Save money by submitting your meter readings today | Weekly Money Tips - video Dailymotion

Alex Nelson curates for you the top three money stories this week that will make or save you money.

Transcript

00:00The world of money and finance moves quickly, and it can be hard to keep track of all the

00:04latest developments on how best to invest, save, or simply manage your budget better.

00:09I'm Alex Nelson, your Jobs and Finance Specialist here at National World,

00:13and this is my weekly round-up where I dive into the top three personal finance stories

00:17that made waves this past week, and offer some savvy money-saving

00:20tips to help you stretch your pounds a little further.

00:22First up, money-saving expert Martin Lewis has announced its meter reading week,

00:34ahead of the energy price cap rise on the 1st of October. Those who pay their energy bills via

00:39direct debit are advised to give accurate meter readings to their supplier on or as

00:42close to the 1st of October as possible. That way you'll avoid your supplier giving

00:47you an estimated balance using the higher rate when it comes into force next week,

00:50and can potentially save a substantial amount of money.

00:53Secondly, Gen Zers are being urged to check whether they are sitting on a Child Trust Fund

00:57account that could hold over £2,000 in unclaimed savings. HMRC says over 600,000 18-22 year olds

01:05could have accounts that they've completely forgotten about, or weren't aware that they

01:08ever had in the first place. If you know the provider with which the account is held,

01:13contact them directly. Otherwise, ask a parent or guardian who may know on your behalf.

01:17Failing that, search Find Your Child Trust Fund on GOV.UK. Once you've established whether you

01:23are indeed sitting on £2,000 in untapped cash, so long as you're over 18, you can decide whether

01:28to withdraw it, or invest it further in a nicer account. And finally, the areas of the UK with

01:33the worst access to bank branches have been revealed by consumer group Which.

01:37The Yorkshire and the Humber region has the lowest access to bank branches,

01:41with only 4.4 branches per 100,000 people. Following closely, the East Midlands has a

01:47slightly better ratio, with 4.6 branches per 100,000 people. Scotland boasts the highest

01:53branch access, at 6.9 per 100,000 people. However, Which notes that there is an uneven

01:59population distribution that means those in rural areas often have to travel significant

02:03distances to reach a bank.