NEWS WHAT’S BEHIND THE Welcome
I’m trying to stay upbeat, but it’s hard. The weather (as I write) is grim. The news is depressing. And the fact is, life is generally harder for Quids in! readers. We know because you told us. Our Cost-of-Living survey received around 1,100 responses.
What can I say?
One lucky reader won the £300 draw prize. That’s something.
“One
acted on advice in these pages”
I go to meetings about all this and they’re always depressing. So, I’ve decided it’s time to start talking up some solutions.
Seven per cent of readers said they had found help after reading something in our magazine or our Readers Club email service. That suggests that in a year, over 12,000 took extra control of their finances.
One in five people said they’d acted on advice in these pages. That would be 35,000 making changes. Imagine if each one saved fifteen quid! That’s over half a million pounds.
The thing is, all the bad news gets us down. But the reverse is also true. If we can make some positive changes, things start to look up.
What will you change today?
Jeff, Quids in! Editor editor@quidsinmagazine.com
SILVER LININGS…
● The new tax year brings ups and down, writes
Madeleine Caravaggio
Bills are on the rise, but there’s some good news too. Here’s what’s coming from April and what it means for our wallets.
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INCOME & SAVINGS
Lower-paid workers over 21 can look forward to the minimum wage jumping to £12.21 an hour. Benefits are rising by nearly two per cent, and the state pension is getting a boost, protected by the ‘triple lock’ calculation.
“Check if you qualify for fuel vouchers or energy grants”
The tax year resets in April. If we’re working, it’s time to check our tax code and make sure we’re not overpaying.
The Help to Save scheme is expanding to all Universal Credit claimants. The government adds a fifty per cent bonus to our savings. Worth looking into, even if we can only put a little away.
BILLS
Hold on tight! Energy prices are now set to rise by 6.4 per cent. Ofgem, the regulator, reckons this will add about £120 a year to the average household’s costs. If we’re in trouble, we can check if we qualify for fuel vouchers or energy grants through our supplier or a foodbank.
Local authorities across the UK are hiking council tax rates, with some, like Bedford, raising theirs by nearly ten per
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• Contributors Maggy Owen and Madeleine Caravaggio Email quidsin@cleanslateltd.co.uk
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cent. Many will see bills rise by around £100–£200 a year. Meanwhile, water bills in Scotland are up nearly ten per cent, and in England and Wales, expect a rise of about £10 a month. We should always look into Council Tax Reduction schemes.
The TV licence fee also goes up by five pounds.
With bills climbing, every penny counts. Check what discounts and benefits you might be entitled to. It could make all the difference. Visit quidsinmagazine.com for more information or see the useful numbers on page 7.
WON’T STAND FOR THE STANDING CHARGE
● Ofgem accused of siding with energy giants, not consumers
Campaigners calling for an end to standing charges on energy bills have slammed new proposals from the regulator Ofgem.
higher bills altogether.
Standing charges are included in bills whether we have used gas and electricity or not. They make up around £300 of all energy bills. Charities supporting struggling households wanted them reduced and included in usage costs. This would give householders more control over how much they pay, as it would all be about how much we use.
Ofgem’s plan, however, has been criticised as confusing and putting consumers at risk of
Last year, Ofgem consulted the public on standing charges and a whopping 30,000 people fed back. Most were against standing charges.
In response, the body has suggested new tariffs that would swallow the standing charges into higher unit prices. At the same time, however, they have proposed tiered pricing based on how much (or how little) we use. So, low energy consumers would pay more per unit for using less.
The BBC reported that campaign group Fuel Poverty Action described the ideas as
BREAKING THE HABIT
● Feeling the pinch? Is it time for a reality check?
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emember ‘sliders’ from the bad old days of Wonga payday loans? They made it supereasy for people to fall into debt and face huge fees when they couldn’t repay.
“Pre-payment meter customers may be left racking up unaffordableincreasingly charges”
“the opposite from what we actually need”. Peter Smith, from charity National Energy Action, said: “We are particularly worried pre-payment meter customers may be left racking up increasingly unaffordable charges.”
