Advice Topics

Although the airline is not protectd by ATOL, you might still be able to claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (free purchase protection) if you bought the tickets using a credit card.

You might be able to claim through your travel insurance, but you should check with your insurer.

Usually when you have locked cash away in a fixed rate savings account, you have to pay a penalty to get it out before the fixed term expires. Some banks have agreed to waive penalties for those affected by the pandemic. You will need to check with your bank.

It is worth bearing in mind that with interest rates dropping, your money may well be locked away at a rate that is now impossible to get, so you should only access it now if it is really needed.

With most live sport suspended, many customers who pay for digital TV subscriptions have asked if they can get a refund.

BT has now said its customers can get a bill credit for one month of BT Sport. This will cover both the basic subscription and any HD add-on.

If you pay for BT Sport via BT, you should go to a special BT Sport page and fill out the relevant form to do it. You can alternatively choose for BT to donate that credit to the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. BT stresses you should not call them unless urgent as their call centres are incredibly busy dealing with vulnerable customers.

Due to the government's lockdown and ban on public gatherings, it is likely that previously planned events have been cancelled.

If you have bought a ticket for an event which has been cancelled, you should usually get a refund, though you must check the terms and conditions. For example, Ticketmaster has already confirmed that customers will be able to get a full refund if an event is cancelled due to coronavirus. However it is less certain if you will get booking and delivery fees refunded too, so check.

If you have booked travel and accomodation in connection with the cancelled event, you should check what refunds or alternatives are available.

For smaller, independent firms, giving out refunds might place a lot of strain on them. If you can afford to, it would be a act of good will to accept a credit note or voucher instead.

Life insurance and income protection insurance is likely to cover coronavirus.

If you have a life insurance or income protection policy in place you should be covered for any claims related to coronavirus. These policies are usually based on declaring any existing conditions and coronavirus is a new one.

It is still possible to take out a new policy to protect yourself. If you are looking at taking out a new policy, either life insurance or income protection, it is likely you will be asked additional questions, such as whether you have already tested positive for Covid-19, have had symptoms or have been told to self-isolate. If you have, an exclusion may be applied.

Critical illness cover will not apply to coronavirus

If you have critical illness cover, you will not be covered for Covid-19 claims because it is not considered a critical illness. If, however you developed a serious illness/condition as a result of coronavirus, that could be considered as a possible claim.

Getting accident, sickness and unemployment cover is now more difficult

If you are now looking for accident and sickness cover, it is still possible to get it but many insurers are no longer offering unemployment cover as an option, or no longer accepting new applications, or imposing additional exclusions (ie, claims may not be made unless you have been unemployed for at least a couple of months from the start date of your policy).

The amount you can spend on a card in a contactless transaction is going up, from £30 to £45. This been brought forward in a bid to encourage contactless transactions and help combat the spread of coronavirus, minimising the number of times you will need to touch a keypad to pay.

It starts rolling out at retailers on 1 April 2020, but not every retailer will have everything in place by then as it is phased in.

Aplle TV, Amazon, Disney Netflix and other services are lowering their streaming bit rate to free up demand on the broadband network. It is claimed that subscribers will not see a diffreence in quality or access and therefore refunds of subscriptions is not being offered.

You might consider lowering your subscription package if you notice any difference.

The Government and energy suppliers have agreed to new emergency measures to help prepayment customers unable to top up during the pandemic, including posting cards loaded with emergency credit to those who are self-isolating, adding discretionary credit to your meter, and allowing you to nominate someone to top up for you.

Regulator Ofgem has also written to all suppliers, saying it expects them to 'take proactive measures to support prepayment meter customers, including customers in vulnerable circumstances'.

Sign up to the Priority Service Register

Vulnerable customers (see who counts below) can also sign up to the Priority Services Register with their supplier or network operator. If you are on the register, you will be eligible for certain free services, including:

• Advanced notice of planned power cuts

• Priority support in an emergency (such as alternative heating facilities if your supply is interrupted)

• Get communication sent by your supplier shared with someone you've nominated (such as family or carer)

• Arrangements to ensure it is safe for you to use a prepayment meter if you have one. If not, you may get a credit meter for free or get your meter moved for you

• Meter reading services at regular intervals, if you or a nominated person can't take a reading

You sign up to the Priority Services Register if:

• You are of pensionable age

• You are disabled or chronically sick

• You have a long-term medical condition

• You have a hearing or visual impairment or additional communication needs

• You are in a vulnerable situation (ie, you can't top up prepayment due to injury, or mental health conditions that may impact understanding of bills)

Some retailers have responded to the coronavirus pandemic by offering extended refund and return options. You will need to check with the store policy.

Stores already offering extensions:

• H&M has extended its return policy from 28 days to 100 days

• John Lewis says it will accept late returns if a customer has been unable to return an item because they are self-isolating

• New Look has extended its returns period to 90 days

• TK Maxx says if a customer is unable to return an item within the usual 28-day window due to store closures

The government will cover the costs to NHS Trusts of providing free car parking to NHS staff working in hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Local Goverment Association has also encouraged local authorities to provide free car parking for all key workers during the coronavirus pandemic, many have free car parking in place currently.

