WATER companies have been ordered to return £158million to customers after failing to meet pollution targets.

The industry regulator, Ofwat, announced the rebate following its annual review of the performance of water and wastewater companies in England and Wales.

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Each year, Ofwat evaluates the performance of the 17 largest water and wastewater companies in England and Wales against key targets, including sewer flooding, supply interruptions, and water leaks.

For the second consecutive year, no company attained the highest rating, although four companies demonstrated improvement compared to the previous year.

As a result, millions of customers at 13 water companies could see their bills slashed next year as the watchdog issues penalties.

Customers at the following water firms will benefit:

• Thames Water
• Anglian Water
• Yorkshire Water
• Southern Water
• Welsh Water
• South West Water
• South East Water
• Wessex Water
• Affinity Water
• Bristol Water
• Portsmouth Water
• South Staffs Water
• Hafren Dyfrdwy

David Black, chief executive of Ofwat, said: “This year’s performance report is stark evidence that money alone will not bring the sustained improvements that customers rightly expect.  

“It is clear that companies need to change and that has to start with addressing issues of culture and leadership. Too often we hear that weather, third parties or external factors are blamed for shortcomings. 

“Companies must implement actions now to improve performance, be more dynamic, agile and on the front foot of issues.

“However, we are beginning to see that some companies are beginning to change their culture and adopt a more innovative and forward-thinking approach to tackling pollution.

Only four water companies have not faced a penalty from the regulator, meaning customers at the following firms won’t recieve a rebate next year:

• SES Water
• Northumbrian Water
• Severn Trent Water
• United Utilities

AMAZON Prime Day is a great opportunity to grab a bargain, but it’s important to make sure a deal is really going to save you money.

Fortunately, there are tools available to check you really are getting the best price on the market before you hit ‘buy now’.

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Amazon Prime Day is a 48-hour sale event that will take place on October 8 and 9.

It’s exclusively available for Prime members, offering discounts on everything from the latest technology to sought after beauty items and top toys.

Bargain hunters will be looking to score big savings on thousands of items, but it’s important to make sure that the publicised discount is as good as it seems.

We all know how alluring sales can be, particularly with Christmas just around the corner, but luckily there are tools available to stop you losing your head.

Harry Rose, Editor of Which? magazine, said: “Amazon Prime Day may seem like the best time to snap up a good deal if you are a Prime member but don’t feel panicked into buying things you don’t need or haven’t budgeted for.

“When looking to buy something new, always do your research first by checking price comparison sites like PriceRunner and CamelCamelCamel, which not only show current prices at multiple retailers but also reveal a product’s pricing history.

“This allows you to work out whether the sale price genuinely represents good value.”

CamelCamelCamel is a shopper’s best friend when it comes to Amazon Prime Day.

The website allows shoppers to enter an item’s URL to reveal its price history, and see if it has previously been sold at a lower price.

Handily, you can also set up price alerts to let you know when it drops in price again.

Prices can change during the two day event so if there’s an item your desperate to get at the best price, setting up a CamelCamelCamel alert could ensure you don’t miss out on the best price.

Don’t forget to also check other retailers before purchasing using Google Shopping or Price Spy.

And remember, you’ll only be making a saving if you intended to buy the item in the first place and don’t forget hidden costs, like delivery charges.

Some items are particularly likely to be heavily discounted in the Prime Day sale, such as stock the online retailer wants to clear ahead of Christmas.

Which? editor Mr Rose said: “Some products follow quite predictable pricing cycles, for example, the previous year’s TVs typically drop in price when new models launch in spring, so check if you can pick up last year’s models for a bargain price.

“Most technology, including smartphones, TVs and tablets, are released on a one-year cycle, so you only need to wait 12 months before there’s a shiny new device to get excited about.

“Big tech companies will do their best to tempt you into buying their latest release, but the forgotten device celebrating its first birthday could still be more than adequate and it’s also far more likely to be on sale.”

Whatever is catching your eye this October remember to do your research and make sure you get the best price.

When is Prime Day 2024?

The next Prime Day event will be the Big Deal Days sale event in October.

The sale will kick off at midnight on October 8 and run to midnight on October 9.

The last Prime Day event for 2024 took place on July 16-17 and Prime members enjoyed thousands of discount across all categories.

If you don’t want to miss out on October’s event you will need to become a Prime member.

