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Updated July 7, 2026 | Articles

The best ways to save and invest for grandchildren

If you want to put money aside for your grandchildren, or your parents want to save some money for your kids, Rebecca Goodman explains what you need to know first to get the best deals.

Giving money to grandchildren, either as a lump sum or regular payments, might not be the most exciting present in the world, but it can be invaluable to them (and your children). The money can be used for just about anything – from paying for university, a first car, or even to put towards a house deposit.

There are lots of ways to save and invest for grandchildren, and how you do it will depend on when you want the child to access the money, how much you plan to give, and the tax implications. Here we discuss the options available.

We explain all you need to know.

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What is the best way to save money for grandchildren?

How you choose to save money for grandchildren will depend on your circumstances and there are lots of options available. A good way to decide is by looking at when you would like the child to be able to access the money.

If you want them to be able to use the money before they turn 18, a children’s savings account is usually your best bet. These accounts can be opened by the child (at a certain age), by a parent or guardian, or sometimes by a grandparent (although they may need parent or guardian’s approval).
You may want to wait until the child is 18 to access the money, and in this case you could use a Junior ISA – either with cash or invested in stocks and shares.
If you’re looking at a longer timeframe, you could also put the money into a child’s pension – which they won’t be able to touch until they’re much older.
You could also save the money in your own account and then gift it to a grandchild. This could be in a savings account, an ISA or an investment product, for example. You can give away up to £3,000 a year without it counting towards your estate and if you’re giving a higher amount, inheritance tax may only be applied if you don’t live for at least seven years. You can also give smaller, regular, sums away which are exempt from inheritance tax.

The easy-access option: a children’s saving account

A children’s savings account allows you to put money away for a grandchild and they will be able to access this at a certain age. Most accounts allow children to withdraw money and may provide a debit card so they can pay for things. These easy-access accounts pay a variable rate of interest and money can usually be withdrawn at any point without a penalty.

There are also regular savings accounts for children which tend to pay a higher rate of interest. Much like adult accounts, you are often limited to how much you can put in each month, and withdrawals may not be allowed during the first year.

Specific children’s savings accounts can usually be set up with a parent or guardian’s approval, and grandparents can contribute to these as long as they have the account details.

Grandparents can also open accounts in some cases for children. You may need the parent or guardian’s approval to open an account for a child but this depends on the account and the provider. Some accounts can be opened without parental approval, but proof of the child’s ID, such as a photo of their passport, is usually required.

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Monthly fee
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Ages
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Parent account required?
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FSCS Protected? Yes
Interest paid No - only paid for Plus and Max accounts
Fees £3.99 per month for one child
Parent account There's no bank account for parents; instead, the account is topped up using your existing bank account
Card Customisable debit card
Education Includes access to Money Missions to teach kids about money
Perks Parents can set chores with the app, and anyone can pay into the account with Giftlinks
Offer 2 months free and £5 free pocket money available for new gohenry customers who order a card and deposit £5. Sign up using the code AFUKBC26 to get it.

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What is the best savings account for a grandchild?

The best savings account for a grandchild will be one that pays a decent amount of interest, allows you to put away the amount you want to, and one which suits yours (and the grandchild’s) needs when it comes to access.

Some of the best children’s savings accounts, based on the amount of interest paid, which can be opened by a grandparent include the following (you may need permission from the parent to do this):

Kent Reliance Demelza children’s savings account (4.18% AER variable)

Min £10 / max £25,000
Under 18 years old only
Open it in branch or via post

The Family BS Junior Saver (2) (3.35% AER variable on up to £3,000 saved, 3.6% on £3,000 to £25,000)

Min £1
Under 17 years old only
Open it in branch or via post

Yorkshire BS Children’s Saver (3.55% AER variable on up to £100,000 saved)

Min £1
Under 17 years old only
Open it in branch or via post

Halifax Kids’ Saver (2.25% AER variable on up to £5,000 saved, 0.75% on £5,000+)

Min £1
Under 15 years old only
Open in a branch or online

Some of the best easy-access children’s savings accounts (which grandparents can pay into but may need to be opened by a parent or guardian) include:

Nationwide FlexOne Saver (5% AER variable on up to £5,000 saved)

For 11-17-year-olds
Requires a FlexOne current account
Can get a Visa debit or a cash card

HSBC MySavings (4% AER variable on up to £3,000 saved / 1.2% above this)

Min £10
Ages 7 to 17
Debit card from 11
Can be opened online if parent/guardian has HSBC account, otherwise in branch only

And here are some of the best regular savings accounts for children:

Halifax Kids’ Monthly Saver (5.5% AER fixed for one year on up to £100 saved monthly)

Min £10
Under 15 year olds only
Withdrawals not allowed (but account can be closed early without a penalty)
Can be opened online or in a branch

Principality BS 3 Year Children’s Regular Saver (4% AER fixed for three years on up to £100 saved monthly)

Min £1
Under 15 year olds only
Withdrawals not allowed (but account can be closed early without a penalty)
Can be opened in a branch or by post

Saffron BS Children’s Regular Saver (Issue 2) (3.95% AER variable on up to £100 saved monthly)

Min £1
Under 17 year olds only
Withdrawals allowed
Can be opened in a branch or by post

What is the best ISA for grandchildren?

There are also a range of cash Junior ISAs for children, which come with additional tax benefits. Junior ISAs can only be opened by a parent or guardian, but a grandparent can pay money into one.

Up to £9,000 can be put into a Junior ISA every tax year and any interest you earn is tax free. The money can’t be accessed until the child turns 18, so they’re a nice way to build up a little nest egg.

Here are some of the best cash JISAs right now.

Best Cash Junior ISAs

Leek Building Society Junior ISA

Customer rating 4.9/5

AER (variable)
3.85%
Minimum
£1
Account opening
Branch or via post

FSCS Protected? Yes
Allows transfers in? Yes

Skipton Building Society Junior ISA

Customer rating 4.4/5

AER (variable)
3.8%
Minimum
£1
Account opening
Branch or post

The Stafford Building Society Junior ISA

Customer rating 4.6/5

AER (variable)
3.76%
Minimum
£1
Account opening
Branch or via post

FSCS Protected? Yes
Allows transfers in? Yes

Coventry Building Society Junior ISA

Customer rating 4.4/5

AER (variable)
3.75%
Minimum
£1
Account opening
Branch or via post

FSCS Protected? Yes
Allows transfers in? Yes

Danske Bank UK Junior ISA

Customer rating 3.9/5

AER (variable)
3.75%
Minimum
£25
Account opening
Branch or via phone

FSCS Protected? Yes
Allows transfers in? Yes

NS&I Junior ISA

Customer rating 3.8/5

AER (variable)
3.7%
Minimum
£1
Account opening
Online

FSCS Protected? Yes
Allows transfers in? Yes

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Offer
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Annual fee
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Investment styles
Shares, funds or ready-made portfolios
Minimum deposit
$50

Invest in a general investment account or stocks and shares ISA (additional fees apply)

FSCS Protected? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 3% on balances up to $50,000, 3.8% on balances over this
Fractional shares Yes
Foreign exchange fee 0.7%
Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees, which cost on average ~0.16% per year, with additional market-spread effects up to 0.05%
Offer You need to sign up, verify your account and deposit at least £200 to get the free assets. ISA deposits aren't included in the £200 requirement to get the offer.
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes, FRN 583263
Risk warning The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. ISA powered by Moneyfarm. ISA rules apply. UK residents only.
Accounts available General investment account, stocks and shares ISA (additional fees apply)

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The best investment options: Junior ISAs

You can also choose an investment ISA for a grandchild, with a stocks and shares Junior ISA. These work in the same way as a cash Junior ISA but as you’re investing your money, the returns are likely to be a lot higher but you also take on the risk of the stock market and returns are never guaranteed.

As investing is designed for the long term, a stocks and shares Junior ISA could be a good option, as you may have an 18-year period where the money could potentially rise. Here are some of the best accounts available right now.

Best Junior Stocks & Shares ISAs

interactive investor Junior Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.2/5

Editor's comment

“

You need to have the Investor plan to open a Junior ISA, but this covers as many Junior ISAs as you need, so you can have as many open as you have children.

Annual fee
£11.99 per month (Investor plan)
Investment styles
DIY or ready-made
Minimum deposit
£25 per month

FSCS Protected? Yes
Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 1.51%
Trading fee £3.99
Foreign exchange fee 1.50%
Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees between 0.03% and 1.5%
Note on fees You need to have the Investor plan to open a Junior ISA, but this covers as many Junior ISAs as you need, so you can have as many open as you have children.

