http://www.uswitch.com/Directory/Press-Room/Press-Room.aspxThe latest industry news from the UK for utilities, telecoms, broadband and personal finance.60en-GBhttp://www.uswitch.com/images/rss_logo.jpghttp://www.uswitch.com?ref=rssprCorporate PagesLoansEnergyHome PhoneDigital T VCredit CardsBroadbandWaterDirectoryMarket NewsHeating CoverCurrent AccountsCar InsuranceMobilesConsumer GuideSecured LoansCustomer AccountsBundlesMortgagesDebt Advice CentreLife InsuranceHome InsuranceTravel InsuranceCredit Report CentreSavingsBusiness EnergyNew analysis by uSwitch.com reveals that in the last decade the cost to insure, service, tax and fuel a car has outstripped the rate of inflation by 34% or £608. It now costs motorists £2,395 a year to keep their cars on the road. But if costs had stayed in line with inflation then drivers would only be paying £1,787.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=PRICED-OFF-THE-ROADSTHE-INFLATION-BUSTING-COST-OF-MOTORING-REVEALEDMon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comuSwitch.com urges consumers to think carefully about protection when paying for holidays.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=Following-the-collapse-of-Zoom-airlines-Simeon-Linstead%2c-Head-of-Personal-Finance-at-uSwitch.com%2c-commentsMon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comnpower puts prices up by 26% or £162 for gas and 14% or £60 for electricity from today. http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=NPOWER-ANNOUNCES-SECOND-ENERGY-PRICE-HIKEFri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comBritish consumers face another energy bill blow today as the last two energy suppliers to announce price increases finally made the move. http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=FINAL-BLOW-FOR-CONSUMERS-AS-LAST-TWO-ENERGY-SUPPLIERS-ANNOUNCE-PRICE-HIKEFri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comJust 12 months into the credit crunch and lending in the mortgage and unsecured loan market has fallen at a rapid pace of £2.7 billion[1] a quarter on average over the last year. In total, providers have reduced lending by £11 billion[1] in these two sectors combined from the second quarter of 2007 to the second quarter of 2008. In order to find out the true impact of this 12 month financial tsunami, uSwitch.com has taken a closer look at consumer lending in the UK to find out where people are borrowing money from. http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=MORTGAGE-AND-UNSECURED-LENDING-HAS-PLUMMETED-BY-ALMOST-11-BILLION%5b1%5d-IN-THE-PAST-YEARTue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comFor the first time since 1997, household disposable income has fallen in cash terms. It now stands at £14,520, a drop of 15% in just one year. Disposable income is now just £2,491 (21%) higher than that enjoyed by households in 1997. While latest salary inflation figures show average pay rises of just 3.4% and unemployment rising at its fastest rate in 16 years, households are being forced to find an additional £145 a month to cover the cost of rising bills.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=DISPOSABLE-INCOME-DROPS-FOR-FIRST-TIME-SINCE-1997-UK-HOUSEHOLDS-2%2c500-WORSE-OFF-THIS-YEAR-THAN-2007Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comE.ON puts prices up by 26% or £167 for gas and 16% or £67 for electricity from 22nd August 2008. Ann Robinson comments.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=THIRD-TIME-UNLUCKY-%e2%80%93-NOW-E.ON-PUTS-ENERGY-PRICES-UPFri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comThere was a double whammy for British consumers today with two major household energy suppliers announcing price increases. Tim Wolfenden comments.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=DOUBLE-WHAMMY-FOR-CONSUMERS-AS-SECOND-MAJOR-ENERGY-SUPPLIER-ANNOUNCES-PRICE-HIKE-TODAYFri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comDrink driving should not just be associated with the festive season warns uSwitch.com.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=RECKLESS-SUMMER-DRIVINGWed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comWith families’ disposable incomes dropping at the fastest rate since the 1970s, uSwitch.com has found that over 10 million households will struggle to pay for the increase in energy bills.