Welcome to the Money blog, Sky News’ consumer and personal finance hub. Today, we investigate a reader’s dispute with two airlines who, between them, left her without her wheelchair. We also take a look at the price of a pint around the world to find the cheapest and the most expensive.
Tuesday 21 October 2025 10:48, UK
Pizza Hut has confirmed the locations of 68 restaurants set to close after its UK parent company fell into administration. 
It will also shut 11 delivery sites as part of a restructuring which will put 1,210 workers at risk of redundancy.
DC London Pie, the firm running Pizza Hut’s UK dine-in restaurants, appointed administrators from corporate finance firm FTI on Monday.
Here are the locations that are due to close…
Worldwide, £9 separates the most expensive average pint of beer from the cheapest, according to a new analysis.
The UK finds itself 11th most expensive on the list of 155 countries – at £5.50 nationwide and £6.83 in London.
Finder has compiled data from cost-of-living sites Expatistan and Numbeo (accurate as of February this year), using an average from both sites to find its figures.
It was able to list countries worldwide by an important indicator – the price of their average pint of beer.
How much???
The most expensive pint was found in Doha, Qatar, setting you back an eye-watering £9.95.
This was significantly more than the cheapest average pint – from Antananarivo, Madagascar – which cost only 68p.
Rounding out the most expensive five were:
On the whole, Middle Eastern and northern European countries have the most expensive pints.
Antananarivo was joined by Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (70p), Lome, Togo (71p), and Kigali in Rwanda, Vientiane in Laos, and Lagos in Nigeria (all 74p), as the cheapest places.
Of the 10 countries with the cheapest pints, eight were in Africa.
Find out the price for each country on our map…
Over the past two years, we’ve helped readers get thousands back in refunds and outlined their rights in our Money Problem feature, published each Tuesday. You can WhatsApp us here or email moneyblog@sky.uk. This week’s problem is…
My wheelchair was damaged when travelling on a long-haul flight that used both Aer Lingus and Singapore Air. The wheels were damaged on the way out, with the frame badly damaged on the way back. Both airlines are ignoring me, and I don’t have a chair I can use in the meantime.
Monique 

I found Monique online when I saw her tweeting both airlines, asking them to take accountability for the damage that had been caused on her flights between Dublin and Singapore – and saw she was being met with a wall of silence.
Part of these flights were operated by Aer Lingus (Heathrow to Dublin, and Amsterdam to Dublin), so while it was initially unclear which airline caused the main damage, I had to figure out who held ultimate responsibility.
On the outbound flight, the wheels of the wheelchair were damaged significantly – these wheels were valued at £1,800, and Monique sent pictures to the manufacturer, which warned her not to use them because they had been rendered unsafe.
It got worse on her return flight. When Monique arrived at Dublin, she was told the wheelchair had been lost, and she had to leave the airport without it.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, to be told to leave without it was absolutely devastating. 
“I am leaving the airport without my legs, essentially. I cannot comprehend this. This is the chair I married in, graduated in, brought my baby home in, have taken across five continents. It lets me live my life,” she said.
The wheelchair was eventually found on the runway and returned to her the next day. As well as further damage to the wheels, the frame had deep scratches and gouges, which seemed to suggest that it was dragged across something hard and rough (such as concrete) while upside down. 
Some of these are deep enough to have fully penetrated the powder coating and scratched the bare metal beneath, again damaging the integrity of the frame.
In total, both airlines had caused around £4,000 worth of damage.
When it came to repair, multiple independent companies agreed it was a write-off.
The impact
Monique told me she is an ambulant wheelchair user, which means she has limited mobility walking, but it causes significant pain, frequent dislocations, joint swelling and exhaustion. 
Because the damage occurred on the outbound flight, she had to limit what she could do on holiday.
When the wheelchair went missing, she was left hysterical and “sobbed while filling in the form”.