The cancer charity Macmillan has partnered with a number of law firms to offer a free standard will service. The charity encourages a donation in the will but there is no obligation to donate. There may be charges if the will is not a standard one, you must check with the firm of your choice before you commit to a will.

Read the terms and conditions

Visit the Macmillan free will service.

The government has agreed financial provisions to be made available to local authoroities to help local residents through the current crisis. Some councils are already using these funds to set up council tax deferral schemes. These offer deferral of council tax payments until the summer.

At the moment, this policy is not universal, you will therefore need to contact your local council to find out what they have put in place.

Things you can do now:

• You can ask to change the date of your payment

• You can stretch payments over 12 motnhs if they are currently over 10 months

• Check the free online benefit calculators to see if you are eligible for council tax reduction &/or concessions. To apply you need to find your local authority website.

• Keep in touch with your local council if you fall into council tax arrears and seek free debt advice.

Mobile phone users are being offered extra data and free calls by some firms to help them keep in touch during the pandemic. Many others are making access to the NHS website and NHS 111 online service free so that it does not count against your data usage.

iD Mobile is offering free unlimited calls to anyone aged 70 and over that doesn't already have them as part of its plan, until Mon 20 April.

Sky Mobile says all its mobile customers (both handset contract and Sim-only) will get an extra 10GB data boost for free until April. This will be applied to your 'Piggybank' automatically.

Vodafone is offering free unlimited data for 30 days to some pay monthly customers (both on contract and Sim-only deals).

With the current lockdown situation as it is, some memberships and subscriptions cannot be fulfilled. Many companies are altready notifying the suspension of monthly payments, including gym clubs and entertainment complexes.

If you have these type of memberships and subscriptions, it is worth checking to see if any concessions are available. In some cases, the more customers who raise issues, the more likely concessions will be adopted.

According to the MSE website, the following companies have confirmed concessions:

• Fitness company ClassPass - credits rolled over (up to 10)

• PureGym - freeze for one month

• Odeon - payments suspended

Supermarket vouchers

The government is developing a national approach to providing support through supermarket and shop vouchers. Further details will be announced soon.

Schools that are closed and whereby the school catering team cannot provide meals or food parcels, will offer families of pupils eligible for free school meals an alternative.

Schools will be able to order supermarket and shop vouchers directly from a number of retailers – usually through their corporate division. Schools are recommended to source vouchers for supermarkets or shops in the local area. Where possible they should be restricted for use against age-related products.

There will be a choice of:

• e-vouchers (where available) - which you can be emailed directly to parents

• gift cards - which may be more suitable if parents do not have access to the internet

Schools will check which pupils are eligible and currently in receipt of free school meals, and vouchers will be made available to the parent or the adult with caring responsibility for that child.

The Bank of England has recently cut the base rate to an all time low of 0.1%. If you have a fixed rate mortgage, you will not see any benefit from this cut, but if you have a variable or tracker rate mortage, this will mean your mortgage payments are very likely to reduce.

Your lender will usually notify you when your payment changes.

Mortgage lenders have announced support if you have to take time off work because of coronavirus, including a repayment holiday of up to three months. This includes buy-to-let mortgages. In most cases, you will need to demonstrate hardship to your lender. You can use the Money Advice Hub Online Budget Tool to look at your finances in detail.

It is likely that most lenders will develop an online process for these requests, you will need to contact your lender in the first instance. Lenders are experiencing high volumes of callers currently so it might be better to start online if you can.

It is important to note that you will still have to pay interest on your hoilday repayments but this will be spread over the remaining term of your mortgage. Your credit rating will not be affected.

These financial institutions have confirmed special arrangements so far:

• Bank of Ireland

• Bank of Scotland

• Barclays

• Clydesdale bank

• Co-operative bank

• Danske Bank

• First Direct

• Halifax

• HSBC

• Leeds Building Society

• Lloyds

• Metro

• Nationwide

• NatWest

• Santander

• TSB

• Ulster Bank

• Virgin money

The government is encouraging home movers to delay house sales and moving in the current coronavirus pandemic. This could have a detrimental effect on mortgage offers that usually expire after a time but extended offers are now available.

UK Finance, the mortgage lenders' trade body, said lenders will be offering to extend mortgage terms by up to three months. You'll need to speak to your mortgage lender though to establish exactly that would work in practice, as this could mean either:

• keeping the terms of the existing mortgage offer and simply extending the offer expiry date

• pushing the back the start date of a mortgage deal, or

• extending the mortgage deal to expire three months later.

Drivers who have an MOT due from Monday 30 March will be granted a six-month extension because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This is an automatic extension to your current MOT. However, you will still have to keep your car in a roadworthy condition and garages should remain open for those needing repairs.

Blue Light Card

Blue Light Card provides those in the NHS, Emergency Services and Armed Forces with discounts both online and in store. The Blue Light Card also allows small and large companies to get involved with offering a discount and encourage companies in local areas to offer discounts to the NHS, Emergency Services and Armed Forces.

