The chancellor is set to announce the Budget on Wednesday nearly a year after the country was placed under a national lockdown. Huge parts of the the economy remain closed and families are feeling the strain as at least 150,000 jobs have been lost to the pandemic . The specific details of the Budget remain unclear but the announcement is expected to include a swathe of actions aimed at kickstarting the UK economy as restrictions ease. Sky News spoke to three people in different financial circumstances about how they hope the Budget will help them. 'We're scraping money together' Advertisement Dan Kelly, 29, and Annie May, 22, are hoping the chancellor's announcement will make it easier for them to get on the housing ladder. The couple live in Bath but are trying to buy a place in Bristol where prices are just about affordable for their £170,000 budget, but getting the deposit together is not easy as Mr Kelly explains. More … [Read more...] about Budget: The people waiting for Rishi Sunak’s announcement after months of coronavirus lockdown
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Kids overjoyed with 10,000 new books after generous Sun readers back our Books For Kids campaign
CHILDREN deprived of books in lockdown will this weekend be able to enjoy a bedtime story – thanks to YOU, our kind-hearted readers. Last month we asked for donations of old, tatty books so we could recycle them and send out new ones as part of The Sun on Sunday’s Books For Kids campaign, in association with the UK’s largest reading charity BookTrust. Click here to find out more about our Books For Kids campaign Now an amazing 10,000 new books are being distributed to schools, children’s centres, food banks, women’s refuges and family support teams up and down the country. After receiving some of the first batch, Kully Uppal, principal at Bristnall Hall Academy in Oldbury, West Mids, described the scheme as “vital” for poorer children with libraries shut and money tight. He added: “We are giving them out to families at our school who need them most. “Lockdown has been really tough, especially for children who don’t have access to books and stories at home.” … [Read more...] about Kids overjoyed with 10,000 new books after generous Sun readers back our Books For Kids campaign
Simple text message that could cut your mobile phone bill by up to £360 a year
SAVVY households can cut their mobile phone bill by up to £360 a year by sending a simple text message for free. This applies to mobile phone users who are on expiring contracts, if they haven't already come to an end. Customers who sign up to a smartphone contract typically ditch their device after two years in exchange for a new one - or they continue on a rolling plan at the same monthly cost. However, this adds £300 a year to bills on average, with iPhone users overspending the most, according to research by comparison site Uswitch. Around 98% of phone contracts run for two years, meaning consumers who bought a new phone in February 2019 can slash their bills this March. If you bought an iPhone XR or the Samsung Galaxy S9 on contract two years ago - two of the most popular deals at the time - you could cut your bills by up to £30 a month by switching to a SIM-only deal. How does text-to-switch work? THE process makes it quicker and easier to leave your … [Read more...] about Simple text message that could cut your mobile phone bill by up to £360 a year
Simple text message that could knock £300 a year off your mobile phone bill
Millions of people are overspending on mobile phones to the tune of hundreds of pounds a year, a report has warned. Typically, customers who sign up to a smartphone contract will ditch their device after two years in exchange for a new handset – or continue on a rolling plan at the same monthly cost. However, on average, this is adding £300 to bills, with iPhone users overspending the most. The report, carried out by comparison website Uswitch.com for Mirror Money found bill payers could save £300 on average by switching their expiring contracts to a SIM-only deal. It found that with 98% of mobile phone contracts running for two years, consumers who purchased a new phone in February 2019, could be in line for a significant saving this March. Comparing two of the most popular mobile phone contracts from two years ago - the iPhone XR, and the Samsung Galaxy-S9 - smartphone users could save over £20 a month by switching to a SIM-only deal this month. Consumers who … [Read more...] about Simple text message that could knock £300 a year off your mobile phone bill
‘I sold £400,000 house to live on barge boat – then discovered I get sea sick’
Rosie Coombs and boyfriend Callum fell in love with the idea of living on the water after lockdown made them crave a calmer life. So the couple, from Bridgenorth, Shrops, decided to bite the bullet and go for it - selling their £400,000 newly renovated detached cottage with a roof terrace to buy a £75,000 narrowboat. They commissioned their perfect 60ft barge boat, and couldn't wait to start their new lives - until Rosie, 27, realised she gets really, really bad sea sickness. The pair admit they had never stepped foot on a canal barge before deciding on the huge lifestyle change. But the finance worker and her 29-year-old architect boyfriend are determined to enjoy a ‘calmer pace of life’ after renovating their three bedroom property and two rentals whilst working demanding jobs. The couple decided to put their rural home on the market during last year’s lockdown with the sale set to be completed by the end of this month. They plan to be living on the water later this … [Read more...] about ‘I sold £400,000 house to live on barge boat – then discovered I get sea sick’