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Our top pick

Hargreaves Lansdown Junior Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.3/5

Annual fee
0%
Investment styles
DIY or ready-made
Minimum deposit
£100 or £25 per month

FSCS Protected? Yes
Transfer in existing ISAs? Yes
Fund fees If you invest in ready-made portfolios or funds, you'll still need to pay fund fees depending on which portfolio you choose.
Interest on uninvested cash 2.53%
Ready-made portfolios available 4 risk-based portfolios

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Vanguard Junior Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.5/5

Annual fee
0.15% (max £375 per year)
Investment styles
DIY or ready-made
Minimum deposit
£100 per month or £500

Sells its own funds only

FSCS Protected? Yes
Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 2.35%
Fund fees When you invest in funds you'll also have to pay fund fees between 0.06% and 0.79%

AJ Bell Junior Stocks & Shares ISA

Customer rating 4.4/5

Annual fee
0.25%
Investment styles
DIY or managed funds
Minimum deposit
£25 per month or £250 lump sum

FSCS Protected? Yes
Transfer in existing ISA? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 1.75% AER
Trading fee Shares - £5 (£3.50 if you had 10 or more share deals in the previous month), Funds - £1.50. No trading fees with regular investing and AJ Bell managed funds
Foreign exchange fee 0.75% on 0-£10,000, 0.5% on £10,000- £20,000 and 0.25% on values over £20,000
Fund fees If you invest in funds, you’ll have to pay fund fees depending on the funds you choose
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes: FRN 155593

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The long-term option: Junior pensions

If you’re looking for a very long-term savings plan for a grandchild, you could open a pension for them. While it may sound like a long way off, there is currently a big gap between the amount many people have saved, and the sums they require for a decent standard of living when they retire. So, if you would like to build up a little nest egg for a grandchild to supplement or replace their income when they stop working, a pension is one option.

A Junior Self-Invested Personal Pension (or Junior SIPP) can be opened by a parent or guardian for a child as soon as they are born and grandparents can contribute.

It is usually managed by the parent or guardian, until the child turns 18.

The annual allowance for the 2025/2026 tax year is £3,600. Thanks to the tax benefits of a pension, this means £2,800 can be put into the account this tax year and this will be topped up by the government by 20%.

The money can’t be accessed until the child reaches pension age – which is currently 55 but will rise to 57 in 2028.

Money within a pension is invested, so the longer the money is in the pot, the longer it has time to grow. This means putting money into a pension regularly, even a small amount, could potentially see the entire pot grow substantially.

However, as it is an investment, it’s worth remembering that the amount could rise or fall and there are no guarantees.

What are the advantages of a Junior SIPP

Paying into a grandchild’s pension allows you to build up a retirement pot for them which they can use when they retire, but there are other benefits too:

Tax breaks: Money paid into a Junior SIPP is free from both income tax and capital gains tax
Pensions tax relief: The government adds 20% onto anything that goes into a Junior SIPP
Lower Inheritance Tax (IHT) to pay: You could lower your IHT bill by paying money into a grandchild’s Junior SIPP (although the rules around this are set to change from 6 April 2027).

The lucky option: Premium Bonds

Premium Bonds are loved as not only are they a very safe place to save money because they’re government backed, there’s also the chance of winning the lottery each month.

While Premium Bonds don’t pay any interest, every £1 bond you buy is automatically entered in the monthly prize draw, where you could win between £25 and £1million.

The child’s parent or grandparent must open a Premium Bond account for them, and control this until they turn 16. They must also give you the details of the child’s account. You can then buy bonds for them and each child can hold up to £50,000 in their account.

The tax-efficient option: bare trusts

A bare trust can be set up so any money within an account legally belongs to the child. This can be set up by a grandparent although they will need to show the child’s ID.

The grandparent then acts as a trustee of the account and manages it until the child turns 18 (or 16 in Scotland).

A major benefit of using a bare trust is that any interest earned on the money within one is seen as the child’s income, so there could be no tax to pay. Gifts put into a bare trust are known as Potentially Exempt Transfers (PETs) and no inheritance tax is due on these as long as the person who gifted the money lives for at least seven years after it’s paid.

FAQs

How do I invest for my grandchildren?
One of the best ways of investing for a grandchild is to put money into a Junior ISA, where the child can take control of the account at the age of 16 and access the funds within it by the age of 18.

If you are looking to invest over the very long term, a children’s pension is another option that has significant tax benefits.

You could also invest in your own name, and gift the money to a grandchild at a later stage, although inheritance tax may apply in some situations.
Can I open a savings account for my grandchild without a birth certificate?
You may be able to open a savings account for your grandchild without a birth certificate, but you will usually need to show a different form of ID instead. This could be a passport, for example. You may also need permission from the child’s parent or guardian to open the account.
Do I need the parent’s permission to open an account for my grandchild?
Some savings accounts can be opened by grandparents without a parent or guardian’s permission. These are usually opened in trust but you will need to show some form of ID for the child to open the account.
What tax does a grandparent have to pay?
If a grandparent opens a savings account for a child, usually as a trustee, the money within the account is seen as the child’s and any interest earned will count towards the child’s income. But if the savings account is in the grandparent’s name, the interest earned will count as the adult’s and any tax due will be calculated based on their income.
Can I open an investment account for my grandchild?
You may be able to open an investment account for a grandchild but this depends on the account and the provider. A Junior ISA or a Junior SIPP, for example, can only be opened by a parent or guardian but a bare trust account can be opened by anyone.
Tax benefits of investing for your grandkids
Investing for your grandchildren comes with many tax benefits. If you’re investing through a Junior ISA, for example, there is no income tax or capital gains tax to pay on the interest. If it’s a Junior SIPP you can benefit from tax breaks and the government will top up contributions by 20%, up to the annual limit, and with a bare trust the account is usually taxed as if it is the child’s so may be tax free.

The best savings accounts

Check out our list of the highest paying regular, easy-access, fixed and ethical savings accounts

Updated July 6, 2026 | Articles

Regular savings accounts explained: Are they worth it?

Andy Webb | Updated by James Andrews

How you can save every month for a higher rate with a regular savings account

I’m a huge fan of monthly or regular savings accounts. They’re great for people putting money aside every month, and they also tend to have some of the highest interest rates! You can get up to 7.1% via these accounts – far above the best options elsewhere.

But these monthly savers are often misunderstood, especially when it comes to the amount of interest you’ll earn. So here’s an explainer to make sure you know how they work.

What is a regular savings account?

A regular savings account is designed for people saving some of their income every month rather than depositing a lump sum. Hence the name. Usually this transfer is made by a direct debit, set up when you open the account.

I’m a big fan as they encourage you to save a set amount every month, rather than ad hoc amounts as and when you have spare money.

How regular savings accounts work

Often there are limits and restrictions, though this can vary depending on the account.

You’re limited to how much you can save in them

You can typically only deposit between £50 to £500 every month, with most actually having a cap of around £200 to £300. The most I’ve ever seen was a monthly limit of £1,000 – though that’s pretty rare!

You might also have to pay in a minimum each month, though that might not be much – usually £25 or £50.

The account normally closes after 12 months

The vast majority of regular saver accounts last for just one year. Once the year is up you’ll be paid the interest and the account is closed with your money moved to a lower paying easy-access account.

Make a note of when your account is due to mature so you can immediately move your money to the best rate available rather than letting it sit in a lower-paying default account.

Watch out for high paying options that only last for six months. If you’re able to save for longer you’re better off opting for a 12 month regular saver as it’ll allow the interest to compound too.

Some will carry on after a year. Natwest/RBS’s option is the main exception where you are capped instead on the total balance you build up.

Rates can be fixed or variable

Unlike most other types of savings account, you’ll find some could change during the time you have them, while others are fixed.

A fixed rate account is a good option, and worth tying in while you can.

Withdrawals can be limited

Some regular savers don’t allow withdrawals until the year is up, or have extra limits on them such as just two a year. If you do take money out, you might not be able to add it back in for that month.

The best accounts require current accounts

The highest paying regular savers are usually restricted to existing customers of the bank. Though you should be able to easily open a new current account with those banks to be eligible, there might be better paying options at other banks, for example a monthly reward or cashback. There are also a handful of loyalty savers via building societies that require you to have been a member on a certain date.

How interest is calculated in a regular savings account

The main area people get confused about is the interest rate. For this example, let’s use an interest rate of 5%.

If you save £250 a month into the account, and therefore have £3,000 saved by the end of the year, you might expect to get 5% on that £3,000 – a total of £150.

However you don’t have £3,000 for the full year – you’re adding money incrementally. This means you’ll only earn interest on the cash held each month. So the first £250 will have been saved for 12 months and earn the full 5% – a figure of £12.50 over the year

In turn, the second £250 saved will only be in the account for 11 months. So you’ll earn 11 twelfths of 5% on £250 – which works out as roughly £11.45 of interest.

The next £250 will be 10 twelfths, the next one 9 twelfths and so on. If you miss a month or pay less in that month, then that’ll also affect your earnings. If you carried on you paying in the maximum every month, you’d earn £81 after a year.

If you calculated this £81 return on the total £3,000 balance it’s effectively 2.7% – just over half the advertised rate. This is why people get angry. But you are still earning that headline money on your monthly deposits.

And that “50% of the headline rate” is a handy shortcut if you want to find out how much you’ll make based on the annual balance saved. For a more accurate figure, you can use the calculator on Money Saving Expert.