Two in five Quids in! readers (41%), who responded to our Cost-of-Living survey, told us they had to turn off their heating despite being cold. This rose to more than half (56%) among working age people who are not able to work.
Ofgem has given energy firms and consumer groups until the 25th March to respond to the latest proposals.
Now sliders have been put to use in a newly-rebooted, online calculator for smokers. Designed by Stop Smoking London, but available to all, the page works out the savings if we cut down by one, two or more cigarettes a day. Check it out at: stopsmokinglondon.com/calculator
Like lots of things we know aren’t great
for us, many lean on smoking to get them through tough times. But when we’re counting every penny, it’s time to think.
According to the calculator, cutting down by just two ciggies a day could save us £10.64 per week. That’s over £550 a year. Other calculators can tot up the cost of things like take aways or coffees out.
The ‘Demotivator’ tool on Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert website does just
“Cutting down by just two ciggies a day could save us
£10.64
per week”
that. (See: moneysavingexpert.com/ shopping/demotivator)
What’s more, if we add in our annual income, it’ll tell us how many hours we have to work just to cover these treats. Now, that is demotivating!
Treating ourselves to a fish supper once a week is, again, something to look forward to. Prices vary across the country but let’s assume it’s at least £25 for a family. Typing that into the Demotivator, it reveals that’s costing us £1,300 a year.
Assuming an annual income of £20,000 and entering that in too… We’d have to work a shocking five weeks just to cover this annual cost.
GIG WORK: GOLDMINE OR GRIND?
If we’re out of work or struggling to make ends meet, gig work might seem like a ticket to fast cash. It’s had a bad rap in the past but are the options any good for us now?
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With companies like Uber, Deliveroo, and TaskRabbit always on the lookout for workers, it’s never been easier to pick up a shift, hit the road, and start earning. But is the gig life really all it’s cracked up to be? Let’s break it down – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
WHO’S HIRING?
The gig economy is booming, and businesses are crying out for workers to fill flexible roles. Here’s where we can find work now:
• DELIVERY & DRIVING – Uber, Deliveroo, Just Eat, Amazon Flex, and major supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, and Sainsbury’s are all looking for drivers and riders to keep up with demand. Supermarket delivery drivers are typically employed on contracts and paid by the hour, with benefits such as holiday pay and sick pay, unlike self-employed gig workers. Got a bike, scooter, or car? We could be earning within days.
• FREELANCING & ONLINE WORK – If we’ve got skills in writing, graphic design, coding, or admin work, platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and PeoplePerHour can help us find gigs. It’s important to note that success on these platforms often requires time, effort, and strategic planning. Some freelancers struggle to secure their first few projects and may find the competition stiff. Building a reputation through positive reviews and a robust record of previous work is crucial for attracting clients.
• ODD JOBS & TRADES – TaskRabbit and Handy match workers with people who need jobs like furniture assembly, cleaning, or gardening done.
• HOSPITALITY & EVENTS – Companies like Stint and Indeed Flex offer shifts in bars, restaurants, and event venues for those happy to be on their feet.
IS IT RIGHT FOR US?
Before jumping into gig work, we should ask ourselves these questions:
• How much do we really need to earn? Work out the cost of the job itself, including petrol, maintenance, or platform fees, before committing.
• Do we have the right insurance? If we’re delivering food or driving passengers, we might need extra cover beyond regular car insurance.
• What’s the competition like? Some areas are saturated with riders and drivers, meaning fewer jobs and less cash.
• Will we stick with it? Gig work can be exhausting, especially if we’re juggling multiple platforms to make enough money.
THE PROS: WHY IT WORKS FOR SOME
MAKING WORK PAY?
Universal Credit (UC) says it makes work pay. Here’s what we need to know to make it work for us.
Taking on part-time hours:
�� Work Allowance
If we have children or a disability, we can earn £404–£673 a month before UC starts to go down
�� Taper Rate
For every £1 we earn over the allowance, UC drops by 55p. The more we make, the less benefit we get, but the total is always more. (Earn £10 and lose £5.50 in UC payments, but we still take home £14.50!)