“I usually have independence for moving myself to the bathroom, and had to get other people to help me. I couldn’t go do what I wanted to at home with my child. I haven’t been able to do the activities that I usually can,” she said.
“It’s causing sleepless nights because I can’t afford to replace it, but I need it to protect my health and wellbeing, to continue working and to have access to my community.”
What happened next?
I could see Monique’s ticket was booked with Singapore Airlines, which had then subcontracted out part of the flights to Aer Lingus.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you can claim for damage from an airline if services – including baggage handling – were not carried out with “reasonable care and skill”. Because Monique had paid Singapore Airlines for the flight, initially I thought they would be ultimately responsible because this is the company she had entered into a contract with. This turned out not to be quite correct, but more on that below.
Using a wheelchair is not a luxury: it is a necessity that allows someone to live and go about their daily life. Initially, Monique was offered £540 by Singapore to compensate her for the damage to the wheels, an arguably pitiful amount to replace a £4,000 piece of essential equipment. 
She was then told by Aer Lingus that while it would cover the cost of the frame, she had to pay upfront and submit receipts – and crucially, the airline said it would not cover damage to the wheels.
I’m not sure many of us could afford to pay thousands of pounds on the promise of being reimbursed. (It’s worth noting that last year, both airlines reported an operating profit in the hundreds of millions.)
What happened after that…
I emailed both Singapore Air and Aer Lingus. While it is not entirely clear which airline caused the damage, you would have hoped one of them would have stepped up and done the right thing.
Singapore Airlines told me it “sincerely apologises to the customer for the distress and inconvenience caused by the damaged wheelchair”.
It added: “We are committed to providing the necessary assistance and have been in contact with the customer on this matter.”
After our email, Singapore retracted its offer of £540 and instead agreed to pay for the damaged wheels entirely.
But it said that – despite my initial instinct of it carrying all liability – Aer Lingus, as “the operating carrier for the final flight segment”, would be dealing with any claim for the frame damage.
After quite a lot of back and forth between us/them/Monique, Aer Lingus dropped the need for her to pay for the frame up front, and agreed to pay for it to be replaced – once she provided proof that it could not be repaired. 
Some weeks later, a spokesperson told us: “Aer Lingus is pleased to have closed this matter directly with our customer. 
“Having recently received the necessary documentation, Aer Lingus has funded the value of a new wheelchair for our customer. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by damage to their wheelchair in transit.”
Monique has now received the money from both airlines – but she isn’t celebrating.
She told me: “Ultimately, I am exhausted, and by the time a new wheelchair is made I will have lost up to five months of my life. It’s been hell. 
“Any victory feels hollow given how being without it has disrupted my life, the sheer effort I had to put in to get a resolution. 
“It’s a resolution that came after an inexplicably complex battle when they’ve had so many more resources to throw at this than me, for what is a comparatively tiny payout.. I need to fly again soon for work and I am dreading it. Disabled people are second class citizens on flights.”
What are the compensation rules for mobility equipment?
Protection for passengers in the UK who need mobility equipment is, sadly, fairly poor. Under Civil Aviation Authority rules, airlines are responsible for damage to mobility equipment, but compensation is often limited to £1,300.
While passengers who use mobility equipment should consider taking out additional insurance, in this instance Monique’s insurance refused to pay up and said she needed to be reimbursed by the airlines that had caused the damage.
In 2023, a campaign group called Rights on Flights launched a draft of the Assisted Air Travel Act – if passed, this would strengthen rights for disabled passengers. The disability equality charity Scope has also called for airlines and airports to be fined if they fail to prevent damage to mobility equipment.
Yet, while specific legislation is limited in exact support, it was disappointing to see Singapore Airlines and Aer Lingus be slow to respond to Monique – morally, paying up and doing so quickly is the right thing to do.
This feature is not intended as financial advice – the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about. Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute via:
University tuition fees will go up in line with inflation for the next two years, the education secretary has just told MPs.
Bridget Phillipson announced undergraduate tuition fee caps for all higher education providers will increase in line with forecast inflation for the next two academic years.
