Average council tax payments could go up by hundreds of pounds over the next few years.

If you shop at Iceland, you’ll be very happy.

You could lose thousands.

Average council tax payments have now reached more than £200.

‘I bought her an Apple Watch and hid it in a pair of YEEZYs.’

One in seven of us has lost money to fraud or scams in the past year, according to a new survey.

Some 14% of those surveyed said they had fallen victim to a fraud which had cost them money in the last 12 months.

Half of respondents said they had received a fraud attempt within the last three months.

The prevalence of online fraud has increased support for tightening online security, with more people saying they are willing to go through additional checks to stay safe.

Just under half (49%) of those surveyed by financial insights company TransUnion said they didn’t mind being asked to reauthenticate after an initial login, for example, when changing a password or making a payment.

An overwhelming 78% of the 1,000 over-18s asked said they did not want to be able to access their accounts without their identity being verified first.

Chad Reimers, general manager of fraud and identity at TransUnion in the UK said: ‘Quick and seamless journeys have become the norm.

‘However, consumers are increasingly demanding trust as part of their interactions with digital channels.

‘There are increasing demands from consumers to ensure security and authentication – and this spans across sectors, from financial services, to gaming, to online dating.’

As well as reporting incidents to the police, people who believe they have fallen victim to fraud should tell their bank or payments provider as soon as they can.

This can help the provider to claw back the money and could also help to prevent further fraud attempts on the account.

Many banks have signed up to the 159 service – a memorable number that people can call if they have received contact that they suspect to be fraudulent.

People can also check their credit reports for any activity which may indicate fraud.

The UK lost around £23.9 billion to fraud and scams last year, according to the Nasdaq financial crime report – the equivalent to around 1% of Britain’s GDP.

This was the biggest loss in any country in the European region, followed France and Germany.

UK fraud reportedly accounts for more than 40% of crime but it receives ‘less than 1% of police resources,’ Janine Hirt, the CEO of Innovate Finance told Compliance Corylated.

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Labour said they wanted to fix the ‘broken social security system’.

Nationwide said that over the past year, its fraud team has seen a growing trend of blackmail scams.

‘When I asked if she’d sent him any money, she avoided the question.’

The new interest rate will be announced soon, determining how much borrowing money will cost.

The new interest rate will be announced soon, determining how much borrowing money will cost.

Looking to make some extra cash?

It only takes a few minutes.

There are manageable steps we can all take to conquer number phobia.

Nationwide said that property values had increased by 0.5% month-on-month in May, following a 0.6% fall in April.

Household bills could be slashed by up to £530 per year.

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The high cost of living is also hitting pensioners as more money is needed for a comfortable retirement.

Pensioners need more money in the bank if they want to be comfortable and afford more than just the basic necessities, pension experts revealed.

A couple will need to budget for around £60,600 a year to live comfortably, the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association said.

This is £1,600 more than last year.

While around 70% of pensioners retire as a couple, the brunt of expenditure can be particularly hard for single people on one income.

A single person is estimated to need £43,900 a year, which is up by £800 on the previous year.

The PLSA created three different lifestyle groups – minimum, moderate and comfortable – to estimate how much each would cost for people now.

Here is a breakdown of how much you will need to afford each lifestyle.

Minimum

• The estimated £13,400 a year would cover all basic needs and leave some for fun, with around £55 a week spent on food shops, £30 a month at a restaurant plus £12 per month on takeaways
• £200 a year to maintain a property

• This option would not be enough for a car, but cover £30 a month for taxis and around £180 a year to cover three train journeys, while a bus pass will be free

• One week-long holiday in the UK, TV license and streaming services with ads, plus £20 for affordable activities.
• Around £450 for clothing and shoes a year, and £20 per person spent on birthday and Christmas presents

Moderate

• £31,700 a year would cover £500 a year to maintain your home
• Around £56 a week on groceries, £32 a week at restaurants, £11 a week on takeaways, and £106 a month to treat others to a meal out
• Enough to cover a three-year-old small car, £22 a month on taxis, and £104 a year on rail tickets

• A two-week all-inclusive holiday at a three-star hotel in the Mediterranean, and a long weekend off-peak season trip in the UK
• TV license and broadband, plus streaming services
• £43 a week for activities
• Up to £1,548 for clothing and footwear annually
• £30 gifts, and extra £1,000 for supporting loved ones

Comfortable

• The estimated £43,900 is set to bring more financial freedom and luxury options
• Around £600 to maintain a property annually
• Food shop could be £75 a week, £42 on food outside the home, £21 a week on takeaways, and £106 a month to take others out
• On this budget, your car could be a small, three-year-old car, £22 a month on taxis, and £208 a year on train tickets
• Two-week Mediterranean holiday at a four-star hotel, some spending money, three long weekend breaks in the UK, with £400 spending money per break, extensive broadband and streaming services, plus £45 a week for activities
• Up to £1,548 for clothing and shoes
• Presents can cost £50 each, plus an extra £1,000 for family support

Housing, especially for those renting, can be costly.

