Welcome to the Money blog, Sky News’ personal finance and consumer hub. Today, our monthly Cheap Eats feature with a top chef and Martin Lewis hits out at a plan for energy tariffs. You can also watch Money reporter Jess Sharp on the dilemma of asking hen do dropouts to pay.
Wednesday 24 September 2025 08:44, UK
Martin Lewis says he will “robustly push back” against Ofgem’s “disappointing” proposal on lowering standing charges.
Ofgem announced plans today (see previous post) to make energy suppliers offer at least one tariff with lower standing charges next year.
Lewis says the energy regulator has missed a chance to mandate a low standing charge price cap alternative, smothering progress “with the pillow of bureaucracy.”
The consumer expert had proposed a dual price cap – including the current formula and one with no or a low standing charge – but says the idea was “watered down” during consultation.
‘Two big problems’
“The core problem is it doesn’t look like it’ll be under the price cap mechanism. That leads to two big possible problems.”
First, there is no limit to what firms can charge, so they could wipe the standing charge, but increase the unit rate far above what is needed to compensate for it, he says.
Second, those most in need of this option tend not to switch tariffs. Mandating a low standing charge switchers tariff won’t help vulnerable, low-usage customers, he says.
“Add to that the fact it [Ofgem] is proposing a minimum usage level to try and cut out second home owners, which could wrongly capture many very low users.
“Overall, I worry Ofgem has picked an easy route to appease suppliers’ concerns that doesn’t help the most vulnerable.”
He continues: “We will robustly be pushing back in response in the consultation.”
Energy suppliers will be made to offer at least one tariff with lower standing charges as soon as January.
Campaigners have called for standing charges – fixed daily fees in your bill that cover the cost to providers of supplying energy – to be scrapped altogether.
The charges make it difficult to reduce your bill via lower usage.
While not going as far as some campaigners want, Ofgem’s plan is at least a step in the right direction.
Ofgem says standing charges cannot be removed entirely and that they can only be moved from one part of the bill to another – suggesting tariffs with lower standing charges will have higher unit rates.
The regulator is looking to introduce a minimum usage on to the new tariffs so that those with second homes or properties left vacant for long periods do not disproportionately benefit.
Ofgem is now launching one final consultation, with aims to make a decision by the end of the year.
Tim Jarvis, director general of markets at Ofgem, said: “We cannot remove these charges, we can only move costs around.
“These changes would give households the choice they have asked for, but it’s important that everyone carefully considers what’s right for them as these tariffs are unlikely to reduce bills on their own.”
It comes ahead of a 2% rise in energy costs when the next price cap takes effect on 1 October, which will see the bill for a typical household rise from £1,720 to £1,755 a year.
Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said it was a “small step forward”.
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Every month we interview a top chef from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks, views on the industry and more. Today we speak to Luca Mastrantoni, head chef at London’s Michelin-listed Scandinavian restaurant Ekstedt at The Yard…
Ask the sommelier or server what they’re excited about… Nine times out of 10, they’ll guide you to something better (and often better value) than picking blindly by grape or region.
Fine dining and tasting menus still have a future but… it’s changing. More people want storytelling and connection. The best tasting menus now are ones with soul, where you feel the chef behind the plate. If that disappears, then yes, the format might fade.
I hate it when customers… talk over you while you’re introducing or explaining the dish. It’s a small moment, but it represents a lot of work. Being heard is part of the hospitality we try to offer.
The one UK restaurant worth blowing your budget on is… Restaurant St Barts in Smithfield, central London. The space is stunning – all stone, wood and soft light – but it’s the food that really makes it special. The tasting menu is built entirely around UK-sourced ingredients, and the flavours are precise and deeply rooted in the land. Every dish feels intentional, and the whole experience is quietly unforgettable.
My favourite budget recipe is… Smoked mackerel and potato salad with pickled mustard seeds. A super simple but flavour-packed dish. Boil new potatoes, crush lightly with olive oil, lemon zest and chopped dill. Flake in smoked mackerel (cheap, high in omega-3s and already cooked), and top with quick-pickled mustard seeds (just simmer them in vinegar and sugar). Serve warm or cold – and it’s great for lunchboxes too.
A cheap eat spot in my area is… YEYE in Aldgate East – small, low-key and incredibly satisfying. I always get their signature spicy beef dry-mixed noodles – chewy noodles tossed in their house sauce, with tender slices of spicy beef. It’s rich, bold and under £15. The kind of dish that keeps you coming back.
A shop-bought item that can never be beaten by chefs is… Salted caramel M&Ms. There’s just no improving on that combo of crunchy shell, sweet caramel and a little hit of salt. It’s engineered joy…
The one Scandi dish Britons should cook at home is… gravlax, also known as cured salmon. Just mix equal parts salt and sugar, add crushed white pepper and loads of dill, then wrap the salmon tightly and press it for two days in the fridge. Slice thin and serve on dark rye with mustard sauce. It’s easier than it sounds and feels special.
Dinner party guests should always bring… A decent bottle and something handmade, even if it’s just biscuits. Effort goes a long way.
I never want to see QR code menus in a restaurant… They were fine during COVID, but they strip away the warmth and hospitality of a physical interaction. A menu should invite, not feel like an app update.
All remaining Bodycare shops will shut this week, after the beauty chain’s administrators failed to secure a buyer to keep it on Britain’s high streets.
The final round of closures is expected to happen by Saturday, resulting in 444 job losses.
A total of 56 Bodycare stores will close.
Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has announced it will extend its pause in production until 1 October as it recovers from a cyber attack.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle is set to visit JLR to meet firms in the supply chain, after the business was targeted on 31 August.
