How to check if the RTS meter switch-off will affect you
Hundreds of thousands of homes still have old-style RTS meters - and they'll stop working from 30 June, just 20 days from now. The signal that powers them is being switched off for good, and if yours isn't replaced in time, your supply could be disrupted. The rollout's already running behind, so time is tight. Finance expert Iona Bain explains how to check if you're affected - plus a clear step-by-step guide on contacting your energy supplier, including exactly what to say to get it sorted quickly.To watch with subtitles, go to iPlayer and search for Morning Live from 10/06/25.
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Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The cheap foreign meat flooding Britain's supermarket shelves: Farmers' fury over rise in beef and chicken imports from countries 'with lower animal welfare standards'
Cheaper chicken and beef from Australia, Poland and Uruguay is being increasingly seen at UK supermarkets, angry British farmers warned today. Chains such as Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Asda are importing meat from countries with lower animal welfare standards, according to the National Farmers' Union. Sirloin steak from Australia, raw chicken from Poland, sirloin and ribeye steaks from Uruguay and wagyu beef from New Zealand have all been spotted on UK shelves. Supermarkets are being accused of a 'huge betrayal of the UK's hard-working family farms' as they try to source cheaper imports to help keep their prices down. The NFU said the shift comes at a time when farmers in Britain already face an 'unprecedented number of challenges' amid concerns over recent trade deals. The union also pointed out that British livestock farmers adhere to robust standards, with consumers advised to look for the Red Tractor logo carrying the Union Jack. The UK has an animal welfare standards ranking far above all the other countries - listed as B, according to the World Animal Protection's Animal Protection Index. This is compared to C for Poland and New Zealand and D for Uruguay and Australia. Morrisons, which sponsors TV show Clarkson's Farm, is now selling raw chicken and Australian beef – the latter of which was made possible by Liz Truss's much-criticised post-Brexit trade deal with Australia in 2021, NFU sources told The Guardian. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, tweeted: 'This is appalling from Morrisons. They seek kudos for their UK sourcing but then sneakily do this, undermining British farmers and undermining their own integrity and brand.' Meanwhile Asda is selling sirloin and ribeye steaks from Uruguay, priced much lower than the UK equivalents, under the Grass and Grill brand owned by Hilton Foods. They are priced at about £22/kg for sirloin and £24/kg for ribeye, which is around a fifth less than UK and Irish beef at £28/kg and £29/kg respectively. Stuart Roberts, a beef, sheep and cereal farmer from Hertfordshire, said on X: 'With farmers under pressure from multiple directions I'd be fascinated to learn why Asda have decided this is an appropriate time to start stocking Uruguayan beef. 'There is no excuse for this huge betrayal of the UK's hard-working family farms. Consumers and farmers deserve better.' Elsewhere, Sainsbury's has also been stocking wagyu beef from New Zealand – instead of Japan, where it normally comes from. NFU livestock board chairman David Barton said: 'It's deeply concerning to see major retailers now move away from their previous commitments to sourcing British in the last few weeks in favour of imports, many of which have been produced to lower standards. 'Farmers' long-standing partnerships with retailers have supported sustainable supply chains, so this shift is alarming. 'Over the past year, the industry has heard warm words from almost every major retailer pledging support for British farmers. But these words ring hollow when British produce is not given pride of place on shelves.' He added that decisions to 'renege on sourcing commitments' are damaging trust and farmer confidence at a time of global insecurity when sustainable food supply chains have 'never been more important'. Mr Barton continued: 'British farmers have invested in higher standards such as reducing antibiotic use in beef and lowering poultry stocking densities in sheds. 'Consumers want these high-quality production systems, shown by over one million people signing our petition for import standards to match the UK's. 'But delivering these standards comes with additional financial costs. Long-term sourcing commitments from retailers are essential to ensuring that the high welfare British food consumers want remains available.' A Morrisons spokeswoman said: 'Morrisons remains 100 per cent British on all our meat counters. In our aisles – alongside our New Zealand lamb – we are introducing trials of some imported meat from trusted suppliers to help us offer outstanding value through the seasons and through any supply fluctuations. An Asda spokesman added: 'We always look to offer customers a wide choice of products to suit all budgets, and the country of origin is always clearly labelled on pack so customers can make an informed choice about their purchases. 'Grass & Grill steaks are provided by a branded partner and available in our stores for a limited time only. All of Asda's own brand fresh beef continues to be sourced from farms in the UK and Republic of Ireland.' And a Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: 'We're proud to work with thousands of British farmers year-round and the vast majority of our beef range is sourced from the UK and Ireland. We have no plans to change this approach. 'All of our suppliers also have to meet the same rigorous quality standards, regardless of where the product is sourced from. 'These seasonal products account for just 0.1 per cent of our beef range and are an example of where there are times we may also source from elsewhere like New Zealand, so that we can continue to meet customer demand. 'The country of origin is clearly labelled, to help our customers make informed choices when they shop with us.'
