Financial news

• I'm 37 – is it worth keeping private medical insurance?

  16-02-2019 14:10 via theguardian.com
  I’ve only ever used it once, and I’m thinking of ditching it until I’m in my 50sEvery week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and it’s up to you to help him or her out – a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturday’s paper.I′m 37 and have been in my company private medical insurance scheme for five years. I didn′t realise just how much it was costing me (in benefit in kind deductions, plus the extra I pay for my wife to be
  
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• 'Killer' children's car seats available for purchase in UK

  16-02-2019 11:40 via theguardian.com
  Products withdrawn from Amazon and eBay after Which? finds unsafe seats for saleChildren’s car seats that are made from flimsy material that breach EU safety rules, and have been shown to offer no protection at all for child passengers, can still be bought from some major online retailers, Which? has revealed.The consumer watchdog said the “killer” seats gave children almost no protection from the force of crashes but were described as suitable for newborns and children up to f
  
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• To survive, councils need more money. But council tax is broken | Luke Murphy

  16-02-2019 10:00 via theguardian.com
  Austerity has stripped local services to the bone – and those on the lowest incomes will be forced to pay for it“The most boring and complicated subject in all of public life,” declared William Waldegrave, former minister and an architect of the fateful poll tax, when speaking of local government finance. But this is misleading: the consequences of local government austerity are anything but boring for those on the lowest incomes. The design of the council tax system – an
  
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• Thousands of workers hit with massive tax avoidance bills

  16-02-2019 08:45 via theguardian.com
  The 2019 loan charge means ill-advised IT and NHS contractors face staggering bills from HMRCIt is turning into one of the ugliest, most emotional and turbulent battles ever fought between the tax authorities and alleged tax avoiders. The Money pages of the Guardian have rarely seen such a huge volume of angry, heartfelt letters from people who describe themselves as normal families whose lives are being destroyed, they say, by huge and unfair demands from HM Revenue & Customs.The battle is
  
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• Ryanair passengers get double the time to alter bookings for free

  16-02-2019 08:30 via theguardian.com
  Airline extends limit for free changes to 48 hours, with hefty fees for last-minute switchesRyanair passengers will now have 48 hours to make changes to bookings for free after the airline announced a series of “customer care improvements”.Customers currently have a 24-hour grace period to correct any minor errors – for example, a misspelled name – free of charge, but this is being doubled. Continue reading...
  
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• Are banks guilty of faking signatures on British court papers?

  16-02-2019 08:29 via theguardian.com
  A new campaign group claims the practice is taking place on an ‘industrial scale’Have some banks, or their legal representatives, been faking signatures on UK court documents used to repossess people’s homes and to recover other debts?It’s a serious charge, but a new campaign group claims there has been “alleged industrial-scale forgery” of signatures. And the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign has some powerful supporters in high places. The all-party parliament
  
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• Five of the best top-end smartphones

  16-02-2019 08:00 via theguardian.com
  There’s never been a better time to buy a top-of-the-line mobile – here are our top picksThere’s never been a better time to buy a top-of-the-line smartphone, with a large range of truly excellent phones available from a variety of different manufacturers starting at £500 and stretching to a wallet-busting £1,000-plus.But with all that top-quality choice, it’s difficult to know which one to buy. Here’s a quick guide to get the best flagship phone for you
  
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