High interest regular savings accounts: How much could you make?

Here are the top paying annual regular saver accounts at the time of writing, and the interest in the first year if you deposit the maximum amount allowed at the start of the month.

Bank	Rate	Monthly limit	Max interest in 12 months	Requirement?
Santander	8%	£200	£103	Current account
First Direct	7%	£300	£135	Current account
Co-operative Bank	7%	£250	£113	Current account
Nationwide	6.5%	£200	£84	Current account
Club Lloyds	6.25%	£400	£161	Current account

Regular savings hacks

These regular savings accounts aren’t just for people building up a new savings pot. You can funnel other, lower-paid savings, into these accounts.

Drip feeding your savings

Drip feeding means gradually moving money from an existing savings pot into a regular saver each month, rather than leaving it all in a lower-paying account.

If you’ve got a small lump sum you can gradually move money from one account into a regular savings account.

Say you have £3,000 already. The first thing to do is move it to the highest-paying account or accounts you can find.

For the example here let’s assume it’s all in an easy-access account earning 4.8%. In a year this would earn you £144 of interest.

But if you then move it month by month (at £250 a time) to a regular saver account paying 7% you would earn a combined total of £180 in interest (£113 from the regular saver and £67 from easy access account). That’s £36 more than if you’d left it in the easy-access account.

However, this might not be too different from putting the cash in a one year fix. For example, one paying 5% would earn £150. Here’s more on drip feeding vs fixes.

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Offer
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Annual fee
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Investment styles
Shares, funds or ready-made portfolios
Minimum deposit
$50

Invest in a general investment account or stocks and shares ISA (additional fees apply)

FSCS Protected? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 3% on balances up to $50,000, 3.8% on balances over this
Fractional shares Yes
Foreign exchange fee 0.7%
Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees, which cost on average ~0.16% per year, with additional market-spread effects up to 0.05%
Offer You need to sign up, verify your account and deposit at least £200 to get the free assets. ISA deposits aren't included in the £200 requirement to get the offer.
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes, FRN 583263
Risk warning The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. ISA powered by Moneyfarm. ISA rules apply. UK residents only.
Accounts available General investment account, stocks and shares ISA (additional fees apply)

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Using multiple regular savers for larger savings

You’re not limited to just one regular saver, so you can use the same trick as above to drip-feed deposits if you have a larger stash.

For example, at the time of writing, you could pay a total of £750 each month into three accounts that earn above 7%.

Are regular savers worth it?

If you want an account that pushes you to save every month, earns decent interest and sometimes make it harder for you to access the money for a year then they can’t be beaten.

And as they’re offering some of the best rates on any kind of account, you’ll also likely be earning the most money you can. The fact that some are fixed also means you’re locking in a decent rate when they’re likely to fall elsewhere.

But, many of these high-paying ones do require a current account. Though there’s no reason you can’t open up more accounts to get these offers, it’s worth considering if you’ll make more money by switching bank instead. Plus bear in mind you’ll be credit checked to open those current accounts.

The best regular savings accounts

Right now those with current accounts get up to 7.1%, and with no restrictions up to 6%. Check out our regularly updated list of what’s on offer.

It’s always worth trying your local building societies too as they may have higher rates that are only accessible if you live locally.

The best monthly savings accounts

Check out our list of the highest paying regular or monthly savings accounts.

However, it doesn’t make sense to have a regular saver paying less than the best easy-access accounts, while lump sums might be better off in a fixed-rate bond. We’ve listed the highest paying ones in our savings best buy tables.

The best savings accounts

Check out our list of the highest paying regular, easy-access, fixed and ethical savings accounts

Expert thoughts on regular savings accounts from Be Clever With Your Cash

Our editor James Andrews says:

Regular savings accounts might be one of the most underused tools in personal finance. The rates are often the highest available, and the discipline of saving a fixed amount every month is actually a benefit in disguise, not just a restriction.

The biggest misconception is about how much interest you’ll actually earn. When an account advertises 6%, people expect 6% on everything they’ve saved – but because you’re drip-feeding money in throughout the year, the effective return on your total balance is closer to 3%. That’s still fantastic, but it’s important to go in with the right expectations.

If you took the total amount you save over a year, and put it in a one year fixed-rate bond at half the rate (so 3.5% currently), you’ll earn more over a year – and there are plenty of one-year fixed-rate bonds that pay more than 3.5%.

The real power comes from using multiple regular savers for your monthly standing orders – and remember you’re not limited to one, just one per current account.

Updated July 6, 2026 | Articles

The top reward current accounts

Andy Webb | Updated by Andy Webb

How to earn rewards & freebies from your bank

There are a number of reasons to change your bank, with switching bonuses and exclusive savings rates often a big draw. However, the easiest ones are often ‘reward’ accounts as they usually require very little effort to make something extra every month – and you don’t even need to switch to get them.

From free cinema tickets or weekly Greggs, to points and cashback paid to your account each month, they’re certainly better than the accounts we’re all used to which give nothing in return.

But they aren’t without some drawbacks, including fees and requirements that you set up direct debits or deposit money each month.

So whether you’re just after one account or are happy to game the system for a handful, here’s how they work and my picks of the ones to go for.

What is a reward bank account?

What you get with these accounts varies. Some accounts offer cash or points, others offer freebies.

These benefits usually aren’t actually free! Most of the accounts charge a monthly fee. Some you can avoid by paying in a certain amount of money each month. Others you’ll need to take into account when working out how much you’ll make.

Though some will pay the reward into your account, others (NatWest or RBS) put the money in a separate rewards wallet which you have to manually withdraw. It’s a bit pointless really.

And if you’re claiming a non-cash reward then you will have to select it.

Qualifying for reward accounts

Some reward account require you to take an action to qualify. Here are the typical ones. You’re unlikely to be required to do all of them, probably just one or two.

Set up direct debits

Often banks require one or two direct debits, sometimes with a minimum value. Though ‘active’ usually means the money has to have been paid in the last year, the banks that use this only pay you the months a direct debit is paid.

It’s not such a huge issue as if you pay bills you’ve all got direct debits you could use – though they are best suited to a cashback current account.

If you are short of direct debits, new ones can easily be set up for other things too, such as credit card bills, memberships, subscriptions and charity donations. Here’s our guide to where to find additional and cheap direct debits.

Pay money in each month

Reward accounts often require a minimum deposit each month. This is to encourage you to pay your salary there. You can do that easily if you want – just tell your HR department of the new details.

But you usually don’t have to. It’s easy to transfer money in from a different current account via a standing order. You can do this as one lump sum or break it into smaller amounts over the month if that’s better for you.

And it doesn’t have to stay there either. You can transfer it back out straight away.

Spend on your debit card

A couple of accounts require you to spend on the debit card too. You can do this as part of your regular spending but it does mean you’ll miss out on cashback from a different card. Once again there are ways to get around this, as explained in this Halifax Reward hack article.

Use your internet banking or the app

You might also need to log in to your banking app or online account once a month to qualify for the reward. It’s worth setting a reminder in your calendar to do this if it’s not an account you’re using regularly.

My top reward bank accounts

Here’s my pick on the different reward accounts.

Monzo Perks account

What you get: an annual railcard, Uber One membership, one free Vue ticket a month, a free Greggs treat each week
Monthly fee: £7 (£84 a year)
What it’s really worth each year after the fee: around £115
Requirements: None
Maximum number of accounts: one

If you need a railcard (worth £35), go to a Vue each month (let’s say 12 times £6, so £72) and pick up a £2 Greggs treat twice a month (£52 a year) and pay for Uber One (£40 a year), you’d be well in profit versus the £7 monthly fee. Of course, that’s only good if you actually need those things!

You’ll also get access to extra budgeting features that aren’t on the standard Monzo account.

We’ve written up a full review of the Monzo Perks account so you can decide if it’s for you or not.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

Club Lloyds account

What you get: six free cinema tickets (Vue or Odeon), a year of Disney+ with Ads, a magazine subscription OR a dining membership
Exclusive savings: 6.25% regular saver
Monthly fee: £3, though refunded if you pay in £2,000 a month
What it’s really worth each year: between £40 (magazine subscription) to £60 (equivalent value of six £10 cinema tickets)
Requirements: none
Maximum number of accounts: one individual and one joint

The Club Lloyd account is one of the easiest one to get. There’s no reason why you can’t just open this up (ideally via a switching bonus), set up a standing order to pay the £2,000 in (and out) each month, and keep claiming your reward.

You can have one personal and one joint account and claim the rewards on both, so that’s potentially three between a couple.

