut buy-to-let rates this week. Here are some of the most significant changes: 

• Newcastle Building Society reduced fixed rates by up to 0.15%
• Skipton Building Society made cuts of up to 0.5%
• Fleet Mortgages, Molo Finance, Hinckley & Rugby Building Society and Principality Building Society also made cuts, albeit by small margins, of up to 0.1%

Here are the cheapest deals available... 

Moneyfacts also picks out "best buys" that look beyond rates to take into account fees and incentives...

Challenge of new laws

"Lower buy-to-let rates might create a positive sentiment for new and existing landlords, however, there will be immense pressure on some to turn around a profit in the future," Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfacts, said. 

"Investors typically expect to make better profits if investing in multiple properties, but by the same notion, it can open them to more risk if property prices plummet and they are locked into a mortgage or have no tenant for an extended period of time. 

"Landlords coming off a low rate fixed deal and needing to refinance will see increasing rents as the easiest way to boost margins. Landlords will also need to keep in mind the Renters' Rights Bill which is expected to come into force either later this year or in 2026. 

"The new laws include abolishing section 21 evictions and fixed-term tenancies, but also new rules on making rent increases. The legislation is designed to protect millions of renters, giving them more security, but understandably this might be the final straw for existing landlords, leading to them exiting the sector." 

What about the rest of the market? 

Lenders have been under pressure to get the housing market moving, and to help buyers get on the property ladder. 

Nationwide has become the latest lender to make changes to push that agenda, allowing first-time buyers to purchase new build homes with a 5% deposit.

Under its Helping Hand scheme, it is also allowing people to borrow up to six times their annual income. 

The Financial Conduct Authority has been exploring further changes that could be made to mortgage rules to help first-time buyers and the self-employed own a home. 

It has launched a discussion paper on the potential benefits and risks that changing rules around the market could bring, so we will wait to see the outcome of that in the near future. 

More than seven million people are expected to be liable for higher rate income tax in 2025/26.

This is the second-highest band of income tax.

The change marks a significant jump of nearly two-fifths compared with 2022/23, according to HMRC figures - from 5.10 million then to 7.08 million in the 2025/26 tax year.

It's also up over two and a half million people compared to the number of higher rate income tax payers of 2021/22.

Frozen tax thresholds have pushed people into higher brackets as pay is increased.

However, many will be fearing they will see their take-home pay take a hit.

Alongside this, a projected 1.23 million more people are expected to become additional rate income tax payers this tax year - this is the highest tax band for people making over 拢125,140.

This is compared to 570,000 in 2022/23.

'Horrible stealth tax'

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Fiscal drag has hauled over six million more people into paying income tax, and 3.36 million more into paying higher or additional rate tax.

"We've had to hand over an extra 拢89bn in income tax this year 鈥� compared to 2021-22 鈥� as a result.

"It has had a devastating impact on the tax we pay on our earnings, but that's not the end of it, because it also takes a huge chunk out of our savings and investments.

"It reveals just how much damage is being done to our finances by this horrible stealth tax 鈥� and there's plenty more to come.

"Income tax thresholds are set to stay until 2028, but as the debate around the government finances intensifies, the risk that the freeze remains for even longer can鈥檛 be ruled out."

'A previous government's tax thresholds'

A Treasury spokesperson said: "This government inherited the previous government's policy of frozen tax thresholds.

"At the budget and the spring statement, the chancellor announced that we would not extend that freeze. We are also protecting payslips for working people by keeping our promise to not raise the basic, higher or additional rates of income tax, employee national insurance or VAT."

Asda's parent company suffered a near 拢600m loss last year.

Bellis Finco, the owner of one of the UK's biggest supermarkets, was 拢599m in the red by 31 December 2024, according to the firm's latest accounts.

This is down from a 拢180m profit the year prior, but overall revenue was up from 拢25.6bn to 拢26.8bn.

The year was marked by the company integrating former Co-op stores and petrol garages it had purchased, as well as a new IT system dubbed Project Future.

It has reportedly run into a number of problems and delays with the IT rollout, as it looks to separate from previous owner Walmart's systems.

'We are strong and profitable'

An Asda spokesperson told Sky News: "Asda's core business remains strong and profitable, delivering a pre-tax profit of 拢115m before exceptional items. 

"The reported overall loss is the result of two significant one-off costs: a 拢378m non-cash impairment charge, which reflects updated asset valuations, and 拢310m in one-time costs related to 'Project Future' - our strategic programme to separate Asda's IT systems from our former owner, Walmart.

"These are not recurring costs and do not reflect the underlying performance of the business. 

"A more accurate indicator of our ongoing strength is our adjusted EBITDA after rent, which increased to 拢1.14bn from 拢1.078bn the previous year."

The energy market needs more complex, time-based tariffs to encourage consumers to use power at different times, Ofgem has said.