Currently, universities in England can charge up to £9,535 per year – but higher education in the rest of the UK is devolved.
In a statement to the Commons, Phillipson added there would be boosted help for students to afford the fees.
“We will future proof our maintenance loan offer by increasing maintenance loans in line with forecast inflation every academic year,” she said.
‘Charging full fees will be conditional on high quality teaching’
The government will also seek to link the cost of degrees to their quality, the education secretary added.
“To provide long term certainty over future funding we will then legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to increase tuition fee caps automatically in the future linked to quality,” she said.
“We will not allow institutions who don’t take quality seriously to make their students pay more. 
“Charging full fees will be conditional on high quality teaching, balancing stability for universities with fairness for students and for taxpayers.”
‘Fee hike distracts from real financial disaster’
Tom Allingham, a money expert for Save the Student, a website which offers simple finance tips to students, says today’s announcements are a “mixed bag”.
But he added: “Once again the tuition fee hike distracts from the real financial disaster facing students.”
The increase in fees would be felt more psychologically than financially, as it would make “little difference to their repayments”, Allingham explained.
“Based on current estimates, the increase is likely to be around £400 per year, and a graduate who is close to repaying in full would likely clear this additional amount within a handful of months,” he said.
The real issue, though, comes with maintenance grants and loans.
He said maintenance grants would only be available to a small proportion of students, something he described as: “A welcome start, but far short of what we feel is needed.”
Allingham added: “Ultimately, the biggest disappointment was the news that maintenance loans will only increase in line with forecast inflation. This is a continuation of the flawed policy that led to funding falling far short of rising prices at the peak of the cost of living crisis, with these real-terms cuts now becoming baked into the system.
“Our National Student Money Survey 2025 found that loans now fall short of living costs by an average of £502 every month, and almost 6 in 10 saying they skip meals at least some of the time. 
“Without a substantial above-inflation increase to this funding, students will continue to face unprecedented levels of hardship.”
We reported earlier (see 8.52 post) on the decision by the makers of products including Club and Penguin to reduce the amount of cocoa in their recipes – to the point that they can no longer be described as chocolate biscuits.
Predictably, the news has prompted an outpouring of mild, if somewhat resigned, anger and despair…
It’s bloody typical with the youth these days taking away our Penguins and our Clubs. I knew this would happen. First Wagon Wheels and now this. Where is our god now? Why has he forsaken us?

Crashfan1996
Can someone please tell the guy from Club biscuits that they’re new chocolate coating DOESN’T taste anything like the original at all!
Sbx
In arguably more consequential news, we reported last week that Rachel Reeves was reconsidering a cut to the tax-free cash ISA allowance ahead of the autumn budget next month, according to reports. 
In a bid to boost the economy, the chancellor is said to be looking at halving the limit from £20,000 to £10,000, the Financial Times has reported.
It is thought Reeves hopes the overhaul will divert tens of billions of pounds of savings from cash ISAs into stocks and shares ISAs – boosting the economy.
Readers have expressed a mixture of general frustration along with scepticism as to both the effectiveness and the government’s motives.
Regarding ISA limits – I am too old to be investing for the long term! However I do save for a rainy day. Just how unpopular does the chancellor want to be?
Ginger
The majority of users don’t have the education to invest. As such they’ll leave surplus cash in tax bearing accounts which is what I think the play is here.
RobinS
My question is does the chancellor really want to blag people into thinking that the stock market is some sort of safe investment? Get your timing wrong and you can lose a fortune. Most people just aren’t set up financially to take these sorts of risks.
Nick Blackwell
The cutting of the ISA limit, will NOT make people invest in stocks and shares. I have two ISAs and I will never risk my money in this absurd scheme. The whole point of investing in cash ISAs is to ensure your money is safe. I will never vote Labour again or ever vote again.
jot p
If the ISA limit is halved I will not invest in stocks and shares – under this government I would merely save my cash and not put it where I would pay tax on any interest. It is more likely to be spent abroad on a nice holiday. Another own goal by this government.
