mistake

BBC Morning Live viewers said instead of £700 they will get £420 payout – and be ‘bombarded with calls and texts’

A BBC expert has given a warning to anyone who bought a car between 6th April 2007 and 1st November 2024. Finance expert Iona Bain told BBC Morning Live viewers that they face losing out by £280 on average if they make the wrong decision.

Ms Bain told hosts Helen Skelton and Rav Wilding that the car finance compensation scheme final details will be released in March – but people could miss out by appointing a claims company.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is hoping to compensate motorists who were unfairly sold a car loan between 2007 and 2024 because they were not properly informed about the commission paid to brokers, including car dealers.

Under the current proposals, about 14 million car finance deals could be eligible for compensation, with people estimated to get an average of £700 per agreement.

Ms Bain said: “So, if you took out car finance with a vehicle that was bought between 6th April 2007 and 1st November 2024, and if the car finance deal you got was Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), then you could be eligible for a share of this compensation bill, which is £8 billion.

“Essentially, we’re talking about the commission that was paid behind the scenes by car finance lenders to brokers whenever they sold one of these deals. Customers weren’t always aware of the level and scale of this commission, and that meant, in many cases, customers ended up with car finance deals that were more expensive and less competitive than they should have been.

“And that’s certainly what the Supreme Court ultimately ruled, and it decided that compensation was due to all those customers that were potentially in that situation. So look, it’s taken a while to get to this point, but now the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)—which is Britain’s regulator in this area—it’s said it’s going to be publishing the system for how people can apply for compensation in the next month or so.”

She said that the system being created will be straightforward and most importantly free to use. She said: “You can make a claim yourself; you don’t have to rely on a third party like a claims company. It should be completely straightforward for you to do yourself.”

She warned about claims management companies bombarding people – and explained they are making unfair claims and then will take large fees. She said: “If you see these adverts online, they are very enticing. They make claims like, “We’ll handle your claim for you,” “No win, no fee,” or “You could get thousands. But this is the reality: if you use one of these claims companies—whilst it’s perfectly legal to do so—they can take 20% to 40% of your compensation.”

Someone getting a payout of £700 would end up paying £280 to the company. Ms Bain added: “It is a lot. It means you won’t keep all the money that you’re ultimately owed. The fees can be buried in the small print, and you may not be aware of them until you’ve signed on the dotted line.

“So, one example is: let’s say you’ve signed up for a claims company, but then you change your mind—and that’s your right to do so. Some of these claims companies are charging termination fees for the work that’s been done, and those termination fees can be spurious and disproportionate for the work that’s actually been done.”

She said one prominent advert claimed the average car finance compensation that’s being paid out is going to be over £1,800. Ms Bain added: “I’m just going to say it: that’s not true. It’s not true, and the reason for that is that the FCA has not confirmed what compensation people are going to be getting. So, it has said that the average amount that will be paid out will be £700. Some people will get more, some people will get less, but it’s impossible to say at this stage what individuals will be getting until we know more about that FCA process.

“And also, I’m hearing these reports of people seeing these adverts, then giving their contact details to these claims companies, and then being bombarded by texts and calls trying to persuade them to sign up. I personally think that’s unacceptable.”

Other things to watch out for are:

• Upfront fees
• Unexplained charges
• A company promising guaranteed payouts or huge sums of money.

Ms Bain explained: “These are all big red flags. Just a reminder: you don’t need to use one of these companies. You can do this yourself and you get to keep all the compensation.”

Morning Live has provided a template for this on their website here.

WASHINGTON — Ever since a racist video was posted on President Trump’s social media account, the White House has offered shifting responses.

First it dismissed “fake outrage” by those denouncing it as racist, then it deleted the post and blamed a staff member.

Trump later told reporters Friday that “I didn’t make a mistake.” The Republican president claimed that before the video was posted, he did not see the part that depicted former President Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.

The chair of the Congressional Black Caucus was unsparing in her criticism when she spoke to the Associated Press.

“It’s very clear that there was an intent to harm people, to hurt people, with this video,” Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said.

The AP interviewed Clarke, who leads the group of more than 60 Black House and Senate members, hours after the video was deleted Friday.

Here is an interview transcript, edited for length and clarity.

What was your reaction when you saw that the post?

We’re dealing with a bigoted and racist regime. … Every week we are, as the American people, put in a position where we have to respond to something very cruel or something extremely off-putting that this administration does. It’s a part of their MO at this point.