Here’s my full review of the account, where I break down which freebie “Lifestyle Benefit” I feel gives the best value.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

The best bank switch bonuses

Check out our list of all the bank switch offers you can get when opening a new current account

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Santander Edge

What you get: 1% cashback on bills
Exclusive savings: 6% savings account for one year
Monthly fee: £3
What it’s really worth each year: Roughly £25-£30 in cashback (based on low/medium bills) and £228 in interest (based on full £4000 balance saved)
Requirements: £500 monthly deposit and two direct debits
Maximum number of accounts: one individual and one joint

This isn’t a big earner on the cashback alone, but if you are paying the qualifying bills, it makes sense to sign up, especially as there’s regularly a decent switching deal on top. Here’s our full Satander Edge current account review.

I’m also a fan of the exclusive linked Edge Saver account that pays 6% for a year on up to £4,000 – you won’t get better rates on a small lump sum elsewhere. After a year you’ll want to close the Edge Saver and open a new one to keep getting a top rate.

You’ll also be able to open an 8% paying regular saver, though that’s available to all Santander current account holders.

If you need travel insurance and breakdown cover you might want to upgrade to the £17 a month Edge Explorer.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

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PayPal+

What you get: 1% or more cashback on spending
Monthly fee: £0
What it’s really worth each year: Spend £25,000 a year and you’ll get £300 to £375 back, plus around £300 to £330 via other offers
Requirements: None
Maximum number of accounts: one per person

Ok, so PayPal + isn’t a current account. But it is a debit card stacked with rewards, and my top pick for your spending. It provides 1 point for every £1 you spend with the card, and there are occasional offers to earn more (e.g. I got 10 points per £1 with a recent Eurostar spend).

You’ll start on the ‘blue’ tier, lets you swap one point for 1p, so it’s effectively a 1% cashback card. But if you earn 25,000 points (so spend roughly £25,000) in a calendar year you move up to ‘gold’ tier. Then the points are worth 1.2p when spent, or 1.5p if used on groceries, eating out and takeaways.

Then on top of this you can earn 1,000 points (worth £12 to £15) with a £10 spend on the first Friday of each month and £12.50 cashback a month on subscriptions.

All in, that could be £675 to £705 in your pocket over a year.

One quick warning, you’ll need to reach the new levels by 31 December each year – status won’t carry over (though the points won’t disappear).

Really big spenders (£50,000 a year), move on to a ‘black’ tier with even more extras. Here’s our full PayPal Plus review.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

Other reward accounts

For completion, here are the other main reward current accounts. It might be worth looking at these if you already bank with them, or if there’s a switching offer on top.

Chase Bank

What you get: 2% cashback on certain purchases
Exclusive savings: 4.5% easy access for the first year
Monthly fee: None
What it’s really worth: Up to £20 cashback a month / £240 a year
Requirements: None
Maximum number of accounts: one

Other debit cards now beat Chase for cashback, despite it’s higher headline rate. That’s because it’s limited to groceries, restaurants, fuel and other everyday transport.

It’s a good easy access savings account for the first year.

Here’s our Chase Bank review.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

Zopa Biscuit

What you get: 2% cashback on Direct Debits, 2% interest on bank balance
Exclusive savings: 7.1% six-month regular saver
Monthly fee: None
What it’s really worth each year after the fee: Up to £30 cashback
Requirements: None
Maximum number of accounts: one

The offering sounds good, but in practice it’s not much of a game changer. However it is free, and if you have spare direct debits that’s £30 extra each year you can gain relatively easily.

I’d look elsewhere for regular savers. Here’s our Zopa Biscuit review.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

NatWest or RBS Reward account

What you get: £5 a month reward
Exclusive savings: 5.25% Digital Regular Saver (available to all current account holders)
Monthly fee: £2
What it’s really worth each after the fee: £36 plus interest
Requirements: two direct debits of at least £2 each and log into your account once a month, deposit £1,250 a month
Maximum number of accounts: one personal and one joint from NatWest and one personal and one joint from RBS

This account used to be a favourite of mine, but since its revamp a few years ago it’s not really worth it unless you have direct debits to spare or open it up when a switching offer is running.

The Rewards account is one where you have to log in to a separate ‘MyRewards’ account to claim your bonus. You can send it as cash to your account, donate it to charity, or top it up as an e-gift card payment.

Here’s more on how the account works. It’s the same for the Reward account offered by RBS.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

Barclays Blue Rewards

What you get: free Apple TV+
Exclusive savings: 3.96% Rainy Day Saver on up to £5,000
Monthly fee: £5 (£60 a year)
What it’s really worth each year after the fee: £57.88
Requirements: pay in £800 each month
Maximum number of accounts: one

This one is no longer worth it in my opinion, though if you are committed to paying for Apple TV+ every month (which costs £8.99) then this will save you close to £58 over the year. However I think most people are better off just paying full price for Apple one or two months a year and binging the content.

If you decide you want to do that, then you’ll also get access to an easily beaten 3.96% paying savings account on balances worth up to £5,000.

Here’s our Barclays Blue Rewards review.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

The best savings accounts

Check out our list of the highest paying regular, easy-access, fixed and ethical savings accounts

TSB Spend and Save Account

What you get: £5 cashback for the first six months
Exclusive savings: 6 Monthly Saver (available to all current account holders)
Monthly fee: £0
What you’ll really get each year: £30
Requirements: make 20 payments a month
Maximum number of accounts: at least one personal and one joint

TSB Spend and Save Plus Account

What you get: £5 cashback
Monthly fee: £3
What you’ll really get each year after the fee: £24
Requirements: make 20 payments a month
Maximum number of accounts: at least one personal and one joint

I’m not a fan of these accounts either as you’ve got to make 20 debit card payments each month to get a fiver. And the reward only lasts for the first six months. Once for completists only. You can however get an extra £30 cashback from Quidco for switching.

Like the free TSB Spend and Save account you’ll earn £5 a month, but you won’t be limited to the first six months. After the £3 monthly fee you’ll make £24 a year. However, you still have to make 3-20 card payments which I think is a stretch when there are better paying cashback cards out there.

Read customer reviews at Smart Money People

Should you get a reward current account?

I’m a big fan of the PayPal+ rewards. Though you’ll need to use it alongside another current account, it’s winner for anyone able to spend £25,000 a year, which is an average of £2,084 a month or £481 a week.

For those that need a railcard, Uber One and regularly go to a Vue and Greggs, the £7 Monzo Perks fee is well worth it.

Then, if you’re comfortable with multiple current accounts then I’d definitely look at getting the Lloyds and Santander ones too.

After this I’d only bother with the NatWest and RBS accounts if I already had one, or get one via a switching bonus.

Even I can’t be bothered with the TSB rewards due to the faff, while the fee for Barclays just doesn’t add up for most.

Having multiple reward accounts

As I’ve said many times, there’s no reason why you only have to have one current account – and that means you can have multiple reward accounts too.

You’ll usually only be allowed one personal reward account with each bank, though it does vary, and most let you can have an extra one as a joint account too. That means you could potentially have three accounts in a household, and three times the rewards.

But the more you have, the more you have to do to be eligible. Some are easy to overcome, others might make it less worthwhile.

Recirculating your inbound payments

Most people should be able to cover the minimum deposit payments for one reward current account. And if you have more than one then it’s easy to repeat for the others by moving the same money between each account.

I actually do this via a standing order where the money automatically goes from bank to bank to hit the eligibility threshold, with it eventually coming full circle back to my original account.

Covering the fees

This is a bit of faff, but manageable. Since some of the accounts charge a fee but don’t pay the reward directly into your account, you’ll have to make sure there’s enough in there each month to cover this charge. You’ll also need to remember to transfer the reward over each month too.

Running out of direct debits

If you have multiple reward accounts then you might quickly run out of direct debits. It used to be you could set up a couple of £1 ones for charities, but the banks have cottoned on to this and made it pretty pointless.

For example, NatWest give you £2 back for each direct debit, but the DD needs to be at least £2. So if you’re setting up a new payment just to get the reward, you won’t actually be any better off.

Of course you could see it as free cash for charity – which is great – but it does require a bit of effort.

Updated July 6, 2026 | Articles

How to get the best value sun cream

Zoe Roddy | Updated by Andy Webb

Save money without sacrificing the protection you give your skin.

Is a branded suncreen any better than a supermarket’s own version? And what should you be thinking about other than the SPF number?

I’ve taken a look at how to make sure you’re not overspending but still getting the right protection.

What makes a decent sun cream?

SPF and UVB rays

When you’re going to buy suncream there’s probably only one number you really pay attention to. The big one on the front – the SPF number. Sun Protection Factor.

This ranges from around four or five all the way through to fifty plus. The number which medical groups recommend is at least thirty.

What the SPF number specifically shows is the protection you get against Ultraviolet B rays – or UVB. These are the rays that generally will burn your skin.

Basically the higher the number is, the greater the protection, the longer the protection you’re going to get from these rays.

“Star ratings” and UVA rays

There’s actually more than one type of UV ray coming from the sun. What you should also be looking for when you’re buying your suncream is protection against UVA – Ultraviolet A – rays.

This is the stuff that’s meant to premature age you, the stuff that causes you to get those lines caused by the sun. It will hopefully say both UVA and UVB on the packet.

