POUND NOTES
Financial fact
The average price of a flat in the UK has risen by about £1,000 per month on average over the past seven years, according to calculations from Halifax.
At the end of 2009, the average UK flat was worth £159,292 – but by the end of 2016 the average value had grown to £243,936. That’s an increase of £84,644 over the seven-year period, equating to about £1,008 per month.
Take control of your cruise cover, holidaymakers urged
Holidaymakers going on a cruise this summer are being warned to make sure they have adequate cover.
Website Gocompare.com says standard travel insurance may leave tourists exposed if something goes wrong on a cruise trip, which often involves visiting a variety of destinations and can last much longer than a traditional holiday.
Where cruise cover is provided, policies vary hugely in the financial protection they offer, according to the website, so people should make sure they buy cover suitable for their needs.
Tesco bank reduces mortgage rates as price war continues
Tesco Bank has introduced its lowest ever tracker-rate mortgage and reduced the rates on a selection of fixed-rate products.
The new rates include a twoyear tracker at 0.98% for borrowers with a 40% deposit, with a £1,495 product fee.
David McCreadie, managing director at Tesco Bank, says customers are also able to collect Clubcard points on their mortgage repayments.
Nearly a fifth of people use the same pin for all their cards
More than one in 10 (12%) people have had to cancel a credit or debit card in the past year due to online fraud, according to research by Comparethemarket.com.
But nearly one in five people surveyed have the same pin for all of their cards, while one in 10 have the same online password for all of their accounts.
To help consumers with their cyber safety, Comparethemarket.com has created a password generator, to give people secure passwords that can help protect them online.