Swanmoreboy
How can reducing the ISA limit be seen as fair? I’ve been told all my life to save for retirement. Now I have retired after 43 years working and with around £80,000 in savings they still want to tax me some way or another.
Alan Presneill
Lots of you also wrote with your stories in response to our weekend feature.
In the piece, we spoke to sources inside the car insurance industry in an effort to get some kind of understanding as to the complicated system that determines how claims can affect your premium.
Complex algorithms, individual circumstances, the nature of the accident and a list of other factors are all in play.
And as we explain, fault isn’t always a decisive factor in how much an annual premium may rise following a claim.
It was clearly an issue that struck a chord with many of you…
A lady crashed into my parked car whilst I was watching TV and my car was written off. I claimed on her insurance and it paid me out, but now my insurance has gone up due to my insurance saying it doesn’t matter who’s fault it was, it’s because I made a claim, which I find disgusting.
Markymark123
A car hit my car when it was parked unoccupied in an Aldi car park with cameras. NFU Mutual didn’t recover its costs. My premium went up by 60% in the next year; 26% the next year. My renewal premium went from £350 to over £700 in 2 years with no further accidents.
Anonymous
Recently I renewed my insurance – all details the same, except I advised my car had been involved in a claim where the third party accepted full responsibility and claimed on their insurance. My renewal quote went up by £700… despite it not being my fault. How!?
IbrahimK
Another reader wrote in with a suggestion… 
Most insurances are optional but car insurance is a legal requirement. Older and less tech aware people pay higher premiums. Why not fix them nationally if there’s a legal requirement? It would be more easily enforced and affordable.
Rich PB
…while another presented the case from the side of the insurers: 
Insurance does go up because it is business and not a compensation scheme and the cost for the consumer is compounded towards the garage that repairs the cars, as each company adds their costs and profits. This is also why private health insurance is so expensive.
Paulus
Insurance claims for malicious damage and theft are set to jump as the spooky season approaches.
Aviva has urged households to be vigilant, saying the clocks going back, Halloween, and Bonfire Night tend to contribute to a spike at this time of year.
It said claims for malicious damage typically increased by 19% and thefts by 25% during October and November.
Damage to doors caused by disgruntled trick-or-treaters, broken windows from someone throwing corn on the cob, and doors stained by thrown eggs were among the examples seen by Aviva.
“In other scenarios, we see more serious acts of vandalism and break-ins to homes, resulting in thousands of pounds worth of damage and stolen items,” said senior underwriting manager Hannah Davidson.
The average claim for malicious damage in 2024 was £3,137, while the average theft claim was £6,272.
“Thieves tend to be opportunistic, so if you’re heading out or will be away from home for a longer period, be sure to lock all your windows and doors and leave a light on,” Davidson added. 
“Keep valuables out of sight, and if you can, shut all your curtains and blinds.”
Supermarkets regularly promise price matches with their cheapest rival, Aldi.
Sainsbury’s offers 898 matches, Tesco offers 761 and Morrisons offers 504.
But match schemes are not always as they seem, according to consumer champion Which?
Quality
They found you’re not getting the exact same product, and sometimes this means compromising on quality.
While Aldi pork pies contain 28% pork, matches at Morrisons and Sainsbury’s contain 20% and 26% respectively.
Aldi chopped tomatoes contain 70% tomatoes, while Sainsbury’s contain 60%
Sainsbury’s scored a victory in coconut milk, though, with 68% coconut extract compared to Aldi’s 56%.
Brand
If you want branded items rather than own-brand, some match schemes will be more appealing than others.
Tesco has the highest proportion (19%) and Sainsbury’s the least (4%). 
Variety
Some supermarkets match different flavours to an Aldi product that don’t exactly feel like-for-like.