��
Part-time Work?
UC may still ask us to look for more hours or higher pay. The aim is for us to stand on our own feet financially
THE CONS: WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
✖ NO JOB SECURITY – We’re not employees, which means no sick pay, no holiday pay, and no guaranteed income. If work dries up, so does our pay.
✖ UNCERTAIN EARNINGS – While some workers make decent cash, others find that after expenses (fuel, insurance, maintenance), their hourly rate is lower than minimum wage.
Gig work on a self-employed basis:
�� Start-up Period
New to self-employment? We get 12 months of support before certain expectations kick in.
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✔ FLEXIBILITY – Work when we want, how we want. If we need to fit shifts around childcare or other commitments, the gig economy gives us the power to decide our own hours.
✔ QUICK CASH – Some platforms pay weekly, and others let us cash out daily. When money’s tight, this can be a lifeline.
✔ NO CV NEEDED – Many roles don’t ask for experience or qualifications. Got a driving licence? A smartphone? We’re good to go.
✔ VARIETY – If the idea of doing the same job every day bores us to tears, gig work lets us mix it up with different tasks and workplaces.
�� Report Earnings Monthly
We must log income and expenses every month, or UC could stop. Need help navigating UC and gig work? Speak to a Work Coach or a Quids in! money coach, if we’re in an area near you
�� Minimum Income Floor (MIF)
After a year of being self- employed, UC assumes we earn at least the National Living Wage for full-time hours, even if we don’t! The taper rate is applied on this basis, 52 weeks a year, whether we have been able to work or not
“The gig economy isn’t a scheme,get-rich-quick but for some, it’s a lifeline”
✖ NO BENEFITS – Unlike a full-time job, we don’t get pension contributions or access to things like company perks or training. However, some platforms do offer limited support. For example, Deliveroo provides an earnings support programme for riders who are unable to work due to illness, offering £35 per day for up to 15 days if they meet certain criteria. Uber also provides Partner Protection insurance for eligible drivers, covering accident-related medical expenses and some income protection. Amazon Flex drivers can opt into insurance plans, but these come at an extra cost.
✖ SELF-EMPLOYED TAXES – We’ll need to do our own tax returns and set aside cash for National Insurance. It’s easy to get caught out if we don’t plan ahead.
The gig economy isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, but for some, it’s a lifeline. If we need cash fast and like the idea of being our own boss, it can be a decent short- term fix.
For unemployed people who want a stepping stone into work, it can be a good place to start. Universal Credit can even be our friend, while we get ourselves together, (see above). But if we’re after stability, benefits, and career progression, it might not be the best long-term option.
COST OF LIVING LEAVING US COLD AND HUNGRY
Brits are skipping meals, turning off the heating, and even falling ill as the cost-of-living crisis takes its toll, a shocking new survey by Quids in! magazine has revealed.
Quids in! readers have painted a grim picture of life for lower-income households, with thousands, skipping meals, turning off the heating, and feeling unwell. The cost-of-living crisis is hitting hard.
34 % skip meals to save money
One in eight readers (12.3%) say they have big money problems. Over a third (34.1%) skip meals to save money. Two in five (40.5%) turn off the heating even when it’s cold. Many (40.6%) feel scared, worried, or sad about money.
As a result, money stress is hurting our health. One in five (22%) say stress has made them feel sick. More than a quarter (28.6%) struggle to pay bills. Almost 15 per cent have fallen behind on rent
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SICK TO DEBT
Those who cannot work due to illness or disability are struggling most. More than half (54%) are skipping meals. Over half (56%) are going cold. Most (61%) feel anxious about money. Many (38%) say money stress has made them sick
Readers who faced serious financial problems
3% 15% 20%
To cope, one in five (19.4%) have now moved to cash in order to budget. About the same (19.3%) had to use a food bank. Many (44.8%) have missed social events to save money. Some (15.6%) have argued with family or friends about money
People are cutting back. Almost one in ten (9.2%) have cancelled home contents insurance. Some (7.2%) have stopped paying for broadband
38%
48% say money stress has made them sick of working people are turning off the heating
Even working people are struggling. Over a third (37%) skip meals. Almost half (48%) turn off the heating. One in five (22%) have used a food bank, compared to a third (34%) of those who cannot work.