The estimates leave out housing costs, so people are likely to need to factor in extra costs depending on their situation.

Many pensioners have enjoyed mortgage-free living, but that could change in the next decades due to the rise of 40-year mortgages.

Experts fear young home buyers with 40-year mortgages might not be able to pay into their pensions, which could have a knock-on effect on their later life, according to the bankers’ trade body, the UK Finance.

Zoe Alexander, the director of policy and advocacy at the PLSA, said: ‘For many, retirement is about maintaining the life they already have, not living more extravagantly or cutting back to the bare essentials.

‘The standards are designed to help people picture that future and plan in a way that works for them.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Listen to article

The high cost of living is also hitting pensioners as more money is needed for a comfortable retirement.

Pensioners need more money in the bank if they want to be comfortable and afford more than just the basic necessities, pension experts revealed.

A couple will need to budget for around £60,600 a year to live comfortably, the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association said.

This is £1,600 more than last year.

While around 70% of pensioners retire as a couple, the brunt of expenditure can be particularly hard for single people on one income.

A single person is estimated to need £43,900 a year, which is up by £800 on the previous year.

The PLSA created three different lifestyle groups – minimum, moderate and comfortable – to estimate how much each would cost for people now.

Here is a breakdown of how much you will need to afford each lifestyle.

Minimum

• The estimated £13,400 a year would cover all basic needs and leave some for fun, with around £55 a week spent on food shops, £30 a month at a restaurant plus £12 per month on takeaways
• £200 a year to maintain a property

• This option would not be enough for a car, but cover £30 a month for taxis and around £180 a year to cover three train journeys, while a bus pass will be free

• One week-long holiday in the UK, TV license and streaming services with ads, plus £20 for affordable activities.
• Around £450 for clothing and shoes a year, and £20 per person spent on birthday and Christmas presents

Moderate

• £31,700 a year would cover £500 a year to maintain your home
• Around £56 a week on groceries, £32 a week at restaurants, £11 a week on takeaways, and £106 a month to treat others to a meal out
• Enough to cover a three-year-old small car, £22 a month on taxis, and £104 a year on rail tickets

• A two-week all-inclusive holiday at a three-star hotel in the Mediterranean, and a long weekend off-peak season trip in the UK
• TV license and broadband, plus streaming services
• £43 a week for activities
• Up to £1,548 for clothing and footwear annually
• £30 gifts, and extra £1,000 for supporting loved ones

Comfortable

• The estimated £43,900 is set to bring more financial freedom and luxury options
• Around £600 to maintain a property annually
• Food shop could be £75 a week, £42 on food outside the home, £21 a week on takeaways, and £106 a month to take others out
• On this budget, your car could be a small, three-year-old car, £22 a month on taxis, and £208 a year on train tickets
• Two-week Mediterranean holiday at a four-star hotel, some spending money, three long weekend breaks in the UK, with £400 spending money per break, extensive broadband and streaming services, plus £45 a week for activities
• Up to £1,548 for clothing and shoes
• Presents can cost £50 each, plus an extra £1,000 for family support

Housing, especially for those renting, can be costly.

The estimates leave out housing costs, so people are likely to need to factor in extra costs depending on their situation.

Many pensioners have enjoyed mortgage-free living, but that could change in the next decades due to the rise of 40-year mortgages.

Experts fear young home buyers with 40-year mortgages might not be able to pay into their pensions, which could have a knock-on effect on their later life, according to the bankers’ trade body, the UK Finance.

Zoe Alexander, the director of policy and advocacy at the PLSA, said: ‘For many, retirement is about maintaining the life they already have, not living more extravagantly or cutting back to the bare essentials.

‘The standards are designed to help people picture that future and plan in a way that works for them.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

The time do your washing is 11am to 3pm.

People are receiving £8,377 on average.

One in five young people turn to AI for money advice.

37 of the building society’s personal savings accounts will be affected.

You could be eligible for a tax rebate.

You may want to take a closer look at your storage.

‘Don’t forget that this government boost comes in addition to any interest you earn on savings.’