Latest news with #YouandYours
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Alan Titchmarsh says 'if it all finishes tomorrow' as he opens up on tough times
Gardening expert and ITV presenter Alan Titchmarsh, who has been on our screens since 1979, has opened up about his long career and says he has a "lot to be grateful for" Alan Titchmarsh has candidly reflected on his illustrious career and acknowledges he has "a lot to be grateful for". The beloved TV personality, who first graced our screens back in 1979, has a portfolio packed with shows like Ground Force, Gardeners' World, and the Alan Titchmarsh Show. At 76, the Yorkshire-born presenter reminisced about his initial steps in the limelight. He's lent his expertise to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours and The Today Programme as a gardening guru, and, even before fame, he edited gardening books and penned his own. However, Alan, hailing from Ilkley, West Riding, pointed out that "many people don't realise how difficult" life was in 1950s Yorkshire. He admits the need for "realistic aspirations" was a driving force in his early life. With just one O Level to his name upon leaving school, Alan began his journey as an apprentice gardener with Ilkley Council. His passion for plants propelled him through studies at the Hertfordshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture, leading to a coveted position at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. In a frank discussion with Saga magazine, Alan offered this stark take on youthful ambition: "There seemed no point in having any." He humbly added: "So, if it all finishes tomorrow, I will have a lot to be grateful for. I'm of an age now where not many people my age are on the box, but I'm still doing new things and I've still got my hair." Currently embracing digital trends with recent ventures into YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, Alan is keen to "give people their money's worth". With a sense of gratitude, he comments on feeling "blessed" to prolong his tenure in media. Alan recently revealed that he's been cutting down on his workload, confessing that he's stopped working on Fridays and sometimes even Mondays. Discussing his choice to take a step back, he commented: "It's the old cliché, but you can't get it back", alluding to the invaluable time spent with loved ones. "My oldest grandchild has just hit 13 and you think, 'Oh crumbs! I've got a teenager as a grandchild now'." Together with his wife Ali, to whom he's been married for over half a century, they share two daughters, Polly and Camilla, and are proud grandparents to four. Despite not anticipating such a packed agenda at his age, Alan still relishes the work that keeps coming his way. The cherished television gardener is set to grace our screens again this week with Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. Scheduled for 9.30am on ITV One, the show will feature guests Anita Dobson, Tom Allen, and Amol Rajan. Garden expert Camilla Bassett-Smith will give us a glimpse into her summer diary, while there's also a segment for wildlife enthusiasts to catch up with the brown bears at Jimmy's Farm. Andy Clarke will be on hand to talk about the top tipples and snacks.
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Smart meter warning as 300,000 homes could be left without hot water and heating
If you have an RTS meter, you need to upgrade to a smart meter or your heating could end up being permanently turned off - or stuck on constantly Hundreds of thousands of households on older electricity meters are at risk of being left without heating and hot water. There are still around 300,000 radio teleswitch service (RTS) meters in homes - but these are being switched off on June 30. If you have one of these meters, you need to upgrade to a smart meter or your heating could end up being permanently turned off - or stuck on constantly. This would significantly put up your energy bills. RTS meters were introduced in the 1980s and they use a radio signal to switch between peak and off-peak electricity rates. Ned Hammond, Energy UK deputy director for customers, told BBC Radio 4 You and Yours programme that it will be "very, very difficult" to replace all RTS meters before the deadline. He said: "Obviously we'd need to increase from there significantly still to replace all the meters by the end of June." Energy UK said 430,000 households still had an RTS meter at the end of March, with more than 1,000 RTS meters being replaced each day. You may have an RTS meter if you have a switch box near your energy meter labelled Radio Teleswitch, if you have electric or storage heaters, if there is no gas supply to your area, or if you get cheaper energy at different times of day. Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: 'Our member organisations across the country will continue to do all they can to support the transition and raise awareness of the switch, but urgent action is now required. Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money "There is a very real risk that over 300,000 households will find their RTS meter stops working properly come 1 July 2025. With pressures on the replacement programme growing and with limited engineer availability, especially in rural areas, there's a real risk of prolonged disruption, particularly for vulnerable households. 'Government, regulators and energy firms need to face up to the looming crisis and ramp up efforts to help people switch. At the same time we now need to ensure contingency measures are in place for those who do not make the deadline and require energy suppliers to ensure fair metering and billing practices.' It comes after the Ofgem price cap rose to £1,849 a year for the average dual fuel household paying by direct debit. Energy analysts at Cornwall Insight are predicting it could fall to £1,683 in July. Ofgem will announce its new energy price cap by May 27. This new rate will come into force from July 1 and will run for three months, until August 31. Despite what its name suggests, the Ofgem price cap does not put a limit on how much you can pay for energy - instead, it sets the maximum unit price you can be charged for gas and electricity, as well as the maximum daily standing charge.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Warning meters in 300,000 homes could stop working
Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of losing hot water or heating when their old type of electricity meter goes out of action. Energy companies have said it will be "very, very difficult" to replace all Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters with smart meters before the old technology is switched off on 30 June. Campaigners estimate more than 300,000 homes could lose heating - or have it stuck on constantly - in what energy regulator Ofgem has called "an urgent consumer welfare issue". The government said the industry had to "work urgently to continue to increase the pace of replacements". Since the 1980s, RTS meters have used a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off peak rates. The technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change their customers' meters by 30 June. At the end of March, there were still 430,000 households using RTS meters for their heating and hot water, according to Energy UK, which represents energy companies. It said more than 1,000 RTS meters were now being replaced each day. But based on the 430,000 figure, this daily rate would need to be more like 5,000 to stand a chance of reaching everyone. Concern old meters still in use ahead of switch off Panorama: The Truth about Smart Meters Ned Hammond, Energy UK's deputy director for customers, told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours the rate of replacement was rising, but added: "Obviously we'd need to increase from there significantly still to replace all the meters by the end of June." Asked whether it was impossible to get every RTS meter switched over by 30 June, he said: "I wouldn't want to say impossible - but clearly very, very difficult to get to that point." Simon Francis, from campaign group the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said the Energy UK figures suggested more than 300,000 households could be left with a meter that doesn't work from 1 July. He added: "With pressures on the replacement programme growing and with limited engineer availability, especially in rural areas, there's a real risk of prolonged disruption, particularly for vulnerable households." RTS meters typically control heating and hot water on a separate circuit to the rest of the household's electricity, so things like plug sockets and lights are unlikely to be affected by the switch-off, Ofgem said. The RTS network was originally planned to be switched off in March 2024, but this was extended to give energy companies more time to get through everyone. Energy companies are still targeting 30 June "as things stand", Mr Hammond added, and are developing plans for a "managed and very careful phase down of the system", aiming to protect vulnerable customers. One challenge of changing everyone on to the new system is a distrust of smart meters. The BBC has previously found that smart meters can sometimes give inaccurate readings and can work worse or better depending on where you live. Jane from Norfolk told the BBC she is on an RTS meter and does not want a smart meter but feels as if she is being forced into getting one. She is currently on an Economy 7 tariff and does not want to switch. "It's not yet lawful to say I've got to have one. And I really, really don't want one. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are," she said. Diane Gray, who lives near Cockermouth in Cumbria, uses RTS to control the heating and hot water in her home on an Economy 7 tariff. She wants a smart meter but has been told one won't work in her house. In December, her supplier wrote to her to say: "At the moment we're not able to install a new meter in your home that works with your current meter's heating set up. Please bear with us. We are working hard on a solution for your meter type." She's since received another notification that a smart meter will be fitted in early June. "I've got no idea where it's going to leave us," she told the BBC. "It is very concerning. Because they're doing it in the summer, come the winter I keep thinking there must be some solution they're going to give us before we need to start using the heating." If your energy supplier cannot fit a smart meter in your home, Ofgem says your supplier must install a "suitable meter" with no disruption to your service. According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter if Your home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on it Your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters There is no gas supply to your area You get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, on an Economy 7 tariff If you haven't been contacted, Ofgem recommends reaching out to your supplier to arrange the replacement However, beware if someone contacts you claiming you need to pay to change your meter as it's likely a scam. Almost four million smart meters not working properly How do I know if my smart meter is broken?