Signing up for a Prime membership is easy and comes with lots of perks including next-day delivery and access to Prime Video and Amazon Music.

Amazon Prime costs £8.99 a month, or £95 for an annual membership.

But if you are brand-new to Prime you can sign up for a 30-day free trial, giving you free access to the sale when it launches next month.

However, you will need to cancel your membership before the 30-day trial ends to avoid the ongoing £8.99 monthly fee.

What were the best Prime Day deals in July?

Some of the best Prime Day bargains offered in July were for Amazon branded products such as Fire tablets and TVs as well as Ring doorbells.

One of the hottest deals was the ‘seriously impressive’ 55-inch Fire TV slashed from £549.99 to £329.99.

Other highlights in the July Prime Day event included discounts on the Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner, which was reduced from £279.99 to £159.99, and the Philips L’OR Barista Sublime Capsule Coffee Machine, which was slashed from £109.99 to £49.99.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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A THIRD of working parents have had to reduce their working hours – due to difficulties accessing childcare.

A poll of 3,000 employed mums and dads of children up to 11 revealed the struggles they face, with 31 per cent requesting flexible working arrangements to balance their responsibilities.

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Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) rely on partners or other family members who have had to reduce their paid work or even quit their job.

And 16 per cent claim the impact of accessing childcare has led to them avoiding applying for new roles.

But despite the support provided, 46 per cent say they find it hard to maintain boundaries between their job and homelife.

Jane van Zyl, CEO of the charity Working Families, which commissioned the study ahead of National Work Life Week (7th-11th October), said: “Accessing affordable and reliable childcare has become a significant challenge for many families.

“A lot of parents are struggling to balance work and family life due to limited availability, rising costs, and long waiting lists.

“It’s not just an inconvenience – it’s a barrier that impacts career opportunities, financial stability, and overall well-being.”

The study also found 75 per cent regularly work overtime, as 23 per cent claim it’s the only way to manage their workload.

Nearly three in 10 (28 per cent) are implementing variable hours, 19 per cent are remote, and 15 per cent work term-time hours only to help with childcare issues.

However, a fifth of parents don’t have any flexible arrangements in place – with this being most prominent in the transport and logistics sector (42 per cent).

Parents who work in retail (32 per cent), leisure, sport and tourism (30 per cent), and hospitality and events management (29 per cent) are also impacted.

Despite 62 per cent claiming their employer cares about their work life balance, 51 per cent have previously refrained from applying for a job because it didn’t offer flexibility.

This is important as it allows them to manage childcare responsibilities (63 per cent), spend quality time with family (46 per cent), and helps to reduce the overall cost (45 per cent).

It also emerged parents believe flexible working has led to development of new skills (61 per cent), and an increased in loyalty to their current employer (73 per cent).

While 77 per cent of those polled via OnePoll.com went as far to say it has allowed them to stay in their current role.

However, six in 10 currently work shifts, with 27 per cent receiving up to only one weeks’ notice of their schedule – making it difficult to organise childcare arrangements.

Jane van Zyl added: “Flexible working is not only a benefit—it’s a necessity for today’s parents who are juggling work and family life.

“By offering more adaptable work arrangements, we empower parents to be present for their children while continuing to thrive professionally.

“We’ll be paying close attention to the upcoming changes to the Employment Bill expected this week to see how the Government are planning to overcome the challenges working parents are facing through more robust flexible working policies.”

Flexible working campaigner and ambassador for Working Families, Anna Whitehouse – also known as Mother Pukka – said: “This is the reality for so many parents – we’re stuck in a cycle where childcare is either unaffordable or unavailable, forcing families to make impossible choices.

“Parents are cutting back their hours or missing out on job opportunities just to get by day-to-day. The system, as it stands, doesn’t work.

“If we truly want to support families, we need workplaces that make it possible for parents to manage the balancing act of work and childcare, without having to sacrifice their own wellbeing.”

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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SHOPPERS could see an unexpected item on shelves this Christmas for the first time ever.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencers have confirmed they will stock home-grown strawberries in their supermarkets this winter season.

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Fruit suppliers have innovated new technology which allows strawberries to be grown in the UK all year round.

The Summer Berry Company, a supplier in West Sussex, will be growing the fruit 12 months a year and supplying supermarkets.

Strawberries are usually imported over winter due to economic and environmental reasons.

