The Weekly Consumer Report Podcast
Welcome to Parfitt Cresswell’s Weekly Consumer Report brought to you by broadcast journalist Glen Thompsett and award-winning journalist, author, podcaster, and broadcaster, Lindsay Cook.
Each week, we break down the stories that matter most to your money, your rights, and your everyday life - helping you make smarter decisions in a fast-changing world. Every episode is packed with clear explanations, actionable tips, and the latest news - so you can feel confident and in control.
Tune in to our latest episode and join the conversation!
Episode 29: 2nd June - in this episode:
Late payments from large companies cost small businesses around £11 billion a year. The government is to enforce a 60-day cap under the Commercial Payments Bill and businesses will be charged interest of 11.75%. Repeat offenders ill be fined.
Premium Bonds will pay out an extra 322,000 prizes next month after improving the odds of winning a prize. There will be 12 more £100,000 prizes.
Pension pots could become more flexible under proposals from the Financial Conduct Authority. First-time buyers could be allowed to withdraw money from pensions to use as a deposit for a mortgage.
Mansion tax will start in April 2028 and the government’s consultation document has suggested that owners of properties worth more than £2m will be able to defer the High Value Council tax of £2,500 to £7,500 a year until they die.
Property prices from the Land Registry show that flats have lost 5.3% of their value in the last year. House prices are increasing modestly with terraced properties increasing just 0.5% while detached houses have risen 1.9%.
Travel costs are worrying holidaymakers who fearing that the higher jet fuel prices will make their summer break unaffordable. But such has been the willingness to book that some travel companies have cut their costs. Average return fares to Mediterranean holidays are down £100.
Episode 28: 26th May - in this episode:
Energy costs are set to rise by more than £200 in July when the Ofgem price cap is expected to average £1,850 a year.
The 13% increase is the result of the regulator setting the maximum price for each unit of gas and electricity used. But the government has not announced any help for poorer households.
There are fixed rate energy deals that are lower than the new price cap.
Summer savings have been announced by the government to help to cut the cost of living for families with children. VAT will be cut on outings with children. Bus fares for children will be free during the summer.
Some foods including biscuits and chocolate will be cheaper because tariffs will be suspended.
Increased fuel prices have caused motorists to buy less petrol with sales down 10% in April. The average price of unleaded petrol last week was 158.52p per litre according to the RAC.
People required to use their cars for work can now claim 55p per mile undertaken for work.
Bigger borrowing is being offered by several major mortgage lenders. NatWest will now let homebuyers to borrow up to 6.5 times their joint salaries. HSBC, Nationwide and Barclays will allow six times earnings while the Teachers Building Society will allow those working in education to borrow 7 times salaries.
Inflation was reduced in April to 2.8%. This was the result of the reduced energy price cap that month and also the time of Easter which meant air fares were cheaper than in 2025.
Misleading advertisements for Black Friday have been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, which found that the savings were overstated.
Meet Your Hosts
The show is hosted by Glen Thompsett, an experienced broadcast journalist, and an award-winning journalist, author, podcaster, and broadcaster Lindsay Cook, whose expertise is widely recognised; she’s a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4 and other outlets and has written extensively for the Financial Times. Together, Glen and Lindsay bring decades of expertise, a passion for consumer advocacy, and a knack for making complex topics easy to understand.
Legal Chat with Parfitt Cresswell
Hear from our legal experts as they discuss various legal topics in Legal Chat with Parfitt Cresswell. Answering the commonly asked questions we receive on a regular basis, Legal Chat removes all of the legal jargon and makes the complex world of law that little bit easier to understand.