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=BOILING-POINT-OVER-10-MILLION-HOUSEHOLDS-CANNOT-AFFORD-TO-PAY-EXTRA-ON-ENERGY-BILLSFri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comLatest reports may indicate that the High Street has been hit by the credit crunch, but the nation’s love of bargain hunting shows no signs of abating, according to findings by independent price comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=SAVVY-SHOPPERS-SURF-WEB-TO-RIDE-OUT-CREDIT-CRUNCH-ONLINE-SALES-TO-ACCOUNT-FOR-44-OF-ALL-UK-RETAIL-SALES-BY-2020Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comUK motorists are set to waste almost £168 million[1] by signing up to car dealer finance when they buy their new ‘58’ registration cars on 1 September, reveals uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching website. http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=DEALER-FINANCE-COULD-%e2%80%98BRAKE%e2%80%99-THE-BANKTue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.com"This is welcome news for Britain‟s 33 million motorists as all of the 'Big 4' supermarket chains, which represent 38% of all fuel sales, have now cut petrol prices...http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=Ashton-Berkhauer%2c-insurance-expert-at-uSwitch.com%2c-comments-on-the-latest-move-in-the-supermarket-petrol-price-war-as-Morrisons-yesterday-announced-a-0.02p-cutTue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comNew research from uSwitch.com reveals that UK consumers are forking out over £6.2 million an hour at petrol pumps. This in-depth study of petrol and diesel prices in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK over the past eight years shows that every time a British driver fills up, they are paying an average of 12% more than their European neighbours.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=PUMPED-UP-UK-MOTORISTS-PAY-MORE-THAN-EUROPEAN-NEIGHBOURS-FOR-FUELThu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comConsumers have been dealt another blow today as British Gas, Britain’s biggest energy supplier, announces its second price increase in 6 monthshttp://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=MORE-PRICE-RISE-PAIN-AS-BRITISH-GAS-PUTS-PRICES-UP-AGAINWed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comFAVOURITE With 3 weeks to go until the new Premier League season kicks off, BT Vision is turning up the heat on BSkyB and Virgin Media by linking up with Setanta to offer free live Premier League football and England internationals to its top-spending customers. However, with Sky still showing the majority of live Premier League games, supporters could face the ultimate club vs. country debate when choosing between the 35 different TV packages on offer. uSwitch.com cuts through the confusion and highlights the best ways for fans to make sure they are ready for the big kick off.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=BT-VISION-TACKLES-BSKYB-AND-VIRGIN-MEDIA-TO-BE-FOOTIE-FANS%e2%80%99-FAVOURITESat, 26 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comAnn Robinson, Director of Consumer policy at uSwitch.com, comments on Ofgem’s guidelines on social tariffs, which say that social tariffs must equal suppliers’ cheapest plans. http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=uSwitch.com%2c-comments-on-Ofgem%e2%80%99s-guidelines-on-social-tariffsFri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comEDF Energy has announced today that it is putting prices up again – for the second time in 6 months[1]. The increase – 22% or £143 for gas and 17% or £65 for electricity - comes into effect immediately[2}. Other suppliers are now expected to follow suit. Consumers have already been warned to expect further price rises of up to 40% this year[3] – taking the average household energy bill to an eye watering £1,467[4]. But there’s more gloom on the horizon – an independent report commissioned by Centrica has said that gas bills alone could rocket to over £1,000 ‘within the next few years’[3].Today’s move is the first step towards seeing these hikes become reality, says uSwitch.com. The days of cheap energy are over: http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=DAYS-OF-CHEAP-ENERGY-ARE-OVER-AS-EDF-ENERGY-PUTS-PRICES-UP-AGAINFri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comToday’s news that supermarkets are fuelling the fight by rolling back petrol prices will come as a welcome relief to Britain’s 33 million motorists...http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=Ashton-Berkhauer%2c-insurance-expert-at-uSwitch.com%2c-comments-on-the-supermarket-petrol-price-warTue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.comAnn Robinson comments on report that says gas prises could rise by 60%.http://www.uswitch.com/Press-Room/Index.aspx?downloadfile=USWITCH.COM-COMMENTS-ON-INDEPENDENT-REPORT-THAT-SAYSFri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMTNewsuSwitch.com