BUNDLE OF JOY

Price shake-up for broadband, phone and TV packages

HOUSEHOLDS with broadband, phone and pay-TV bundles could slash their bills by 26% after a ruling by regulator Ofcom.

From February 15, providers will be forced to alert customers when their contracts are about to expire.

And they must also reveal the best deals available to ensure people no longer pay over the odds for loyalty.

Ofcom figures show households with landline and broadband packages pay around 20% more when their contracts end, rising to 26% more for those who also have pay-TV.

One in seven people does not know if they are still tied to a deal, and one in eight believes they are in contract but are clueless over when it ends.

Figures from uSwitch SAVINGS On TV deals reveal that changing providers can save an average of £217. Lindsey Fussell, of Ofcom, said: “This will put power in the hands of millions of people who now pay more than necessary.” Richard Neudegg, of uSwitch, hailed “overdue but welcome progress”. SO it’s farewell to The Jeremy Kyle Show. After

14 years of what one judge called “human bear-baiting”, ITV’s chief executive said yesterday it had been axed following the suspected suicide of guest Steven Dymond.

Not only was this the right decision, but it shows how far Britain has come in taking mental health seriously.

There is no way viewers could continue to watch a programme which featured obviously unwell people just so they could feel better about their own lives. Let’s face it, why else does anyone watch it?

While there may have been other factors at work – Kyle reportedly told friends ITV were looking for any excuse to get rid of his show – the fact remains it was a huge commercial decision which will hit them in the pocket. ITV should be applauded for finally putting people before profits.

Coincidentally, this week is Mental Health Awareness week. ITV’s decision comes as Prince William along with Kate, Harry and Meghan, launched Shout, a text helpline to support people in crisis.

He also announced a campaign with the FA called Heads Up to get more men to talk about mental health.

Suicide is the biggest killer of men aged 20-49 in England and Wales.

In 2017, there were 5,821 UK suicides, 75% of which were men.

For many, the wait for help is too long.

Last month, talented journalist Pete Cashmore, who had struggled with mental health illness, took his own life. After his death I read a heartbreaking piece he’d written about his personal battles. He revealed he’d only had two consultations with an NHS specialist in eight months and said he’d heard horror stories of some people waiting 18 months.

“It’s effectively the American model of care…if you don’t have money you’re screwed,” he said in what was one of his final pieces. Theresa May has said that tackling the “injustice of mental illness” is one of her priorities. But mental health services didn’t escape the austerity cuts. While it accounts for 28% of the NHS burden, according to the Centre for Mental Health, it gets just 13% of NHS funding.

A report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists found that the income of 62% of mental health trusts was lower at the end of 2016-2017 than 2011 after taking account of inflation. So for the PM to criticise the death after The Jeremy Kyle Show as “deeply disturbing” is a bit rich. Prince William is right – mental health is every bit as important as our physical health and more needs to be done to protect vulnerable people. Axing Jeremy Kyle’s show is a good start. GONE Show host

More needs to be done and axing ‘bearbaiting’ show is a good start