The regulator's chief Jonathan Brearley told MPs the tariffs would, in some cases, "dramatically reduce bills".

Such tariffs alter the price of energy depending on when it is used, often steering customers to off-peak times when there's traditionally less demand.

During these times of lower demand, they offer cheaper electricity.

Brearley said he also wanted customers to switch providers more, following the cost of living squeeze.

But he spoke in detail about the benefits and challenges of time-based tariffs, adding: "Look, it isn't simple, so I'm not coming here saying we've got a perfect answer, but we do need people to at least have the option to be able to manage their own energy use, because it's good for them - that will in some cases dramatically reduce bills - but it's also good for the system that we're trying to build."

The regulator's state of the market report earlier this year revealed a noted rise in such tariffs over the past 12 months.

Ofgem attributed this primarily to the rise in electric vehicle ownership.

Nearly a quarter of parents are happy to pay fines to take their children on term-time holidays, a new study has found.

Local councils can impose fines for families pulling students out of school, and missing lessons, to go on holiday.

These fines are 拢80 per child, rising to 拢160 if they are not paid within 21 days, with further penalties possible.

However, for families, avoiding the mad rush of going on holiday during the school breaks often means saving much-needed money.

Research by Opinium, commissioned by Currensea and first reported in The Independent, found that 23% of parents would take the fine.

On top of this, 18% said the price difference in holidays out of term time, versus in it, meant taking the fine was actually financially worthwhile.

Currensea co-founder James Lynn said: "The costs of overseas holidays soar outside of term time making it incredibly hard for many families to travel 鈥� those who do prioritise the family holiday experience can feel faced with no choice but to take kids out of school during term time, with the potential savings of off-peak travel outweighing the impact of any fines."

Credit card debt is an issue that afflicts a large number of people, and it's always worth keeping an eye out for better offers.

By moving to new lenders, you could save compared to the interest you would have been paying.

Banks have been improving their offers for customers shifting debts to a new card over the past 12 months, according to new figures.

TotallyMoney research says that most big banks now offer more than 30 months at 0% interest for joining customers.

The credit reporting site's research, carried out by Moneycomms, found that average balance transfer lengths have improved by almost five months.

Natwest currently offers 34 months at 0% interest on its top deal.

Barclaycard, HSBC and Tesco Bank all offer 33-month 0% interest cards as well.

TotallyMoney says that a customer shifting an average interest-bearing balance - 拢3,002 - along with a typical 3.5% fee to the leading Natwest offer could save 拢1,568 compared to what they may have paid.

It adds that almost one in two credit card customers are paying interest on their balance each month and could stand to benefit from a transfer.

What is a balance transfer credit card?

For a small fee, around 3-4%, balance transfer credit cards let you shift credit card debt and stop paying interest for a set amount of time - which can allow outstanding debts to be paid off.

Longer balance transfer lengths mean more time without paying interest and bigger savings compared to other deals.

However, you'll need to make the minimum repayment set each month by the lender.

If you miss a payment, you could be required to pay a penalty fee and may lose the 0% rate.

Also, once the interest-free period ends, a higher rate of interest may be applied.

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire, business and economics reporter

The good news continues for UK residents heading on their holidays to the US - one pound now buys more dollars than at any point in nearly the last four years.

Not since the end of October 2021 has sterling equalled so many dollars.

A pound now buys $1.37.

It means people travelling to the US will now see their pound go further than it has in the past three years and eight months.

Shoppers in general could benefit if the high remains, as the cost of importing dollar-priced goods, like oil, becomes cheaper. 

Should costs remain lower for importers, savings could be passed on to consumers. 

What's going on?

The pound is rising because the dollar is falling.

The value of the world's reserve currency had already dropped as geopolitical tensions eased and investors expected high interest rates for longer.

The latest fall comes after President Trump said he was considering replacing the head of the US central bank, known as the Fed, before his tenure was up. 

What about the euro?

The picture is not quite so rosy for sterling users heading to a euro-using country. 

You'll only get 鈧�1.17 for your pound, down from a recent high of 鈧�1.19 a month ago and 鈧�1.21 before Trump announced his country-specific tariffs in April. 

Aldi has launched a new voucher support scheme to help parents during the school holidays - but you'll need a dose of luck to benefit.

Parents can apply for a 拢50 voucher from the scheme. But only one family is selected to get one, in a lottery every day over July and August.

The vouchers can be used to stock up on whatever people need, from the cupboard essentials to new toys, the supermarket says.

Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer at Aldi UK, said: "The school holidays can put extra pressure on finances, especially when it comes to keeping children fed, entertained and active during the six-week break.

"As the UK's cheapest supermarket, we don't believe in paying a premium for healthy, quality food and we'll always do what we can to support parents in making their money go further."

How to apply

Shoppers will need to submit their name and email address to [email protected] to apply.

Then one family will be chosen at random every day in July and August to receive a 拢50 voucher.