Some have borrowed from unsafe lenders. One in twenty (4%) working-age people have done this. No older people said they had.
Money trouble is everywhere. One in five (20%) unable to work have big money problems. One in six (15%) working people say the same. Rent debt is high: 21% of those unable to work are behind. One in five (20%) working people are too. Only 4% of older people are in rent debt.
In fact, older people were generally doing better than everyone else. The numbers struggling to maintain healthy habits were less than half those of the worse off groups. Still, one in four (26%) felt anxious about money, a third (34%) went cold, and one in five (21%) skipped meals
One in ten (10%) readers over retirement age had fallen into arrears with bills and half that number (5%) were were feeling the pinch with debt payments. But against most pointers, over four times more working age people were struggling.
TAKING CONTROL
50%
using less energy to cut bills
Readers, though, are making changes. Half are using less energy to cut bills. One in five have changed suppliers. Many have searched online for money advice.
Cash is making a comeback. One in four (25%) now use cash to budget. More older people (26%) do this. Fewer working people (24%) choose this option. As more shops, transport, and food places are going cashless, this could leave some people unable to pay for what they need.
53%
Readers find Quids in! useful all the time or often
The good news is that Quids in! is playing its part. Of those who receive the magazine, our emails or guides, more than half (53%) found it useful all the time or often A further 38 per cent said it was sometimes helpful. In turn, this led to one in five (20%) taking action on advice they had read and almost a third (30%) thinking more carefully about their finances. Crucially, where money worries can feel so isolating, our magazines, emails or guides helped over a third (36%) feel less alone
WHAT NEXT?
The cost of living crisis appears to be far from over and the debt timebomb is ticking ever-louder. Our readers have spoken and we all need to re-double our efforts to stretch limited budgets.
LOAN SHARKS
The Illegal Money Lending Team tackles loan sharks. Call anonymously on ✆ 0300 555 2222, text LOAN SHARK and your details to 60003 or email them at reportaloanshark @stoploansharks.gov.uk.
In Wales call ✆ 0300 123 3311 or email imlu@cardiff.gov.uk Scotland: ✆ 0141 2876 655, or email loansharks@glasgow.gov.uk
CREDIT UNIONS
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Credit unions are not-for-profit organisations that provide bank accounts, loans and savings. They may help people the banks won’t. To find your local credit union call ✆ 0161 832 3694 or visit www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk.
BENEFITS
• People with disabilities or carers should contact the Disability Benefits Centre (✆ 0345 605 6055) .
For Child Benefit/tax credits: Inland Revenue (✆ 0845 300 3900).
• Council Tax and Housing Benefit is dealt with by your local council.
• Benefits calculator qimag.uk/benecalc
• Pensions Service: ✆ 0800 99 12340
• Age Cymru Advice ✆ 0300 303 44 98
• Age Scotland Helpline ✆ 0800 12 44 222
• Age UK England ✆ 0800 678 1602
DEBT ADVICE
For free debt advice and help, contact any of the organisations below.
• National Debtline ✆ 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.org
• StepChange Debt Charity ✆ 0800 138 1111 www.stepchange.org
• Citizens Advice www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
In Wales call ✆ 08444 77 20 20 England call ✆ 08444 111 444
• Citizens Advice Scotland www.cas.org.uk. ✆ 0808 800 9060
• Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) www.dasscotland.gov.uk ✆ 0300 200 2770
Centres
The government must help. The research says working age people who are currently unable to work need help the most. Investing in shorter waiting times to help them overcome or manage health conditions will pay for itself through lower welfare costs. And improved support, not judgement, for jobseekers is key.