But how do you know how good that protection is? Because SPF isn’t anything to do with the UVA. Instead, you look for some stars. Bigger packs hopefully have it on the front, though it might be on the back of smaller ones.

You should be looking for at least four stars. That’s going to give you the protection that you need.

Is more expensive suncream better?

Now if you’ve got at least factor 30 on the UVB and then you’ve got at least four stars on the UVA then all the sun creams are pretty much the same. At least they’re doing the same thing anyway in terms of protecting you from the sun’s rays.

So whether you’re going into Aldi or Boots and you’re spending a couple of quid or whether you’re spending more than ten quid by getting some posh brands, they’re not really doing anything different.

I had a look at Which? magazine. Last year they reviewed and tested about 15 to 20 different sun creams.

The best buys were from Boots, Nivea, Sainsbury’s and Superdrug, all relatively affordable. Worryingly, some of the brands didn’t offer the protection promised – and were marked “don’t buy”. These were Asda, Morrisons and one type of Ultrasun.

Broadly, the only real difference they found between the ones that did pass the tests is that some of the cheaper ones can feel a bit greasy when you apply them to your skin. Or they smell not fantastic when you apply them, so you might want to try some different ones and pay a bit more money.

So just because it’s a brand it’s not necessarily any better than an own brand from one of the chemists or supermarkets.

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How much should you buy?

One extra thing to think about when you’re buying your sun cream is the size of the bottle. In terms of getting value for money the bigger bottles will often work out cheaper per unit, usually per ml, So you’d think the bigger the bottle the better the deal.

But that’s not necessarily the case. On the back of most of your sun creams, you’ll see a little drawing of a pot. You see it on lots of cosmetics as well. This little round pot with an open lid and in there it will give a little number. If it says “12m” it stands for twelve months. Most sun creams are meant to last between 12 and 18 months.

Time actually reduces how strong the cream is. The bottle might say thirty on the front but if it’s two or three years old it won’t be delivering that kind of protection.

And it’s worth bearing in mind that if you leave your suncream out in the sun then that’s going to make it last a shorter amount of time as well.

So will you actually use the cream up in that time? Or will you, like I have in the past, have half-used bottles sitting at the back of the cupboard until the next year?

Big families, or people spending a lot of time in the sun, are probably better off buying big bottles at the start of each summer, and then buying smaller ones as the summer ends. And people who aren’t out in the sun much might be better off just buying smaller packs. Of course, it’s important to apply the right amount – so don’t scrimp.

Updated July 1, 2026 | Articles

The cheapest ways to get Wimbledon 2026 tennis tickets

Andy Webb | Updated by Andy Webb

From the ballot to the queue, here’s how to get in at SW19

Wimbledon is one of the highlights of my summer, even though getting a ticket to see the tennis isn’t always cheap or easy – but you can do it on a budget.

Here are my top tips for getting a cheap ticket now the Championship is underway.

1. Go in the first week

In terms of value for money, the best way in my experience is to go towards the end of the first week (which this year started on Monday 29 June).

At this point, the tournament will be in the second or third round where the players will be much more evenly matched. Round one games, especially with the top seeds, can often be a whitewash.

If you want to experience Centre Court, the cheapest tickets are for the first couple of days.

2. Try to buy last-minute tickets

If you’re looking to guarantee a ticket before heading out, such as if you live a little further afield, then last minute ticket options might be an option.

Try your luck the day before

Some tickets are typically sold a day or two before, but there’s no details on the website about them just yet. You normally need to download the official Wimbledon app to get them, so it’s worth downloading and signing up to prep.

American Express cardholder tickets

American Express cardholders might be able to grab themselves some last-minute tickets to Centre Court during the tournament. It’s not been confirmed for 2026 yet, but if it’s running again any sales will be revealed on Amex socials this year, so give them a follow.

Last year you were able to buy tickets on the Saturday before each week started, with finals tickets appearing on the Thursday before.

Ballot tickets

You might still be able to get access to returned ballot tickets – these will be restricted to those who were unsuccessful in the ballot. Those who are eligible will get an email detailing how to access the resale.

In previous years you needed to be quick. Several hundred tickets for Centre Court and Court 3 went on sale at 9am the day before. Returns for the same courts went on sale roughly 48 hours before the start of play, also via Ticketmaster.

It’s a good idea to sign up for the Wimbledon newsletter to be the first to know of any extra ticket releases.

3. Join the queue

The queue is a great way to nab yourself some great tickets on the day. It’s an early start, especially if you live outside of London, but it’s quite an experience in itself – you even get a booklet on how to queue (how British!).

It’s first-come, first… serve (sorry) so the earlier you join the queue the better. If you want a show court you’ll need to be there overnight. A limited number of tickets are available for Centre, No.1 and No.2 Courts. Only one ticket can be bought per person, so you need to be queuing together to get more than one.

For other tickets, well the earlier the better is still the case. Historically, we’ve arrived at around 7am, and didn’t get into the grounds until just gone 1pm! But for most of that time we were just sat in the sun in a field which was actually really nice – just bring a book! There are toilets, food outlets and water refill stations.

Gates open gradually from 9.45am and play normally starts on outer courts around 11am. There’s usually a comprehensive guide to the queue on the Wimbledon website which details how it’s handled.

This year you’ll need to download the Wimbledon app and sign into a MyWimbledon account so it’s worth doing this ahead of time.

People queuing for Wimbledon — The Wimbledon queue when we arrived just after 7am

4. Get a ground pass

The best way to save money on Wimbledon is to get a Grounds Pass – these let you watch some quality tennis on the outer courts for a fraction of the price. In week two you’ll have fewer singles to watch but don’t worry, there’ll be some great doubles action if you go on a Monday or Tuesday.

If you are early (and quick) there are also some unreserved seats and standing space on Court 3. A ground pass will cost you £33 during the first week, less from the second Tuesday onwards.

5. Get £10 returns

It used to be that extra tickets went on sale from a hut inside the grounds. These became available as people left for the day and donated their ticket to be resold, with profits going to charity. But it meant more queuing!

The good news is this changed recently, and you can now do it via the Wimbledon app. You’ll need to get your phone scanned at kiosks in the grounds or the queue by 2.30pm. Then as tickets become released between 3pm and 9pm, keep an eye out for a text message saying you’ve “won” a show court seat.

You’ve 10 minutes from the text to accept it, and another 20 minutes to pay for your ticket from the resale kiosk by Court 1.

Costs in 2025 were:

Centre Court: £15
No 1 Court: £10
No 2 Court: £10

6. Bring your own food

Once you’re in, it gets very expensive. Check the T&Cs on your ticket and on the Wimbledon website, but to avoid paying high prices for disappointing burgers, bring a picnic. The same is the case with drinks. You’re allowed to bring your own booze – though not spirits – and there are (fairly generous) limits per person. Remember to bring along a corkscrew to avoid taking a bottle of wine on a day trip (speaking from experience).

Don’t forget a bottle of water – there are fountains where you can refill – and bring along sun cream, or risk paying over the odds for it in the shop. You’ll save near on £20 this way, if not more.

Amex cardholders are usually able to get a discount on purchases in the Amex lounge while last year Barclays customers got free strawberries and cream – so keep an eye out for anything like this.

7. Go there after work

If the sun is shining, there’s every chance play will carry on until 8 or 9pm. Possibly even later now there’s a roof on Court One as well as Centre.

When I went a few years ago there was a discounted cost after 5pm – entrance to the grounds was £14 after during week one, less in week two, so I’d expect it to be not too much more this year.

However, you can only buy these tickets if people have left the grounds as it’s one-in, one-out.

8. Look for people leaving show courts

If people look like they’re calling it a night, just ask politely if they mind giving you their ticket. This is the best way to get yourself into Centre Court. It’s worth a shot!

I used to do this as a kid, and managed it again at the French Open a few years ago (using some very poor GCSE French!).

A couple of years ago one bloke a few feet away just shouted out if anyone wanted his tickets as he was on his way out. We just missed out!

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9. Ask if you can take empty seats.

Late on, you’ll see many seats empty as corporate guests head home. The likelihood is they won’t hand their tickets in to be resold so there’s no official way to fill the seats.

So a young ‘un, I used to just be a bit cheeky and ask if I could nip into one of the empty seats at the back – and I often got onto Centre or No. 1. It might not work, but you’ve nothing to lose.

10. Get a refund if it rains

We all hope it won’t happen, but there’s rarely a year when play doesn’t get rained off. If you see less than an hour of play due to rain you can claim a full refund. If it’s more than an hour but less than two, you’re entitled to 50% back.

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11. Watch it on the big screen

If you don’t fancy getting up really early, or get there too late, then there are a load of big screens across London, and no doubt other big cities too. They often have deck chairs and a nearby bar!

A great one is the free open air screen from the canal side steps on Granary Square in King’s Cross. The steps are covered in AstroTurf and there’s usually beanbags and cushions. Nip to a nearby shop to pick up a can of Pimm’s and you’re good to go.