Do you buy the White House explanation that this was an aide’s mistake?

They don’t tell the truth. If there wasn’t a climate, a toxic and racist climate within the White House, we wouldn’t see this type of behavior regardless of who it’s coming from…. Here we are, in the year 2026, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, the 100th anniversary of the commemoration of Black history, and this is what comes out of the White House on a Friday morning. It’s beneath all of us.

Has there been any contact between the White House and the Congressional Black Caucus on this? Could there be any good-faith exchange?

There has been no outreach from the White House. We certainly didn’t expect there to be. The outreach has to happen prior to these type of juvenile antics.

Republican criticism built more quickly Friday than it has during previous Trump controversies. What do you make of that?

It’s not lost on them, our communities that we represent, that elections are coming up. So it’s not lost on my colleagues, either. If they want to align themselves with this type of really profane imagery, this type of bigoted and racist attack on a former sitting president and his wife, they are throwing their lot in with an individual who has shown himself to be a disgrace.

It’s not common for President Trump to retract anything. What does that indicate to you that he did?

I think it’s more of a political expediency than it is any moral compass. … As my mother would say, “Too late. Mercy’s gone.”

What more do you hope to see from the White House about this?

My hope is that we can contain the harm that they’re doing. There are Black children who are listening to their president … seeing what he’s posting on Truth Social, [and] it will have an impact on how they view leadership of their own country. … I think that this administration has an opportunity to change course. They always do. We leave room for that. But, unfortunately, Donald Trump is hardwired this way.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

As a democracy, we have to stand up together against this type of racism, this type of bigotry, this kind of hatred that is coming from the president of the United States and those who surround him. … It’s very clear that there was an intent to harm people, to hurt people, with this video. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have stayed up for 12 hours.

Barrow and Zhang write for the Associated Press and reported from Atlanta and Washington, respectively.

A WOMAN was forced to miss her holiday after she was stopped from boarding an easyJet flight when they discovered an issue with her passport.

Donna Fairclough was due to fly out of Manchester Airport and was ‘heartbroken’ to miss out on an £820 holiday to Malta.

Donna Fairclough and her fiancé Gary Broadley were due to fly to Malta from Manchester Airport on January 3, 2026.

However, Donna was turned away from the flight by easyJet because of a sizeable tear in her passport.

The damage was across the photo page of her travel document and the size of the tear meant that she wasn’t allowed to board the flight.

Talking to Manchester Evening News, Donna said: “The rip was initially about a quarter-of-an-inch. I was excited to go away. It was heartbreaking because we lost out on a holiday because of a rip.

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“I said to my partner, you can still see my face and my passport number and it didn’t affect any of that. That’s what I couldn’t understand.”

As well as missing out on their holiday, the pair have claimed that easyJet won’t refund them for their break as the rip is classified as ‘accidental damage’.

Advice on the Gov.UK website reads: “If your passport is damaged you must replace it. You may not be able to travel with it. HM Passport Office will consider your passport damaged if […] any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing.”

HM Passport Office will also consider your passport damaged if you cannot read any of the details, the cover is coming away, or if there are stains on the page.

Donna has since got a new passport and has urged other holidaymakers to check theirs before travelling.

easyJet responded in a statement that the airline is “sorry” that Ms Fairclough was not able to go on her holiday and “understand how disappointing this must have been”.

The airline added it “works closely with the authorities and complies with their guidance to ensure the safety and security of customers and crew, and this means we can’t allow anyone to travel if their documentation is damaged.”

They then advised Donna on how she could get a new passport and have been in touch with further support.

It’s not just damage to passports that can halt passengers from boarding flights, issues with expiry dates have caught travellers out too.

Previous rules allowed British passport holders to roll over 10 months from their previous passports meaning they’d have validity of up to 10 years and 10 months.

But the current rules no longer see those additional 10 months as valid, even if they are on your passport.

So, if your passport was issued in June 2015, but your expiry date says September 2025, that expiry is actually incorrect.

Instead, your passport would have expired 10 years past the start date – making the real expiry is actually June 2025.

There’s also the three month rule – a number of countries require British holidaymakers to have a few additional months left on their passport to travel.

Most places in Europe require British travellers to have at least three months left on the passport before it expires.

Passport Rules

Everything you need to know about passports

Here’s another common passport mistake that is costing Brits £1.1million a year on holiday.

And another woman was left sobbing after easy passport mistake saw her BANNED from her flight.

