Free samples in the UK: where to get them and the catch
Free samples of cosmetics, food and products in Britain are no myth: brands give them out so you try and then buy. But some 'free' offers hide a postage fee or a subscription. Where to get freebies safely and how to avoid the trap.
Library of Things: borrow tools and gadgets instead of buying
Why buy a drill or a pressure washer for a couple of hours' work when you can rent one for a small fee? Britain's Library of Things lets you borrow tools and gadgets for a day or two and return them. How it works and where to find it.
End-of-day food for next to nothing: Too Good To Go and Olio
In Britain, food that shops and cafes did not sell can be had for next to nothing — or even free. Too Good To Go sells Surprise Bags at half price or less, while Olio gives surplus away to neighbours for free. Where to find the deals.
What is free on your birthday in the UK: food, drinks and treats
On your birthday in Britain you can eat and drink coffee for free — dozens of cafes, restaurants and shops give a treat if you sign up to their app. Who gives what, and how not to miss out (spoiler: sign up in advance).
Do marketplace warehouses give goods away free? The truth about unclaimed parcels
Social media promises free goods from marketplace warehouses and unclaimed parcels for nothing. Where is the myth, where is the scam, and what can you really get cheaply or free.
Junior ISA: £9,000 a year tax-free, and the child gets it at 18
A children's savings account with no tax on the income. Anyone can pay in, the child takes control at 16 and can withdraw at 18, and you cannot hold one alongside a Child Trust Fund.
Workplace pension and auto-enrolment: where 5% of your payslip goes, what your employer must add, and whether opting out is a good idea
Every worker in the UK aged 22 or over earning at least £10,000 a year is automatically enrolled into a workplace pension. The minimum contribution is 8% of a band of earnings: 5% from you (including government tax relief) and at least 3% paid by your employer on top of your salary. Here is what the pension line in your payslip means, how to opt out with a refund, and what happens to your pot when you change jobs or your employer goes bust.
Lifetime ISA in 2026: how to withdraw without the 25% penalty — and what the new First Time Buyer ISA means
The government adds 25% to savings for a first home — up to £1,000 a year. But withdrawing outside the rules costs 25% of the whole amount, so you lose some of your own money too. This summer the Treasury said the Lifetime ISA will be replaced by a new First Time Buyer ISA. When you can take money out penalty-free, how much an early withdrawal costs, and what existing savers should do.
Child Trust Fund: 827,000 people have not claimed their money — £2,310 on average
HMRC said on 23 September that almost 3 million Child Trust Funds have been claimed, but around 827,000 matured accounts are still untouched, worth £2,310 on average. An account was opened for everyone born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. Here is how to trace yours in five minutes, and what you can do with it at 16 and at 18.
ONLYWAY NEWSLIVELife · 05.11Free NHS mental health support: you can refer yourself, no GP neededMoney · 05.11Child Trust Funds in the UK: government to ease access to savings for young disabled peopleMoney · 05.11Bank of England raises Bank Rate to 4%: what borrowers and businesses should checkTravel · 05.11Next-generation airport scanners in Britain: what changes and what can be searchedTravel · 05.11Driving in winter: what the law requires in snow and iceLife · 05.11HRT for menopause in the UK: what it is, who it helps and how to get it on the NHSTax · 05.11Self Assessment tax return in the UK: the deadline is 31 January 2027, and what late filing costsLaw · 05.11DoLS: how the law protects those who cannot decide for themselvesLife · 05.11Newborn blood spot test in the UK: what the heel prick is and which conditions it findsMoney · 05.11A default pension for private sector workers: what is changingONLYWAY NEWS · appInstall the ONLYWAY NEWS appFresh UK news, classifieds, key dates and exchange rates on your home screen, one tap away. Free.NewsClassifiedsCalendarRates
Help to Save: the government adds 50p to every £1 you save — £300m in bonuses paid out
HMRC said on 21 September that more than £300m in Help to Save bonuses has now been paid, across 656,700 accounts and £676.7m of deposits. You can put away £1 to £50 a month and the government adds up to £1,200 over four years. The catch is the entry rule: you must be on Universal Credit and have had at least £1 of take-home pay in your last assessment period.
UK state pension set to pass £13,000 — and overtake the tax-free allowance for the first time
The ONS has published wage growth for May to July: 3.9% including bonuses, the weakest since 2020. It is the first of the triple lock's three numbers, and on it the full new State Pension rises from £241.30 to £250.70 a week from April 2027 — £13,037 a year. The Personal Allowance is frozen at £12,570, so a pensioner with no other income gets a tax bill for the first time: around £93.