MONEY MORSELS
Back-billing ban
ENERGY firms have been banned from charging households for power used more than 12 months ago. Catch-up bills are typically £1,160 and are often due to a supplier having billing system glitches or setting estimated bills too low. CompareTheMarket warns an ‘avalanche’ of back-billing may be on the way as firms try to recoup cash before May, when the rules start.
Pension help
MORE than 200,000 savers have had free face-to-face meetings and telephone appointments to discuss retirement options since the Government service Pension Wise was set up three years ago. Over-50s get between 45 minutes and an hour to discuss their pension plans. To book a session, call 0800 138 3944.
Mothers miss out
THOUSANDS of mothers face losing out on £23,000 of state pension payouts as they do not receive child benefit, warns insurer Royal London. Women who stop work to care for children receive National Insurance credits, which build their entitlement to the state pension. But 210,000 no longer get the credits, as their partners earn more than £60,000 or they think it is not worth claiming.
Warranty warning
PEOPLE who replace household appliances instead of claiming on warranties are losing £423 million a year. MyVoucherCodes found just 35 pc of shoppers keep proof of purchase for two years, as advised, and more than a third never make a warranty claim on faulty goods.
Hire car scam
HOLIDAYMAKERS are being charged up to 33 times more than they should for repairs to hire cars. A Which? investigation found in one case, a tiny chip in a car’s windscreen should have cost as little as £35 to fix, but the customer was charged £1,154. Another was billed £295 for damage to a wing mirror when the actual repair cost was £54.
Energy minnows
ONE in five energy customers are with small or medium- sized suppliers after ditching the Big Six for cheaper deals. In 2013, small firms supplied about 5 pc of households with gas and electricity, compared to just over 20 pc today.
Phone payments
A THIRD of shoppers are now paying for groceries, meals out and other items with smartphones. Mobile payments soared by 328 pc last year to £975 million, according to Worldpay. Supermarkets saw the highest rise. Meals and drinks in pubs, bars and restaurants accounted for a further 12.5 pc of payments.
Consumer woes
AROUND 14 million workers have had their lives, health or finances hit by wrangles with firms over poor service and faulty goods in the past year, says Citizens Advice. One in six had to take time off work to deal with the issues, two-thirds faced additional costs and one in three felt worried or anxious.