12. The Wimbledon Ballot for next year

Most of the tickets for the show courts are sold through a public ballot which generally opens in September, with the results announced in February. Members of some tennis clubs and the LTA also get access to another ballot.

If you miss out there are often additional sales opportunities for returns in the spring, but you need to have entered the initial ballot.

Updated June 24, 2026 | Deals

Theatre deals and discounts

Zoe Roddy | Updated by James Andrews

Tickets to shows may be pricey, but there are ways to save

Looking for cheap deals and discounts for theatre tickets in the West End and elsewhere? We’ll post regular sales or decent offers here.

Don’t forget to read our guide to getting cheap theatre tickets.

Annual sales and offers

London Theatre Direct: summer sale

London Theatre Direct’s Big Summer Event is live, with tickets for as low as £19.

Shows include:

The sale runs until 13 July 2026.

Kids Theatre Week (July to August)

Kids Theatre Week runs every summer, and is available from Monday 20 July to Monday 31 August . Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Tuesday 9 June, and they tend to sell out fast, but more tend to be released to coincide with the start of the summer holidays.

You can get one free child’s ticket (and two more at half-price) at a series of West End shows when you buy one full-paying adult ticket. It’s for shows from 20 July to 31 August, not just one week. A child is anyone 17 years old and under.

Tickets are limited with big shows quickly selling out, but there are plenty of options in the past including Hamilton, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, Mamma Mia and kids’ shows The Lion King, Matilda The Musical and Alice in Wonderland. And keep an eye out, as more seats might be released for those popular productions.

The only thing I’d say is the adult tickets are full price so you might be better off looking at other deals if more than one adult is attending.

Get Kids Week tickets

Official London Theatre New Year Sale (November 2025 to March 2026)

Official London Theatre holds a New Year sale semi-regularly, with some big shows at least 20% off. Last year, it started on 25 November 2025.

Tickets are either £10, £20, £30, £40 or £50, with no booking fees.

This year, it’s running from 10 am on 18 November for performances until February. It’s often extended into March.

Here’s what you can get tickets to:

Arthur
Back To The Future – The Musical
Black Is The Color Of My Voice
The Boy At The Back Of The Class
Cabaret
A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story
Daniel’s Husband
The Devil Wears Prada
Disney’s Hercules
Disney’s The Lion King
The Firework Maker’s Daughter
Hadestown
Hamilton
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child
High Noon
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
Hooray For Hollywood
Into The Woods
Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical
Kinky Boots
Lost Atoms
Lucie Jones: Live At The London Palladium
Magic Mike Live
Mamma Mia!
RSC’s Matilda The Musical
Les Misérables
MJ The Musical
Monopoly Lifesized
The Mousetrap
My Neighbour Totoro
Oh, Mary!
Oliver!
Opera Locus
Othello
The Paddington Bear Experience
The Phantom Of The Opera
The Play That Goes Wrong
Potted Panto
The Producers
The Rapping Princess
The Red Shoes
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
Six
The Snowman
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
Starlight Express
Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Sunny Afternoon
Titanique
Top Hat
Tutu
RSC’s Twelfth Night
Wicked
Witness For The Prosecution

Get tickets via Priceless

Get London Theatre tickets

London Theatre Week (February and September)

Twice a year, TodayTix and other sites offer discounts at a decent number of West End shows in an event called London Theatre Week. It runs in February and September.

During these dates, you can book to visit the theatre in the coming months for heavy discounts — prices are either £15, £25 or £35.

The dates you can get discounts on vary massively between productions, but for a lot of them, you can book for a couple of months. There are tickets to The Great Gatsby, My Neighbour Totoro, Hamilton and Hercules included in the promotion.

It’ll likely return again in August 2026.

Buy London Theatre Week tickets

Flash promotions & sales

Central Tickets: Get 10% extra credit with your first top-up

If you top up your Central Tickets account for the first time, you can get 10% added by Central Tickets, up to the value of £10.

The credit in your account is used as payment for seat filling bookings you make through Central Tickets. It can’t be used on West End offer tickets (listed in a separate tab on their site).

You won’t be able to get a refund on it, and it won’t be protected if Central Tickets were to go bust, so make sure you’ll make use of the money you top up before you do so.

Central Tickets will add up to £10, so you could get £110 worth of credit for £100.

TodayTix: up to 50% off in Boxing Day sale (ended)

TodayTix tends to run sales throughout the year and the latest is offering up to 50% off tickets in their Boxing Day sale. There’s no end date published, but I’d expect it to be until the end of January, if not early December (though the actual performances can be after these dates).

Get tickets at TodayTix

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Theatre Tokens gift card discounts

There are occasionally discounts such as save 10% on Theatre Tokens – the official theatre gift card that’s valid at hundreds of locations nationwide and the TKTs Booth in the West End. We’ll add them here when we spot them.

Theatre Tokens: 10% off

If you buy a Theatre Tokens gift card and use the code Tfl then you can get 10% off your purchase. These gift cards can be redeemed at over 300 theatres nationwide and don’t have an expiry date.

You can order a total of £500 worth of gift cards per household, which would get you a £50 discount.

Get 10% off

Previous offers

TodayTix: 25 shows for £25 each (expired)

Until 4 June you can book £25 tickets at 25 different West End shows via TodayTix. This includes Book of Mormon, We Will Rock You, Wizard of Oz and Punchdrunk’s Burnt City.

Book via TodayTix

Updated June 22, 2026 | Deals

Discounted gift cards and offers

Zoe Roddy | Updated by Zoe Roddy

Here are some of the latest offers to get you money off gift cards

When you buy gift cards for yourself or as a present, it’s really important you make a note of the expiration date and don’t forget about them at the bottom of the drawer! There are more details on what to watch out for in our article five things you need to know about gift cards.

Gift card special offers

Amazon Prime Day 2026

Over on our Amazon deals page, we’ve got a couple of deals where you get extra money when topping up your account or buying an Amazon gift card. These offers tend to run most of the year, though they are normally only for people who haven’t done either of these in the last three years.

For Prime Day this year, Amazon is offering discounts or bonuses on some retailer gift cards. You can get the gift cards below for 15% (or more) off. And Lego is offering a £10 reward on a £100 gift card purchase.

15% off gift cards

One4All
Roblox
B&Q
Vue
New Look
Odeon
Meta Quest
Nike
Pizza Express
H&M
Last Minute

Check out Amazon gift card offers

Uber: 10% off gift cards (ended)

Head to the Uber app before Sunday 15 February 2026 and you can save 10% on gift cards. This can be used on Uber or Uber Eats.

You’ll find the offer by sliding along some offer based tiles on the homepage. Or you can tap Account and then select “send a gift”. You should see the discount at check out.

The person you send the gift card to must have an Uber or Uber Eats account.

It’s limited to just one purchase per account

Tesco: 20% off New Look, Wayfair and Virgin Experience Days gift cards (ended)

Tesco is selling New Look, Wayfair and Virgin Experience Days gift cards for 20% off until 15 March 2026.

Buy Tesco gift cards

Cashback on gift cards

JamDoughnut: cashback when you buy gift cards

With JamDoughnut, you can buy gift cards both as gifts and for everyday purchases and earn cashback on them. Plus, if you’re a new JamDoughnut user, you can get a £4 welcome bonus using our link* (double what you’d usually get).

Retailers on the app include supermarkets like Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and M&S.

Read our review of JamDoughnut

Get a £4 welcome bonus at JamDoughnut

TopCashback: get cashback on gift cards

TopCashback has a spin-off site called TopGiftCards with money back on brands including Asda, Ticketmaster, Uber, Costa and Clarks. You need to click through from TopCashback and choose your gift card.

These are all digital gift cards but check the individual retailer terms to see if it can be spent in-store, online or both. Cashback is then paid back to your TopCashback account.

Remember, if you’re new to TopCashback you can also get a bonus of £20 when you sign up and spend £10. This counts when you buy gift cards too, but excludes takeaways.

Get a TopCashback new member bonus

HyperJar: earn cashback on gift cards

As with JamDoughnut, you can buy gift cards through the app and earn cashback on them with HyperJar.

There are more than 60 retailers on the app, including some supermarkets like Morrisons and Asda.

Read our review of HyperJar cashback

Cheddar: cashback on gift cards and spending

You can earn cashback in two ways with Cheddar: buying gift cards through the app, earning instant cashback, as well as by spending at specific retailers with a linked account.

There are more than 80 brands in the app, and once again, you can get cashback from supermarkets like Tesco, Asda and Morrisons. Use the code CLEVER2 when signing up to get £2 welcome cashback.

Read our review of Cheddar cashback

Discounted “work-perk” gift card trick, including John Lewis

We’ve written in detail about how you can get access to discounted gift cards, including John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, if you open up a Scottish Friendly ISA.

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FSCS Protected? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 3% on balances up to $50,000, 3.8% on balances over this
Fractional shares Yes
Foreign exchange fee 0.7%
Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees, which cost on average ~0.16% per year, with additional market-spread effects up to 0.05%
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Expired offers

One4All: £10 Amazon credit with £100 spend (expired)

You can get a £10 Amazon promo code if you buy a £100 One4All card from Amazon between 11 and 17 December 2025.

