EXCLUSIVE How YOU can win big on scratchcards: Experts reveal which cards have the best odds and all the tips and tricks to boost your chances
Although budget airlines and others, such as fundraisers, issue cards, by far the biggest provider is the National Lottery, which currently sells 52 different types.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
2 minutes ago
- Reuters
India's R R Kabel to increase overseas shipments outside US to counter tariffs
Aug 1 (Reuters) - India's top wire exporter R R Kabel ( opens new tab will ramp up shipments to other key overseas markets if President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs dent competitiveness in the United States, a senior executive told Reuters on Friday. Finance chief Rajesh Jain maintained the firm's full-fiscal volume growth forecast of 16%-18%, saying it will hedge against U.S. risks by routing more products to other key markets like Europe and the Middle East.
Powys County Times
4 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
UK house prices increase by 0.6% month-on-month in July, says Nationwide
House prices increased by 0.6% month-on-month on average in July – following a 0.9% monthly fall in June, according to an index. The annual rate of house price growth accelerated to 2.4% typically in July, from 2.1% in June, Nationwide Building Society said. This took the average UK house price to £272,664. Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said: 'Looking through the volatility generated by the end of the stamp duty holiday, activity appears to be holding up well. Indeed, 64,200 mortgages for house purchase were approved in June, broadly in line with the pre-pandemic average, despite the changed interest rate environment. 'After deteriorating markedly in the wake of the pandemic, housing affordability has been steadily improving, thanks to a period of strong income growth alongside more subdued house price growth and a modest fallback in mortgage rates. 'While the price of a typical UK home is around 5.75 times average income, this ratio is well below the all-time high of 6.9 recorded in 2022 and is currently the lowest this ratio has been for over a decade. 'This is helping to ease deposit constraints for potential buyers, as has an improvement in the availability of higher loan to value mortgages. 'Similarly, the interest rate on a typical five-year fixed-rate mortgage is around 4.3% (for a borrower with a 25% deposit). This is still over three times the all-time lows prevailing in autumn 2021, but well below the highs of (around) 5.7% reached in late 2023.' Mr Gardner said that despite wider economic uncertainties in the global economy, underlying conditions for potential home buyers in the UK remain supportive. He said: 'Unemployment remains low, earnings are still rising at a healthy pace, household balance sheets are strong and borrowing costs are likely to moderate a little further if (the Bank of England base rate) is lowered further in the coming quarters as we, and most other analysts, expect. 'Providing the broader economic recovery is maintained, housing market activity is likely to continue to strengthen gradually in the quarters ahead.' Matt Thompson, head of sales at London-based estate agent Chestertons, said: 'Last month alone, some of our branches have seen an evident uplift in the number of vendors wanting to sell which has motivated more buyers to resume their search and make an offer.' Nathan Emerson, CEO at property professionals' body Propertymark, said: 'Many people are delaying paying off their mortgages until later in life via 35-year or 40-year mortgages. Therefore, a reduction in interest rates would be very welcome to help offset ongoing financial pressures and worries over the cost of living for many.' Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: 'Lower mortgage rates, with the expectation of more reductions to come, are giving the market impetus and putting borrowers in a stronger position when it comes to negotiating their property purchase. This, in turn, is keeping prices in check. 'With the markets expecting a further rate reduction next week, we could be in for a busy autumn. Lenders continue to trim their mortgage rates, while easing of mortgage lending rules should also enable borrowers to take on bigger mortgages in coming months.' Earlier this week, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reported that house sales jumped by 13% month-on-month in June. Across the UK, it estimated that 93,530 home sales took place during the month, which was 1% higher than in June 2024. Bank of England figures have shown that mortgage approvals for house purchase have ticked upwards, with around 64,200 approvals made to home buyers in June – the highest figure since March this year. Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, said: 'While some buyers are clearly pressing ahead with their purchase plans, as reflected in robust mortgage approval data for June, others may now be mulling their options more carefully as higher costs pose a fresh challenge. 'Lenders are offering solutions, however, not only with more relaxed affordability rules, but also by ramping up the number of low-deposit or 100% mortgages on offer to help more first-time buyers onto the property ladder. Longer-term mortgages, where the repayment period is stretched beyond the traditional 25-year term to 30, 35 or even 40 years are also becoming increasingly popular.' Karen Noye, a mortgage expert at wealth manager Quilter, said: 'All eyes will be on the Bank of England next week and what it decides to do with interest rates. It was thought that a rate cut was fairly certain on Thursday, but recent inflation data coming in higher than expected may just temper things slightly and force buyers to wait. 'Should the Bank of England follow through with a rate cut, however, that will help support the buyers.' Tom Bill, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, said: 'Sticky inflation means a probable cut by the Bank of England next week may only be followed by one more this year. Despite a modest uptick in July, high levels of supply are keeping a lid on prices and means it is still very much a buyers' market.' Iain McKenzie, CEO of the Guild of Property Professionals, said: 'For sellers, realistic pricing is crucial to capture buyers' attention in a more competitive landscape. For buyers, the combination of more choice and the likelihood of further mortgage rate improvements creates a compelling window of opportunity.' Jonathan Handford, managing director at estate agent group Fine & Country, said: 'Properties purchased during the Covid-era 'race for space' – particularly in coastal and rural areas – are increasingly returning to the market as commuting patterns normalise and lifestyle priorities shift. This added supply is helping to moderate price pressures in some regions.' Sarah Coles, head of personal finance, Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'A combination of pay rises ahead of inflation, falling mortgage rates and keenly-priced properties could start to reignite buyer enthusiasm in the coming months.' Jonathan Hopper, CEO of Garrington Property Finders, said: 'Most buyers are still being prudent and pragmatic.'