Meanwhile, if we feel like we’re going under, it’s essential to seek help now. There are money guiders all round the country and support agencies, (like those listed on the right), are on standby to take our calls.
Worried about the cost of living and making ends meet? Do you live in Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire or London? Pop along and see us at one of our drop-ins – we can help you maximise your income and bring your costs down. Average financial gains £1,328! If you can’t get to a drop-in but would like some light-touch support with budgeting and money guidance, add your details at www.cleanslateltd.co.uk/remotesupport.html and we’ll get back to you. Or use our enquiry form at www.cleanslateltd.co.uk
For the full list of drop-ins, visit www.cleanslateltd.co.uk/contact
HIRED YOU’RE
Becoming an apprentice is nothing like the TV show
Don’t believe what you see on TV. Becoming an apprentice is not like joining the Hunger Games. It’s a space to learn and earn, with support from both employers and trainers.
Alan Sugar, (and previously Donald Trump in the States), make good telly, but their shows are nothing like reality. Bosses don’t even really get to tell staff they’re fired anymore. Not unless they enjoy legal action.
Each of the home nations around the UK manage schemes slightly differently. It was National Apprenticeship Week in England in February, while Scottish Apprenticeship Week was marked from the start of March. They do share a common approach, however.
The key thing is people of any age who want to get on can swerve the academic route to a great career. People from betteroff backgrounds might not blink at years at university running up debts of tens of thousands of pounds. For those of modest means, however, apprenticeships offer the chance to train up while earning a crust. In the same time it takes someone to graduate, apprentices can have three years’ earnings under their belt, a qualification and no student loan to pay back.
tech, apprenticeships give us the practical knowhow that employers love.
Some formal training may be required for certain jobs. If we want to be an accountant, for example, we’ll still need to attend classes. And if we do want a degree without going to university, there are apprenticeships for that too.
CELEB-ENDORSED
Many famous faces earned their way to the top, starting as an apprentice, including knights of the realm Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Billy Connelly and Sir Ian McKellen. Also on the list are Jamie Oliver and Stella McCartney, and former Love Island star Zara McDermott.
HOW IT WORKS
✔ Anybody over the age of 16 can become an apprentice
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“I felt like university was becoming a little bit of a lifestyle choice as opposed to a future career choice. I really just wanted to get myself stuck into the world of work,” Zara recounts. But she remembers how there was still a stigma around apprenticeships in the school system.
No longer just for school leavers, apprenticeships offer everyone a chance to learn new skills without going back to school. As householders, we can earn while we learn, making it easier to pay the bills and take off some pressure. They let us learn by doing. We’ll pick up skills we need on the job. Whether it’s getting our hands dirty with a trade or mastering some new
✔ Apprentices usually work 4 days and study 1 day a week
✔ Apprentices earn at least the national minimum wage while they learn, and holidays are paid
✔ Apprenticeships are funded by big businesses and the government
“My headmaster was like, ‘Why would you go for an apprenticeship?’” Zara stuck to her guns and ended up in an advisor role at the Department for Education.
CONFIDENCE BOOST
Whether just starting out, or getting back into work after a break, the step up can feel daunting. Apprenticeships make it easier. They let us take it one step at a time – no pressure, no rush.
We learn at our own pace, so we can build confidence without feeling overwhelmed. Plus, many employers offer flexible hours, so we can work around our personal life.
FIND WHAT FITS
There’s no shortage of apprenticeships out there. Whether we’re into healthcare, tech, or something else, there’s something for everyone. And we don’t need a career plan to get started. Apprenticeships help us ease into work and gain confidence, no matter where we start.
“I really just wanted to get myself stuck into the world of work”
Zara McDermott
Adult apprenticeships are also designed with flexibility in mind. We can juggle family or other commitments while learning, and many employers provide extra support, like childcare or flexible hours.
FIND OUT MORE
England: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/apprentices
Scotland: www.apprenticeships.scot/
Wales: careerswales.gov.wales/apprenticeships
Northern Ireland: www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/ apprenticeships