Au pairs are treated differently from nannies for tax purposes — pocket money below certain thresholds usually creates no PAYE or National Insurance obligation for the host family. Here's exactly where the line sits in 2026/27.
Bereavement Support Payment 2026/27: the higher rate pays a £3,500 lump sum plus 18 monthly payments of £350 (£9,800 total); the standard rate pays £2,500 plus 18 payments of £100 (£4,300 total).
Carer's Credit protects your State Pension record if you provide 20+ hours a week of unpaid care but don't qualify for Carer's Allowance. It's separate from Carer's Allowance and far less well known — here's who can claim it.
A Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) is the lump sum a final salary pension scheme offers to give up your guaranteed income for life. Transfers above £30,000 legally require regulated advice — here's how the numbers work and why most people should say no.
A child arrangement order sets out where a child lives and who they spend time with after separation. Court fees are £245, but total costs range from nothing (agreeing between yourselves) to several thousand pounds if solicitors and a contested hearing are involved.
Cold Weather Payments pay £25 automatically to eligible benefit claimants for each 7-day period of very cold weather in their area. Here's how the temperature trigger works, who qualifies, and how it differs from the Winter Fuel Payment.
Most online purchases in the UK come with a 14-day cooling-off period letting you cancel and get a full refund, no reason needed. But there are important exceptions — from personalised goods to opened perishables — that catch people out. Here's exactly how it works.
Living alone entitles you to a 25% council tax discount — but councils increasingly cross-check claims against credit files, electoral rolls and other data, and getting it wrong (even accidentally) can mean a backdated bill. Here's how to claim it correctly.
One in five UK credit files contains an error, according to industry estimates. Here is the exact process for disputing incorrect data with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and what happens if the lender won't budge.
Home care — carers visiting to help with washing, dressing, meals and medication — is often cheaper than a care home but still expensive, and means-tested funding rules apply differently. Here's what domiciliary care costs in 2026 and how funding works.
Installing a home EV charger typically costs £800-£1,500 before any grant. The main domestic OZEV/EVHS-style grant has narrowed significantly over the years — here's who can still claim support and what unassisted installation actually costs.
The Financial Ombudsman Service is free to use and resolved the majority of complaints it received in the most recent published year. Here is exactly how the complaint process works, timescales, and what compensation you can realistically expect.