Writers from around the world have provided their top tips on how to get the most out of going to one of Disney’s many resorts, and how to save money along the way

A writer who has been on more than 50 Disney vacations has given their advice on what to do when visiting one of the parks. Kari Becker, a travel planner and freelance writer, has a vast amount of experience visiting various Disney locations.

After years of engaging in the experience of these places, Kari has discerned several major tips and tricks for getting the most out of the magical destination.

Her number one tip, she said, was to make sure to arrive as early as possible. This is due to the large crowds that continue to visit these parks.

She told Business Insider: “My No. 1 tip for visiting theme parks of any kind is to arrive early. You’ll get a huge jump on your day if you get to the parks as soon as they open, or just before.

“Crowd levels tend to be much lower at this time, meaning you can experience many attractions early in the day. By midday, the crowds usually significantly increase.”

As well as providing guidance on when to go, Kari also outlined some of the mistakes people usually make when either planning or physically going to one of Disney’s many parks.

These include cutting the trip too short, going during school holidays, as well as arriving too late, and over-planning.

On the latter, she explained: “Make a general outline of your daily agenda — with dining reservations and a list of must-do rides and attractions — but leave room for spontaneous fun.

“If you’re on too tight a schedule, you’ll miss all the good stuff, like unique character interactions.”

Kari isn’t the only writer to have provided some tips on how to experience Disneyland to the maximum with ReachPlc’s Portia Jones also providing some tips on how to do the visit yearly without spending a lot of money.

Her main tips were to skip the crowds, book tickets in advance, and, in the case of Disneyland Paris, take the train, plan as much as possible, consider a Disney meal plan, and bring your own food.

On the last matter, she told WalesOnline: “Disneyland Paris may be the happiest place on earth, but its food prices can bring you down to earth with a bump.

“Pack your snacks and bring a refillable water bottle to save money. You can bring food into the park, so load up on sandwiches, crisps, and fruit before you arrive.

“Plenty of water fountains are scattered around where you can refill your bottle, meaning you’ll avoid paying sky-high prices for drinks.”

Travel enthusiast Laurie has warned cruise passengers about one common item that will be taken from you at boarding as it poses a big fire risk if you use it onboard the ship

Whilst packing may not be the most thrilling aspect of a holiday, it certainly builds anticipation as you decide what essentials to take along on your travels.

For those embarking on a cruise in particular, it’s crucial to familiarise yourself with the varying regulations each cruise line enforces to ensure passenger safety whilst at sea. Typically, this involves each vessel maintaining a list of forbidden items that passengers are not allowed to bring aboard.

To help fellow holidaymakers in knowing what to leave behind, travel enthusiast Laurie – who goes by ‘traveltipsbylaurie’ on Instagram where she boasts 312,000 followers – has shared her expert advice on cruise packing.

In a recent video, she highlighted one specific item that’s banned from all cruise ships and will be confiscated upon boarding due to the risks associated with it.

“Do not get kicked off your ship by doing this one travel tip for the electronics that you bring to the ship,” Laurie warned at the beginning of her clip. “Just save yourself the stress by doing this one travel tip.”

“In our room with two twin beds, there is only one outlet section on one side, so get a powerstrip that is non-surge protecting, this one’s from Amazon,” she told viewers.

In the caption accompanying her post, she clarified that standard power strip towers or extension leads won’t make it past cruise ship security as staff will seize them as soon as you board.

The reason? Their surge protection elements pose a substantial fire risk. Cruise vessels operate on different electrical systems to residential properties, and when surge protectors interact with the ship’s power network, they can trigger overheating, flip circuit breakers, and create genuine safety concerns.

That said, you’re permitted to bring aboard a “non surge protector” power strip, which typically gets the green light on cruise ships. Multi-port USB chargers (without high-voltage sockets) generally pass muster too.

But, it’s wise to double-check with your specific cruise line before you embark, so you know what the rules are beforehand.

Should your power strip be confiscated when you step onto the vessel, crew members will tag it and ensure its return when you disembark.

The comments section quickly filled with responses, as numerous people were caught off guard by this stringent cruise ship policy.

“Oh I had no idea,” one individual remarked.

Another shared: “I brought one a few years ago and it was taken right away. I got it as I exited the cruise ship. You are absolutely right!!!”.

A third person said: “Royal [Caribbean] doesn’t allow any power plugs with a cord. They are only allowing non surge protectors that plug directly in. I thought Celebrity (owned by same company) had been doing this, too.”