FeelGood Contact Lenses

FeelGood Contact Lenses are offering a 20% discount to all NHS workers, firefighters, police, carers of the vulnerable and army personnel. The discount is available to Blue Light members, if you are not a member already, you will need to register first.

Health Service Discounts - Discounts and Healthcare Staff Benefits

Free to join, Health Service Discounts has a huge range of NHS discounts and healthcare staff benefits, including money saving deals and vouchers.

Las Iguanas - 40% off and Free Can of Coke

Las Iguanas are offering 40% off food and a free can of coke for NHS workers.

You can order it off Deliveroo or UberEats.

Leon -50% discount to NHS staff and hand delivers food in community areas

Leon are currently offering a 50% discount and support people who work in hospitals near to Leon restaurants with free food deliveries.

Customers will also be able to access those foods ‘immediately’ via Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

Uber Eats is currently offering 25% off through the app with the code: UK25OFF.

Missguided - 40% Health Service Discount for NHS Workers

The online shopping giant is offering a 40% discount through Health Service Discounts.

Veygo - 75% off Temporary Car Insurance for NHS Workers

The idea is that those who need to use someone else's car, or insure their own vehicle for a set period of time in order to continue working during the coronavirus outbreak, are able to get to work safely.

With some public transport services being reduced, and others cancelled altogether, Veygo has introduced the discount for NHS staff to ensure they can still provide care during the pandemic. Any NHS staff member applying for temporary car insurance cover is currently eligible for the discount, as long as they have photo proof of their NHS badge.

WHSmith - 20% NHS staff discount in all hospital stores

WHSmith, who run stores in many hospitals, said they will be upping discount for NHS staff in those shops from 10% to 20% on all food and drink. just show your work ID.

On Monday 23 March, the Government temporarily took over rail operators. Services have been cut, but the good news is you can now get a refund for nearly all types of train tickets, in many cases without paying any admin fee (it's usually £10 to amend a ticket).

• Advance, off-peak and anytime tickets are now fully refundable and you will not need to pay any admin fee. You should also be able to get a partial refund on any part used return tickets, again with no fee.

• Season tickets should be partially refunded for the bit you have not used, so long as you have at least three days left on a seven day ticket, or at least seven days on a monthly or longer season ticket. Many firms have waived the usual £10 admin fee for this, although contrary to what was initially announced, some have said they will still charge it, so check.

• Transport for London travelcards which are loaded onto your Oyster card can be refunded as a result of being told to self-isolate. TFL has agreed to waive the usual admin fee.

In each case, you will need to contact with the train operator for details of how to request a refund.

The BBC has announced it is delaying charging some over-75s for TV licences until August, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. It was set to come into effect on 1 June 2020, but it has now been delayed until 1 August 2020.

If you are under 55 and struggling for cash because of the coronavirus crisis, you might be tempted to cash in your pension.

Be cautious though, if you release or unlock money from your pension pot, your pension provider will notify HMRC and you will have to pay a 55% tax bill on the money you take out on top of fees to the companies offering this service.

These firms are not regulated by the FCA and while doing this is not illegal, it’s not advisable to take money out of your pension pot unless you’re covered under some very specific circumstances.

With most live sport suspended, many customers who pay for digital TV subscriptions have asked if they can get a refund.

Sky Sports will not let you leave your contract penalty free, but it does now allow you to 'pause' your subscription. This means you can stop paying for the time being. You can do this online by logging in to your account and go to the Pause Sky Sports page.

If you're a Virgin customer with Sky Sports, you will also be able to pause your subscription shortly, though full details have not been announced yet. Virgin says it will give an update soon on when exactly this option will become available.

Energy and Water companies in England and Wales have put extra support in place if you are worried about paying your utiltiy bill because you have lost your job or had your income cut because of coronavirus.

Support will depend on your circumstances and includes:

• payment breaks or payment holidays

• special schemes, such as social tariffs

• adjusting your payment plan to cope with a drop in household finances

• offering advice on benefits and managing debts, particularly if you have not been in financial difficulties before

• stopping new court applications on unpaid bills during the current restrictions and stopping any enforcement action.

Utility companies will also be offering different ways to pay your bill if you are unable to leave the house because you are self-isolating. To find out what your supplier can offer, get in touch as soon as you can and preferably before you have missed a payment. Contact details and further information will be on their website or on your bill.

See more information from Water UK.

See more information from Energy UK.

Weddings have been stopped as part of the latest restrictions announced by the government, which are set to last until mid-April at least. Weddings booked for later this year could also be affected if the coronavirus outbreak continues or the ban on public gatherings is extended.

You cannot buy wedding insurance currently but you might be able to make a claim on a wedding insurance policy that you have already. You will need to check the terms of your policy and contact your insurer.

Most venues are unlikely to offer refunds, but it is always worth contacting them to make a case for a refund. You should check contract terms for a 'Force Majeure' clause, this is sometimes added to contracts to cover 'unforseen events and circumstances', and will include what will happen with the contract. This are aof contracts is complex and you may need help from a lawyer.