Telegraph
20 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Major lenders raise mortgage rates ahead of Reeves's spending review
Two major lenders have raised mortgage rates amid fears Rachel Reeves's spending spree will slow down interest rate cuts. Barclays has announced rate rises of around 0.1 and 0.15 percentage points across a range of fixed-rate deals right after HSBC announced similar increases. It comes as the Chancellor prepares to publish her £300bn spending review today, having already set out an £87bn increase in public spending over the next two years. Experts said it could spell pain ahead for mortgage borrowers, as economists warn Reeves had reduced the chances of a rate cut this year. Barclays increased the rate on its five-year fixed-rate deal for those remortgaging with a 60pc loan-to-value ratio from 3.86pc to 4.03pc, leading some brokers to declare the end of sub-4 pc deals. Five-year swaps are currently at 3.71pc up from around 3.6pc a few weeks ago due to a number of factors including uncertainty around US trade policy. The Bank of England cut rates from 4.5pc to 4.25pc in May, but a rate cut in June looks unlikely after data revealed higher-than-expected inflation. Adrian Anderson, of broker Anderson Harris, said: 'I'm not surprised some lenders have increased rates because the cost of borrowing has increased slightly. 'Markets will be looking closely at the spending review. Rachel Reeves needs to strike a delicate balance between not upsetting the bond market while also not upsetting voters. If it looks like she is going to have to borrow more, that will impact swap rates.' Nicholas Mendes, of broker John Charcol, said: 'Looking further afield, mortgage rate cuts are likely to slow. Much of the expected base rate movement from the Bank of England has already been priced in, so unless we see a sharp shift in swap rates or economic data, there's limited room for significant reductions. 'If anything, we could be in for a period of relative stability – a bit of sideways movement rather than any dramatic repricing.' Harry Goodliffe, of broker HTG Mortgages, said: ' We're definitely seeing the sub-4pc deals slip away, and fast. Barclays and HSBC hiking rates feels like a mix of reacting to rising funding costs and not wanting to be overwhelmed with demand. No lender wants to be too competitive in a market this uncertain.' However, other lenders have moved in the opposite direction, with NatWest cutting rates by up to 0.23 percentage points. Aaron Strutt, of broker Trinity Financial said: 'Some borrowers still believe we are in a rate-cutting environment where mortgages are getting cheaper, but this is generally not the case.' He added: 'While the cost of funding does seem to have stabilised, it would not be a surprise to see more lenders pushing up their prices over the coming days.' According to financial data provider Moneyfacts, the average rate on a two-year fix fell 0.06pc to 5.12pc last month, compared to a 0.14pc drop a month prior, in a sign that the mortgage price war we saw earlier this year is cooling off.
Telegraph
21 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Newcastle in talks to sign Burnley's James Trafford
Newcastle United have begun direct negotiations with Burnley over the signing of goalkeeper James Trafford with the two clubs still at odds over the asking price. Telegraph Sport revealed last week that Trafford was Newcastle's preferred option as they look to sign a goalkeeper who will provide proper competition for Nick Pope, but they have been stuck in deadlock with Burnley over the size of the fee. There are also some fears internally they are being stalled in the hope that another club, possibly Chelsea, also enters the race to sign a player they have coveted for more than a year. Burnley value the 22-year-old at more than £30 million, but Newcastle, conscious of the fact they need to sign at least another centre back and a forward this summer, have been unwilling to match that so far. Talks remain ongoing but Newcastle have warned they will walk away from negotiations if Burnley refuse to lower the asking price. Trafford is one of the most highly rated young goalkeepers in Europe and almost signed for Newcastle last summer, only for the North East club to pull out of the deal because of PSR concerns. Trafford has since hinted he wanted to make the move and there is confidence at Newcastle the England international would still like to make the switch. However, the Newcastle hierarchy are still haunted by the memory of their long and public pursuit of Crystal Palace centre back Marc Guehi last year. Having spent weeks trying to reach a deal with Palace, they were forced to concede defeat when the asking price remained too high. Newcastle remain interested in the 24-year-old but face competition from Tottenham. There is also a feeling that the defender would like to keep his options open until later in the summer and could even decide to stay at Palace and leave on a lucrative free transfer in the summer of 2026. As a result, Newcastle do not want a repeat with Trafford and have also expressed an interest in Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier as an alternative option. The talks for Trafford have been complicated by the fact that Manchester City, who sold the 6ft 6in goalkeeper to Burnley in 2023, are entitled to a sell-on clause, thought to be 20 per cent. They also retain a buy-back option although they are not thought to be interested in rivalling Newcastle at this stage. Chelsea, though, could enter the bidding as they also admire the goalkeeper. Brighton's Joao Pedro is another priority target for Newcastle and there has been some encouragement that the Brazilian would like to make the move. But progress on the deal is also slow and, again, there is a gap between Newcastle's valuation of the player and the fee Brighton would ask for. Newcastle are also aware of the asking price for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga having spoken to intermediaries, but are yet to make a direct approach to his club. Manager Eddie Howe would like to sign both players, but has so far been frustrated in his attempts to make an early signing this summer.