“Our teams continue to work around the clock alongside cybersecurity specialists, the NCSC [National Cyber Security Centre] and law enforcement to ensure we restart in a safe and secure manner,” a JLR spokesman said.
New homes in England could be fitted with mandatory water-saving showers and toilets under government proposals.
The environment department is consulting on plans to require house builders to fit new properties with features like aerated taps and shower heads and dual flush toilets.
It comes as five areas in England still battle drought this autumn, after a record hot summer.
Complaints about poor living conditions by social housing tenants have rocketed by 43% in England, according to a new report by the Housing Ombudsman Service.
Leaks, damp and mould made up two-fifths of successful compensation awards, while in another case, a child’s bedroom window was boarded up for four years.
The ombudsman made 7,082 decisions on complaints about social landlord failings in the year to 31 March, 71% of which were upheld.
The average compensation order was £947, with more than £2,000 handed out in 578 cases.
The largest order made was for almost £32,000.
Complaints should first be made to your landlord, including when you first reported the issue, what actions they should have taken and the impact on your household.
This can be submitted via a dedicated complaints process on the landlord’s website or using a template.
They must acknowledge a complaint within five working days and supply a written response within 10 working days from the date of acknowledgment.
If you are dissatisfied with their response, you can contact them again to escalate the complaint. You can find another template for this here.
A landlord must acknowledge a stage two complaint within five working days and supply a written response within 20 working days.
If you are still unhappy, you can take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman.
You can also contact the ombudsman if your landlord is not responding.
A super-complaint has been launched by Which? over its concerns about “serious failings” in the home and travel insurance markets. 
The complaint has been filed with the City regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, due to the “poor levels of customer service and outcomes” in the industry. 
Quick recap – what is a super complaint? 
A super-complaint is a complaint submitted by a consumer body on behalf of large numbers of customers, where it believes that their interests are being significantly harmed by practices in a market.
Only certain organisations have legal powers to make super-complaints as consumer bodies.
The consumer champion said it’s focusing on home and travel insurance because they have some of the lowest levels of claims acceptance rates, and the impact on a consumer when something goes wrong can be significant.
Which? said it has heard from hundreds of people “who have been left to endure ordeals at the hands of their insurers”.
It said it found little evidence that the FCA has taken “meaningful action to address the many persistent problems that exist in these markets”. 
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said the complaint was a “major intervention” but necessary to fix the “serious failings” in the industry. 
“We have heard heartbreaking stories from people who have found the experience of dealing with an insurance company worse than the distressing life events that led to their claim,” she said. 
“It’s time for the FCA to get a grip on the home and travel insurance markets and urgently intervene to make sure insurers up their game. This super-complaint should mark a turning point that leads to fundamental changes in how insurance companies treat their customers.” 
By law, the FCA has 90 days to respond to the super-complaint.
Which?’s last super-complaint was submitted in 2016 over its concerns about banks’ treatment of victims of authorised push payment fraud. 
While initially rejected by the Payment Systems Regulator, legislation was later introduced to protect bank transfer fraud victims by introducing mandatory reimbursement.
An FCA spokesperson said: “Insurance should provide peace of mind and fair value. That’s why we have been focused on raising standards, including banning the loyalty penalty, securing £200m compensation for underpaid motor claims and investigating value in premium finance.
“We uncovered issues when we recently reviewed insurers’ home and travel claims handling. We’ll be holding them and their senior managers accountable for the changes needed.
“We’ll respond to Which? in due course.”
If your car was written off or stolen, you may be due compensation from insurers.
They’ve underpaid around 270,000 motorists making claims, according to the Financial Conduct Authority.
The firms made deductions for “assumed” pre-existing damage, even without evidence.
This breached fairness rules by stopping drivers from affording replacements. 
Around £200m is expected to be paid out in total – you’ll be contacted if you’re in line for some of it.
Some 150,000 people have already received redress, with £71m left to be handed out by early 2026.
If you’re due compensation, your insurer will contact you, but as always, beware scammers sending suspicious emails or texts.
You can earn £75 cashback when you spend £300 or more on a hotel stay using an American Express card. 
The deal, which runs under the Amex Stays offer, applies to visits booked between now and 16 November at one of the 51 qualifying hotels. 
To claim the deal, go to the Amex Offers in your app or online banking and save Amex Stays to your card.  
Use your card at one of the participating locations, and the cashback should be credited to your account within 30 days.
The offer applies to pre-paid bookings, as well as payments made at a hotel checkout. 
Some of the hotels taking part include: 
You can check the full list of hotels and terms and conditions here. 
Homebuyers in London face an average premium of £42,700 for houses near stations, according to a new report by Nationwide Building Society.
The highest prices in the capital are charged near stations with access to the London Underground’s Circle line (£729,000), while the average price around Elizabeth line stations rank lowest (£401,000).
A property located 1,000m away from a station comes with a 3.5% premium, at 750m this increases to 5.6%, while a property 500m from a station costs around an 8% more (around £42,700 based on average prices in London), the study found. 
The research compared prices for properties 500 metres from a station with those 1,500 metres away across London, Glasgow and Manchester. 
While premiums apply in the latter two cities as well, they are much lower than in London, at £8,800 and £10,900, respectively.
Overall, however, the premium has fallen somewhat across all three cities, compared to Nationwide’s previous research in 2021. 
Londoners also appear to care significantly more about access to rail links – more than 80% of respondents in the capital said being near a station was very or fairly important to them. 
The same applied to some 60% of Mancunians and Glaswegians. 
“This is likely to reflect that those living in London typically use their local station more often,” said Nationwide’s senior economist, Andrew Harvey.
A total of 60% of Londoners said they use either rail or Tube more than once a week, while this was true for 35% in Manchester and 37% in Glasgow.
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