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Coronavirus Board

Threads from the Coronavirus support boards. Support, help, travel, and positivity

Possible Scam Alert
Hi all, not sure whether to put this under Coronavirus or Insurance, but it's kinda related to both. A possible scam to be aware of. I've just received a call to my mobile where the guy introduced himself as calling from the National Health Service about my COVID vaccine. He started off saying can I check that our records…
How much does a PCR test really cost?
I am about to return to my home in Scotland from Switzerland. The required full 'Gold standard' PCR test here costs approx £38. Swtzerland has some of the most expensive medical costs on the planet ,I lived there for 20 years, yet the two PCR tests which have to be taken after entry into the UK / Scotland cost , wait for…
No entry to uk without proof of negative test.
so they've just thought of bringing this in to force now? should it not of been in place from day one? look at the state we're in. unbelievable.
Canary Islands added to UK Safe List
Breaking news just now. Begs three questions.... 1) How long will the authorities there be happy to let Brits in for? 2) Have they done this solely to keep the tourism industry going? 3) How long will it be until forum member Butts books a BA holiday there? 🎣😃
Got a bank note for the first time in 5 months
I was given a £10 note today. It's the first money I've handled in 5 months. Takes me back .... :) These plastic notes are great, as you can wash them or sanitise them, and they are fine afterwards. Proper money laundering.
lastminute.com help with problems
To all those having trouble with Last minute.com refunds or Vouchers,I hope this will help .After 4 months trying to contact them,I wrote directly to their COO & CEO and received an answer the next day from the escalations team! Good luck email :marco.corradino@lastminute.com ukescalations@lastminute.com
Glasses fog up when wearing a face mask
Not wanting to get into a discussion about the rights and wrongs of wearing cloth face masks BUT My spectacles fog up pretty bad within a couple of seconds of wearing any sort of face mask. Tried different sprays and other solutions but have actually found something which works and may be useful for people. Especially if…
Moneygivingexpert.com
As an over 70 year old I am very conscious that in many ways we are very lucky. In particular in contrast to the working population we have guaranteed income from our pensions. I know that very many pensioners do struggle financially but I think there are also many like us that have enough money to enjoy our lives. At the…
Furloughed workers - please read
This forum is, understandably, full of questions about furloughed workers and the Job Retention scheme. Those of us who have been busy posting replies (I'm on holiday this week so have extra time) have stated over and over again that the details of the Job Retention Scheme have not been finalised and it therefore isn't…
BA cancelled my flights- how I got cash refund NOT voucher
I had a flight to Japan booked. The first leg got cancelled. I logged onto British Airways to get my refund. However I was only offered a 1 year voucher! I really don't want that and according to law you should be able to get a full cash refund if airlines cancel your flights. I tried calling the helpline. Everytime the…
Kindness (self-promoting)
I released a trapped bumblebee from a spiders web today, off he flew.
Successful AMEX Section 75 claim
I wanted to describe my success at a S75 claim I initiated and won against American Express. In March 2020 we flew out from London to Islamabad on BA. The tickets were purchased via my Amex card. Whilst on our holiday, COVID hit and our return flight got cancelled. I contacted BA for advice and they re-routed us on to a…
ATG Tickets - good news
I had booked theatre tickets for my mums 80th birthday but she has come down with Covid. Even if she is negative by the date of the show (this coming Saturday) she probably won't be up to it. I asked ATG to rearrange the tickets for the following week and they did so without any queries or quibbles.
France relaxing travel rules from UK from Friday
But only for the vaccinated, and a negative test within 24 hours of leaving is required https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59977978
Welcome £10 Christmas Bonus
I recently noticed an unexpected £10 deposit into my account code”XB” What a pleasant surprise Recently I’ve received... £200 Winter Fuel Payment £140 credit to my Utilty Account for Warm Home Discount I’m hoping to receive £150 from HSBC for switching All very welcome shortly before Christmas I’m beginning to believe in…
Are people not learning any lessons re travel bookings?
Shaking my head a bit right now. It seems like every day we are getting posts from people asking for help with refunds when the travel rules change (as they do every 5 minutes it seems). However this is despite them having done one or more of: 1) Made their original booking during the pandemic 2) Booked with a travel agent…
Randox - AVOID!
As title, I would avoid Randox Health for any pre/post travel PCR testing at all costs. They are totally unreliable and offer zero customer service. They happily take your money up front and say it's non refundable but don't provide the service promised. I booked a day 2 and 8 testing kit as well as a day 5 'test to…
Cheapest "Fit to Fly" PCR testing (e.g. to cover Portugal entry requirement)
I think it would be good to have a thread tracking people's experiences of booking a PCR test, specifically "fit to fly" pre-departure tests to be allowed to fly to another country (e.g. Portgual). This is NOT about tests for your return to the UK (e.g day 2, 5 and 8 tests) which have different requirements.Fit to fly…
Happy St David's Day :)
Hi all, I am new to this forum. Just wanted to wish you all a Happy St David's Day; My partner and I made WelshCakes yesterday with our twins and have delivered them to friends and neighbours this morning for the occasion. It is a shame the weather isn't more pleasant so they could have enjoyed them in their gardens. Have…
We have taken Jet2 to court over refusing refund of holiday deposit - and won
I'll try to keep this as short as possible but wanted to post this to make others aware of the proceedings in our case. The key points are * In January 2020 we booked an October 2020 holiday to Greece with Jet2 and paid a deposit * During the summer, the hotel started to make significant changes due to Covid 19, incl.…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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Coronavirus Board

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