The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
The Dyson airwrap has a huge £100 saving in rare hair tools sale
Dyson's hair tools are among the most coveted on the market, so it's no surprise that the beauty industry goes wild with each of the brand's new launches. The supersonic (Dyson's best-selling hair dryer) was the first of the brand's beauty ventures – first joining its impressive ranks of vacuums and fans in 2016 – and, ever since, Dyson's hair tool releases have continued to showcase the best in haircare innovation, but they don't come cheap. If you've yet to try one of these top-rated tools for yourself, you'll be pleased to know you can currently secure some serious reductions on everything from the air wrap to the corrale straighteners. In a sales event, the brand is coining 'Dyson week', you can save up to £100 on hair tools (and up to £150 on other select devices). This can only mean one thing: smooth, sleek locks for the rest of summer. Dyson airwrap id, vinca blue/topaz: Was £479.99, now £379.99, Discounted in its curly and coily variety, Dyson's airwrap id styler boasts six attachments and a sleek faux leather case. After testing the device for an in-depth review, beauty expert Elena Chabo praised the tool's 'speedy and effective' performance, describing how it took her hair from wet to voluminous and curly with ease. Elena made good use of the id's functionality – which connects the airwrap to your smartphone, so you can input details about your hair and styling preferences – and explained how it can 'halve your styling time and minimise damage to hair'. This is because the id technology will wrap, heat and cool your hair in one fell swoop, without you needing to change settings (or risk overheating your hair). As for the diffuser attachment, Elena was impressed by how 'the speedy and effective Dyson airflow combined with the perfectly cupped diffuser design for undeniable results'. All in all, she found that the airwrap id excelled in its field and, with £100 off, now is a great time to try it for yourself for less. If you fall into the straight and wavy category, you'll be pleased to know the ceramic patina/topaz airwrap id is also reduced by £80 (£399.99, When this model was put to the test as part of a roundup of the best hair dryers, Sheilla Mamona and I found that the device was a game-changer for straight and coily hair types. While Sheilla enjoyed the comb attachment and remarked how it's 'ideal for simultaneously blow drying and detangling even the coilest curls', I loved how the auto-react feature adjusts the dryer's heat output to help keep moisture in the areas where your hair needs it. This deal is too good to miss for those after a glossy, smooth finish and salon-worthy locks. Dyson airstrait straightener, prussian blue/rich copper: Was £449.99, now £349.99, IndyBest's global IndyBest editor, Eva Waite-Taylor, got her hands on Dyson's airstrait straightener ahead of the crowds, and likened its results to those achieved in a salon. With her long, thick and slightly wavy hair, Eva was impressed to see how the wet-to-dry styler left her locks feeling 'light and healthy', not to mention 'it still had a salon-quality bounce to it the following day'. As for the drying time, Eva compared her usual 45-minute routine with a considerably quicker 15-20 minute airstrait session, and found the device to be surprisingly quiet. Don't miss out while this time-saver is reduced by £100. If you prefer the versatility of a traditional hot-plate straightener, the Dyson corrale will be just the ticket. When assistant IndyBest editor Sarah Jones put this model to the test in her review of the best cordless straighteners. Using it for both straightening and curling, she found that the curved body of the tool was 'ideal for creating loose waves' and the results lasted well. The cordless design is an obvious advantage versus traditional straighteners, and offers up to 30 minutes of cord-free styling (making this model ideal for travelling, too). In fact, Sarah noted that the lack of wires means it's 'very easy to reach around tricky sections, such as the back of the head', adding she was able to straighten her locks fully in just five minutes – far quicker than normal. Secure yours while this deal's still available (and stock lasts).