The £10 will automatically be taken off future orders- though it expires 16 January 2026. It’s limited to one per person.

Buy One4All at Amazon

Amazon: up to 20% off Nike, Vue, New Look and more gift cards (expired)

Amazon is currently offering a number of discounted gift cards and bonuses, including:

Nike
New Look
Hotels.com
Vue
Virgin Experience Days
Pizza Express

Some offers are for digital cards, while others are for physical ones. Check the terms on each gift card to ensure you’re meeting the minimum spend levels, and you may need to enter a code at checkout – you can find this in each listing.

Runs until 17 December 2025.

You can also get boosts on some gift cards; this is where you get a boost on the amount you pay. Amazon has One4All and Footlocker gift cards with boosts at the moment.

Save on gift cards at Amazon

Costa: £5 gift card boost when you buy £20 gift card (ended)

You can get an extra £5 boost when you buy a £20 Costa gift card on its website. You can either get an eGift card or have one posted.

You can get up to £15 in bonuses if you purchase up to £60 in gift cards.

Ends 1 December 2025.

Buy a Costa gift card

Tesco: 15% off cinema gift cards (ended)

Until 27 October you can get 15% off ODEON, Vue or Cineworld gift cards at Tesco.

You can get gift cards between £10 and £100 in the offer.

Buy gift cards at Tesco

Updated June 17, 2026 | Deals

Food and drink deals

Zoe Roddy | Updated by Zoe Roddy

The best deals right now for some free or cheap food and drink

From lunch discounts and vouchers to free samples and deals, read on for the best food and drink deals currently available.

We’ve split the supermarket special offers and tea and coffee shop deals over to separate deals pages as there are just so many!

Online offers

Coffee Friend: up to 50% off coffee beans

If you love an at-home cup of coffee, Coffee Friend has a sale on, offering up to 50% off coffee beans and 30% off coffee capsules.

You can get the largest discount when you purchase multiple bags.

Get 50% off coffee

Shop deals

Morrisons: free doughnuts for Dads

For Father’s Day weekend, you can get a free doughnut in-store at Morrisons if you’re a dad or father figure. No purchase or More card is necessary — just rock up and ask for one at the Cafe.

Find your nearest Morrisons store

Hotel Chocolat: free treat on your birthday

If you sign up to Hotel Chocolat’s VIP ME scheme you’ll get a free gift on your birthday (I got a free £5 voucher to spend), as well as other offers through the year such as 15% off your next purchase. You can only sign up in-stores.

Krispy Kreme: free doughnuts

Download the Krispy Kreme Rewards app to get a free Original Glazed doughnut when joining and another on your birthday. You’ll also get points every time you spend that can be spent in-store.

Get the Krispy Kreme app

25% off Krispy Kreme

You’ll be able to get 25% off your doughnuts Sunday to Thursday if you have Meerkat Meals from Compare the Market. There’s a hack that’ll get you access to this for a year for £1, as well as 2-4-1 movies.

Find your local Krispy Kreme store

Recipe box discounts

We’ve written about recipe boxes in detail here, but below are some special offers.

Gousto: up to 75% off first box via Quidco

There are often voucher codes for Gousto, but if you’re new to Gousto and go via a cashback site you can save even more.

The deals seem to change fairly regularly and switch between TopCashback and Quidco, so it’s best to check both to see which is best.

At the time of writing, going via Quidco can get 50% off your first box, and up to £12 cashback on top.

So the most expensive box (four meals per box for four people) would normally cost £47.85, but the discount brings it down to £23.93. Add in the cashback and you’ll get the recipe box for £11.93 instead!

If you’re also new to Quidco, then you can get an additional new customer cashback bonus.

Hello Fresh: up to 66% off first box via TopCashback

If you go via TopCashback (this one also switches between the two cashback sites, so check Quidco too) for HelloFresh then you can get 50% off your first box and £10.20 cashback on top. When you order the largest box (five recipes a week for four people), it brings the total down to £21.30.

Here you can nab a new customer bonus for the cashback sites too if you’re new to either site.

Hello Fresh: free delivery with Amazon Prime

You can now get free delivery on your Hello Fresh deliveries for a year with an Amazon Prime membership. Delivery usually costs £4.99, so this could save you £20 a month if you get a box every week.

You’ve got to go here and sign in to your Amazon account where you can connect it with your Hello Fresh account. This works if you already use Hello Fresh. You get free delivery for a year if you keep your Prime membership.

Get free Hello Fresh delivery

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FSCS Protected? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 3% on balances up to $50,000, 3.8% on balances over this
Fractional shares Yes
Foreign exchange fee 0.7%
Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees, which cost on average ~0.16% per year, with additional market-spread effects up to 0.05%
Offer You need to sign up, verify your account and deposit at least £200 to get the free assets. ISA deposits aren't included in the £200 requirement to get the offer.
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes, FRN 583263
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[Skimlinks]

Updated May 27, 2026 | Articles

Energy price cap to rise by 13% from July 2026

Zoe Roddy

The average household will pay £1,862 a year, mostly as a result of the price of gas

The energy price cap is rising by a huge 13%, going up by £221 per year for the average household. This will increase bills by around £18 per month. This only applies to those who are on a standard tariff, so if you have a fixed rate, you’ll be locked in at the price you fixed at.

Here’s what you need to know about the cap and how much you’ll pay.

How the energy cap works

The energy price cap is a limit set every three months by Ofgem, the government’s energy regulator. It restricts how much an energy company can charge customers.

The cap applies to the price of your gas and electricity on your energy company’s default or standard variable rates. These basically can go up and down whenever the energy company likes. With the cap, the energy companies have to make sure their tariffs aren’t higher than the set rate.

Despite its name, it’s not a maximum amount that you can pay for your energy. Instead, the prices set on the cap are the maximum price per unit of energy you use. Ofgem announces the figure as an annual price, as you probably don’t have a clue how many kWh of energy your family uses.

Because of this, the quoted “cap” (£1,862) is an annual price based on a typical household. If you use more energy, you’ll pay more than the cap every year. Use less, and you’ll pay less.

There are separate caps for gas and electricity, and each cap is also made up of a standing charge (a set amount each day, regardless of whether you use any energy) and a usage charge.

The cap will also vary depending on where you live in the UK. Prepayment caps used to always be a little higher, although this recently changed. The new energy price cap also applies to those with a prepayment meter.

Crucially, if you’re on a fixed-rate deal, then the cap doesn’t apply and the price you pay won’t change until that fix ends.

What is the new energy price cap?

The latest announcement is a rise to the price cap from 1 July until 30 September 2026.

The new cap for a “household with average use” is £1,862 a year. This is up by about £220, or 13% from the current rate.

If you break it down to each actual unit cost, the average caps are:

	Energy price cap per unit and standing charge 1 April to 30 June 2026	Energy price cap per unit and standing charge 1 July to 30 September 2026
Electricity	24.67 pence per kWh 57.21 pence daily standing charge	26.11 pence per kWh 57.19 pence daily standing charge
Gas	5.74 pence per kWh 29.09 pence daily standing charge	7.33 pence per kWh 29.04 pence daily standing charge

Source: Ofgem

This does vary based on where you live, though the Ofgem website has a full breakdown of the regional caps for all standing charges and units.

What is the new average monthly energy bill?

Despite Ofgem attempting to present the information in a way we understand, the total annual cap figure isn’t always the easiest to comprehend – especially since our energy use changes throughout the year, but this cap only applies to three months.

At the same time, it’s not a flat increase to all bills as there could be different percentage changes to standing charges and unit rates.

So we think it’s easier to understand the price cap when you view it as a monthly direct debit. Your energy company calculates this by taking the predicted cost for a year based on your previous energy usage and dividing it by 12. It’s not 100% accurate, but it’s a handy comparison.

As the cap is up by £220 per year, that makes it around £18 more each month. The average monthly bill will be £155.

What is the current energy price cap?

The current price cap (1 April to 30 June) is £1,641 a year, based on the average household. This is with the newer typical use figures.

When will the new prices start?

This new energy price cap will come into play on 1 July 2026 and will remain in place until 30 September 2026.

How much will you pay under the new energy price cap?

Remember, the price cap figures are based on average use. If you use more than this average, you’ll pay more; if you use less, you’ll pay less. Plus, it can vary regionally, so you’ll need to check where you live to see exactly what it’ll be for you.

If you want to get a rough, quick idea, you can add 13% to what you pay at the moment. This doesn’t take into account the balance between unit and standing charges, or whether you’ve got an accurate direct debit set-up, but it could give you a sense of how much it’ll be.

Will you pay more or less money with the new energy price cap?

If you’re on a variable tariff

Broadly, anyone on a standard tariff will be charged less per unit of energy from 1 July 2026. Of course, the bill itself will be based on your actual energy use.

