Howard Lloyd

Five practical measures are recommended to keep homes cooler during a UK heatwave and improve sleep without substantially increasing energy bills: block daytime sunlight, avoid heat-producing appliances during peak hours, sleep on lower floors, ventilate loft spaces, and use lightweight breathable bedding and sleepwear. The advice emphasizes using a home's natural airflow rather than relying solely on fans or air conditioning.

Martin Lewis identifies affordability testing, the type and condition of the property, and creditworthiness as the three main factors that can prevent a mortgage approval. Lenders assess income, spending and the ability to cope with higher interest rates; property issues such as short leases, certain new builds, cladding, high-rise buildings, commercial premises and poor surveys can limit lending; and defaults or County Court Judgments can damage applications. Applicants are advised to reduce spending for three to six months, review their credit files and consider how difficult property characteristics may also restrict future remortgaging options.

Ryanair has reminded all passengers that printed boarding passes are no longer accepted and that they must check in online and use a digital boarding pass through the Ryanair App or website. The policy took effect on November 12, 2025, and is intended to reduce costs, streamline rebooking and save around 300 tonnes of paper annually. Airport check-in may incur a fee if passengers fail to check in online, although Ryanair says it will provide a free boarding pass if a device is lost before reaching the airport and assist passengers who lose access after security.

Martin Lewis urges anyone who suspects they were mis‑sold car finance to file a complaint quickly, emphasising that compensation will be issued on a first‑come basis and that older cases may be difficult for firms to trace. The car finance scandal covers millions of agreements involving discretionary commissions dating back to 2007. The FCA’s £9.1 billion redress scheme has been paused due to legal challenges from four companies, with tribunal hearings scheduled for late this year or early next. Compensation is expected to average £830 and should be paid even without a complaint, but filing one ensures individuals can be contacted and prioritised.

Payouts under the £9.1 billion car finance redress scheme have been halted after four companies challenged the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules in the Upper Tribunal, leading to a suspension of key parts of the programme. Compensation calculations and notifications to customers are paused until the legal process concludes, delaying payments to an estimated 12.1 million affected finance agreements.

Ryanair will allow parents to sit with children under 12 for free following a Competition and Markets Authority investigation into its family seating charges. Adults will receive free seats at the rear of the plane after check‑in, with children allocated seats beside them. The change removes the previous requirement for at least one adult to pay for a mandatory family seat, which typically cost around £8 each way. Michael O’Leary criticised the CMA’s intervention but confirmed the airline would adopt the industry standard. Martin Lewis welcomed the update, highlighting improved options for travelling families.

A sharp rise in Cash ISA deposits follows Rachel Reeves’s decision to cut the Cash ISA allowance to £12,000 for under‑65s beginning in 2027, prompting concerns that the policy is encouraging the opposite of its intended shift toward investment products. Financial analyst Sarah Coles warns that savers are maximizing current allowances before the reduction, driving billions into Cash ISAs. She highlights the importance of balancing cash reserves with long‑term investments and notes shifts in savings behavior toward fixed‑rate accounts amid inflation expectations. Reeves’s broader ISA reform aims to steer savers toward investments, supported by new guidance initiatives involving major financial firms.