BBC News
29-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Warning RTS electricity meters in 300,000 homes could stop working
Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of losing hot water or heating when their old type of electricity meter goes out of companies have said it will be "very, very difficult" to replace all Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters with smart meters before the old technology is switched off on 30 estimate more than 300,000 homes could lose heating - or have it stuck on constantly - in what energy regulator Ofgem has called "an urgent consumer welfare issue".The government said the industry had to "work urgently to continue to increase the pace of replacements". Since the 1980s, RTS meters have used a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off peak technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change their customers' meters by 30 the end of March, there were still 430,000 households using RTS meters for their heating and hot water, according to Energy UK, which represents energy said more than 1,000 RTS meters were now being replaced each based on the 430,000 figure, this daily rate would need to be more like 5,000 to stand a chance of reaching old meters still in use ahead of switch offPanorama: The Truth about Smart MetersNed Hammond, Energy UK's deputy director for customers, told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours the rate of replacement was rising, but added: "Obviously we'd need to increase from there significantly still to replace all the meters by the end of June."Asked whether it was impossible to get every RTS meter switched over by 30 June, he said: "I wouldn't want to say impossible - but clearly very, very difficult to get to that point."Simon Francis, from campaign group the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said the Energy UK figures suggested more than 300,000 households could be left with a meter that doesn't work from 1 added: "With pressures on the replacement programme growing and with limited engineer availability, especially in rural areas, there's a real risk of prolonged disruption, particularly for vulnerable households."RTS meters typically control heating and hot water on a separate circuit to the rest of the household's electricity, so things like plug sockets and lights are unlikely to be affected by the switch-off, Ofgem RTS network was originally planned to be switched off in March 2024, but this was extended to give energy companies more time to get through companies are still targeting 30 June "as things stand", Mr Hammond added, and are developing plans for a "managed and very careful phase down of the system", aiming to protect vulnerable customers. 'I don't want a smart meter' One challenge of changing everyone on to the new system is a distrust of smart meters. The BBC has previously found that smart meters can sometimes give inaccurate readings and can work worse or better depending on where you from Norfolk told the BBC she is on an RTS meter and does not want a smart meter but feels as if she is being forced into getting one. She is currently on an Economy 7 tariff and does not want to switch."It's not yet lawful to say I've got to have one. And I really, really don't want one. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are," she said. Diane Gray, who lives near Cockermouth in Cumbria, uses RTS to control the heating and hot water in her home on an Economy 7 tariff. She wants a smart meter but has been told one won't work in her December, her supplier wrote to her to say: "At the moment we're not able to install a new meter in your home that works with your current meter's heating set up. Please bear with us. We are working hard on a solution for your meter type."She's since received another notification that a smart meter will be fitted in early June."I've got no idea where it's going to leave us," she told the BBC."It is very concerning. Because they're doing it in the summer, come the winter I keep thinking there must be some solution they're going to give us before we need to start using the heating."If your energy supplier cannot fit a smart meter in your home, Ofgem says your supplier must install a "suitable meter" with no disruption to your service. What to do if you think you have an RTS meter According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter ifYour home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on itYour home is heated using electricity or storage heatersThere is no gas supply to your areaYou get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, on an Economy 7 tariffIf you haven't been contacted, Ofgem recommends reaching out to your supplier to arrange the replacementHowever, beware if someone contacts you claiming you need to pay to change your meter as it's likely a scam.
The Independent
12-03-2025
- The Independent
A Luton reverend had his house sold without his knowledge - nearly four years later it's been returned
A reverend whose house was sold without his knowledge has had his property returned to him after he was forced to resort to the courts to reclaim it. Reverend Mike Hall had been in North Wales when he received a phone call from neighbours in August 2021 who told him someone had turned the lights on inside the property in Luton. He drove back early the following morning to find the locks had been changed at his terraced home, which had been completely stripped of all furnishings, and a builder working inside. 'I went to the front door, tried my key in the front door, it didn't work and a man opened the front door to me,' he told BBC Radio 4 's You and Yours programme in November 2021. 'I pushed him to one side and got in the property. I really didn't know what he was doing there. The shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture; all furnishings, carpet, curtains - everything - was out of the property.' Mr Hall called the police but the builder went to fetch the new owner's father, who told him he had bought the house in July. According to the BBC, the Land Registry at the time accepted fault and put his name back on the title, but when he returned again in 2023 he found a family living there. Mr Hall went to Luton County Court to take possession of the home again this year. A woman, following proceedings through a Romanian interpreter, and a child also attended. The public broadcaster reported that on Monday, Luton County Court judge Elaine Vignoli granted Mr Hall possession of the home. According to the BBC, the court was told the occupants did not oppose Mr Hall's application, and Judge Vignoli ordered "persons unknown" must pay his costs.