If you’re on a prepayment meter

There is no longer a significant premium for those with prepayment meters. You can see the cap for your region on the Ofgem website.

If you’re already on a fixed tariff

If you’re fixed on a tariff, your prices usually don’t change when the price cap changes. That’s because you’ve already agreed on a price per unit of energy for a fixed length of time with your energy supplier, usually 12 months.

For April’s price cap change, the prices fell for everyone due to an end of funding for the Energy Company Obligation scheme and removing 75% of costs for the Renewables Obligation scheme from energy bills. This time, they’ll only go up for those not on a fixed tariff.

Should you fix your energy?

We’ve seen more fixed deals returning to the market in the last couple of years, and right now, the cheapest 12-month fix is around 4% less than the current April price cap. The price of these tariffs depends on where you live, but it’s still worth checking them out to see if you’ll save.

You’ll be comparing prices based on the price cap now, rather than the July one, so make sure you consider that.

If you go for one of these, bear in mind that some will charge an exit fee if you want to swap suppliers before the end of the term.

There are also some tariffs that track at below the cap, so you’ll always pay less – but not necessarily less than a fix.

Of course, these can change, so it’s worth using a comparison site to see what rates are available.

Will bills go up again?

This rise is pretty staggering, but it may not be the end of rises. The current predictions suggest that the price cap could see another rise in October, but a lot can change in that time.

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Customer rating 3.8/5

Offer
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Annual fee
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Investment styles
Shares, funds or ready-made portfolios
Minimum deposit
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Invest in a general investment account or stocks and shares ISA (additional fees apply)

FSCS Protected? Yes
Interest on uninvested cash 3% on balances up to $50,000, 3.8% on balances over this
Fractional shares Yes
Foreign exchange fee 0.7%
Fund fees If you invest in funds, you'll have to pay fund fees, which cost on average ~0.16% per year, with additional market-spread effects up to 0.05%
Offer You need to sign up, verify your account and deposit at least £200 to get the free assets. ISA deposits aren't included in the £200 requirement to get the offer.
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Yes, FRN 583263
Risk warning The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. ISA powered by Moneyfarm. ISA rules apply. UK residents only.
Accounts available General investment account, stocks and shares ISA (additional fees apply)

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When is the next price cap change?

The price cap is reviewed every three months (before October 2022, it was every six months).

The price cap will next change on 1 October 2026, and will be announced by 26 August 2026. After this, it’ll change again on 1 January 2027, a change that will be announced in November 2026.

How you can reduce your bill

Paying by direct debit will reduce your bills, so it’s well worth doing this.

Otherwise, it’s hard to do much to reduce what you spend on energy other than by using less energy. The standing charges will still apply, and bills will still be sky-high, but cutting back on gas and electricity will mean you pay less.

It’s worth giving accurate meter readings if you’re not on a smart meter. This will mean you’re more likely to have an accurate direct debit on current use, rather than what you used last year, and it stops you from falling into debt on your energy account. Your energy firm will probably not change this automatically, so you might need to ask.

Don’t forget, a direct debit averages the spend out over the year, so you should hope to overpay in the summer and underpay in the winter to help even out your bills.

How has the price cap changed?

As you can see, the really big changes have happened since October 2021. Before this, the average direct debit was under £100, so even with recent cuts, we’re still paying more, and even more on top if you had been saving with a lower fixed-rate deal.

These are the energy price caps going back to 2019, we’ve roughly adjusted them for the new typical use figures. You can see the historical price caps with the old figures below.

Date	Cost per year with new typical use figures	EPG & grants	Average monthly bill	Change (+/-)
July to September 2026	£1,862	N/A	£155	+13%
April to June 2026	£1,641	N/A	£137	-7%
January to March 2026	£1758	N/A	£146	+0.2%
October to December 2025	£1755	N/A	£146	+2%
July to September 2025	£1,720	N/A	£143	-7%
April to June 2025	£1,849	N/A	£154	+6.4%
January to April 2025	£1,738	N/A	£145	+1.2%
October to December 2024	£1,717	N/A	£143	+9.5%
July to September 2024	£1,568	N/A	£131	-7.2%
April to June 2024	£1,690	£3,000 EPG	£141	-12.34%
January to March 2024	£1,928	£3,000 EPG	£161	+5.13%
October to December 2023	£1,834	£3,000 EPG	£153	-7.95%
July to September 2023	£1,992	£3,000 EPG	£166	-17.04%
April to June 2023	£3,151	£2,402 EPG	£200	+50.33%
January to March 2023	£4,110	£2,402 EPG & £67/m grant	£133	0.00%
October to December 2022	£3,409	£2,402 EPG & £67/m grant	£133	-15.62%
April to September 2022	£1,893		£158	+54.35%
October 2021 to March 2022	£1,227		£102	+12.21%
April to September 2021	£1,093		£91	+9.21%
October 2020 to March 2021	£1,001		£83	-7.46%
April to September 2020	£1,082		£90	-4.50%
October 2019 to March 2020	£1,133		£94	-5.98%
April to September 2019	£1,205		£100	+10.29%
January to March 2019	£1,092		£91

Estimated costs, due to the change in the typical domestic consumption

Historical energy price caps

These are the energy price caps from before the typical use figures changed. This change made it difficult for us to compare new caps with the old ones, so we’ve converted the old price caps into ones with the new typical figures above.

Date	Max annual bill for a typical household	Average monthly direct debit	Change +/-
October to December 2023	£1,923 price cap / (£3,000 EPG)	£160.25	-7%
July to September 2023	£2,074 price cap / (£3,000 EPG)	£173	– 17%
April to June 2023	£2,500 EPG / (£3,280 price cap)	£208 (£273.33 without EPG)	+ 19% (-23.3%)
January to March 2023	£2,100 (£2,500 EPG – £400 grant) / (£4,279 price cap)	£175 (£356.58 without EPG and grant)	+ 0% (20.5%)
October to December 2022	£2,100 (£2,500 EPG – £400 grant) / (£3,549 price cap)	£175 (£295.75 without EPG)	+ 8%(+80%)
April to September 2022	£1,971 price cap	£162.25	+54%
October 2021 to March 2022	£1,277 price cap	£106.42	+12%
April to September 2021	£1,138 price cap	£94.83	+9%
October 2020 to March 2021	£1,042 price cap	£86.83	-7.5%
April to September 2020	£1,126 price cap	£93.83	-4.5%
October 2019 to March 2020	£1,179 price cap	£98.25	-6%
April to September 2019	£1,254 price cap	£104.50	+10.2%
January to March 2019	£1,137 price cap	£94.75

What is the best way to save money for grandchildren?

The easy-access option: a children’s saving account

What is the best savings account for a grandchild?

What is the best ISA for grandchildren?

Leek Building Society Junior ISA

Skipton Building Society Junior ISA

The Stafford Building Society Junior ISA

Coventry Building Society Junior ISA

Danske Bank UK Junior ISA

NS&I Junior ISA

The best investment options: Junior ISAs

Vanguard Junior Stocks & Shares ISA

The long-term option: Junior pensions

What are the advantages of a Junior SIPP

The lucky option: Premium Bonds

The tax-efficient option: bare trusts

FAQs

How do I invest for my grandchildren?

Can I open a savings account for my grandchild without a birth certificate?

Do I need the parent’s permission to open an account for my grandchild?

What tax does a grandparent have to pay?

Can I open an investment account for my grandchild?

Tax benefits of investing for your grandkids

What is a regular savings account?

How regular savings accounts work

You’re limited to how much you can save in them

The account normally closes after 12 months

Rates can be fixed or variable

Withdrawals can be limited

The best accounts require current accounts

How interest is calculated in a regular savings account

High interest regular savings accounts: How much could you make?

Regular savings hacks

Drip feeding your savings

Using multiple regular savers for larger savings

Are regular savers worth it?

The best regular savings accounts

Expert thoughts on regular savings accounts from Be Clever With Your Cash

What is a reward bank account?

Qualifying for reward accounts

Set up direct debits

Pay money in each month

Spend on your debit card

Use your internet banking or the app

My top reward bank accounts

Monzo Perks account

Club Lloyds account

Santander Edge

PayPal+

Other reward accounts

Chase Bank

Zopa Biscuit

NatWest or RBS Reward account

Barclays Blue Rewards

TSB Spend and Save Account

TSB Spend and Save Plus Account

Should you get a reward current account?

Having multiple reward accounts

Recirculating your inbound payments

Covering the fees

Running out of direct debits

What makes a decent sun cream?

SPF and UVB rays

“Star ratings” and UVA rays

Is more expensive suncream better?

How much should you buy?

1. Go in the first week

2. Try to buy last-minute tickets

Try your luck the day before

American Express cardholder tickets

Ballot tickets

3. Join the queue

4. Get a ground pass

5. Get £10 returns

6. Bring your own food

7. Go there after work

8. Look for people leaving show courts

9. Ask if you can take empty seats.

10. Get a refund if it rains

11. Watch it on the big screen