There are 14 matches with Aldi’s Cucina pasta sauce bolognese at other supermarkets, but this includes chunky veg, tomato and chilli, and no-added-sugar versions.
Size
While the schemes always match the price per 100g or 100ml, the total size of the pack at a competitor may be larger than Aldi.
For example, Aldi’s Cucina spaghetti has been price-matched by four other supermarkets in several different sizes – a total of 12 matches. 
By keeping the unit price the same, these packs arguably offer worse value for money than you would expect if economies of scale were taken into account.
A steak chain with restaurants across the UK is slashing the share of the service charge its waiters receive and using it to bump up pay for workers at head office instead.
Waiters at Gaucho received 45% of the charge last year, but that dropped to 37% and will now fall further to 29.4% or 25.45% depending on length of service, according to a letter to staff.
Newly employed waiters will get just 17%, while bar staff have seen their share drop three points from 20%.
WMT Troncmaster, a specialist hired to manage the distribution of the service charge for Gaucho, told employees the service charge would now be shared with “staff located at non-public places of business such as head office and central production units”.
Gaucho, which has 20 restaurants in places like London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Cardiff, automatically adds a service charge of between 12.5% and 13% to customers’ bills.
A spokesperson for Gaucho said the new distribution had been set by an independent troncmaster following industry benchmarking across its employees.
“The new distribution takes into consideration all our front- and back-of-house colleagues. It is an equitable solution for all of our excellent people. 
“The employee costs borne by the Gaucho business remain as before and the business itself does not benefit in any way from the amended tronc system.”
Sellers will have been disappointed by this year’s autumn asking price bounce.
The average price of a property coming to the market increased by 0.3% or £1,165 in October, well below the 10-year average for that month, 1.1%.
A “decade-high” level of property choice is putting downward pressure on price increases, according to Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, which collected the data.
“We’ve not got enough pent-up momentum or recent positive sentiment to spur the usual autumn bounce in property prices,” she said.
“Sellers who are serious about selling have had to acknowledge their limited pricing power and moderate their price expectations.”
Speculation that the budget on 26 November may increase the cost of buying or owning a property at the higher end of the market has prompted some movers to put off their purchases until there’s more clarity, she added.
“A great deal of the current hesitation can also be attributed to the upcoming autumn budget,” agreed Marc von Grundherr, director of estate agent Benham and Reeves.
“Once this uncertainty has passed, we expect the market to gather pace.”
The subdued monthly price rise means that asking prices are 0.1% lower annually on average, dragged down by a 1.4% decline in London due to the impact of higher stamp duty rates on more expensive southern regions.
If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit, there’s bad news: biscuit makers have been turning to a “chocolate flavour coating” to dodge rising cocoa prices.
The likes of Club and Penguin reduced the amount of cocoa in their recipes earlier this year to the point that they can no longer be described as chocolate biscuits, it has now emerged.
They contain more palm oil and shea oil than cocoa, according to industry magazine The Grocer.
McVitie’s owner, Pladis, insisted the new coatings deliver “the same great taste as the originals”.
Yet they’ve changed Club’s famous slogan from “if you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit, join our Club” to “if you like a lot of biscuit in your break, join our Club”.
A Pladis spokesperson said: “We are using a chocolate flavour coating with cocoa mass, rather than a chocolate coating.
“Sensory testing with consumers shows the new coatings deliver the same great taste as the originals. 
“We’re committed to delivering great-tasting snacks while minimising the impact of rising costs on consumers, adjusting formulations only when necessary.”
Why have cocoa prices soared?
Cocoa prices have soared for several years now after poor harvests in West Africa, which accounts for approximately 70% of global cocoa production. 
Heavy rains in late 2023 triggered black pod disease and crop rot, while subsequent El Nino-induced droughts in 2024 increased the prevalence of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease.
Global cocoa production fell 12.9% year-on-year. Production in Ivory Coast, the world’s biggest producer, dropped 25.3%, while Ghana’s output declined 31.3%.
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