However, the company has installed £6million of fresh technology which will produce 600,000 punnets for the retailers over the colder seasons.

Shoppers will be able to get their hands on the British strawberries this Christmas as an exciting new addition to their festive celebrations and desserts.

Typically the British strawberry season runs from May to October, and are a familiar sight in summer commonly associated with the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

It is still unknown whether the price of the strawberries will change in supermarkets in accordance with the new supplier’s demand and quality.

Prices also naturally vary day to day, so its best to keep checking online.

For example, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are always launching new Clubcard and Nectar prices which are easy to view via the mobile app.

A 227g punnet of strawberries, sourced outside of Great Britain, is currently available in M&S and Tesco for £2.30.

While Sainsbury’s currently offers the cheaper deal, priced at £2 for 250g of strawberries – a greater quantity plus a 30p save.

The cheapest place to buy strawberries is Aldi, which retails its charming “wonky strawberries” from Belgium for just £1.39 a 227g punnet.

Remember that, while its good to be environmentally conscious, it’s more important to make sure you eat comfortably this winter in the cost of living crisis.

As always, we recommend you compare prices before you shop, by searching for the exact product you need on multiple different websites.

You can also use the “sort by” tool to select the “cheapest first”, making sure you secure all the best deals.

And by getting to the store at the right time (usually in the afternoon), you could also be lucky enough to spot some yellow stickers.

Keeping your eye out for yellow stickers means you can purchase perfectly healthy produce, which has simply passed its sell-by date, for a reduced price.

Many stores do this at the same time every day, so its good to note when reductions are happening if you notice them in your local supermarket – that way next time you could be the first in line.

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Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

VINTED has abruptly closed its new professional selling platform to new members after it made some users’ National Insurance (NI) numbers publicly available, putting them at risk of fraud, The Sun has learned.

The second-hand selling website launched Vinted Pro last week to allow sellers to register as a sole trader and be identified as professional sellers.

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But the much-anticipated launch was quickly overshadowed when users realised it had displayed some Vinted Pro members’ National Insurance numbers publicly on their profile, meaning anyone could see them.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) advises that you should not share your NI number with anyone who does not need it to prevent identity fraud.

The Sun has learned that the Independent Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is now investigating the breach after a number of sellers reported it.

A spokesperson for the ICO told The Sun: “We can confirm that we have been contacted regarding Vinted and are currently assessing the information provided.”

Vinted has now removed the ability for users to upgrade their accounts to Vinted Pro to prevent anyone else being affected by the breach while it fixes the technical issue.

A spokesperson for Vinted told The Sun: “For a small number of Vinted Pro members, their NI number was visible on their profile page.

“While our teams were working on fixing the issue completely, we temporarily halted the ability to upgrade accounts to Vinted Pro.

“We apologise to anyone that was affected and encourage members who have questions to reach out to our member support team.”

It is understood that affected users’ NI numbers have now been hidden since The Sun got in touch – but those impacted had the private detail displayed on their profile for several days.

The only way Vinted sellers could hide their NI number from public view was to delete their account or set it to “holiday mode”, which meant they could no longer sell any items.

Vinted declined to disclose how many Vinted Pro users were affected, but it is understood that it did not involve all members.

However, dozens of users have taken to social media to express their fury over what happened.

One angry Vinted user posted on forum Reddit: “An absolute disaster – I am currently going through the same issue here, so I had to Holiday Mode my shop until I hear back from them, which could be quite a lot of lost revenue judging the amount of time they take to get back to me.”

Another added: “I’ve deleted my account because of this, I hope they have reported themselves to ICO? It’s quite serious!”

Another furious user who spoke with The Sun said he is a huge Vinted seller and has already earned £25,000 through the site this year, but is now planning to switch to eBay.

“They have messed up big time with Vinted Pro, I have emailed their CEO and will be ringing the ICO,” he said.

Experts have warned that the serious breach could have left members at risk of identity fraud or being targeted by scammers.

Dan McLoughlin, fraud and security expert at Lynx Tech, explained: “NI numbers are unique identifiers across various government, employment, and financial systems.

“This means if your NI number gets into the wrong hands, fraudsters can leverage it to apply for loans or credit cards in your name, potentially building up significant debt.

“Fraudsters can also use your NI number to open banking accounts for money laundering or other illicit activities, implicating you in their crimes.

“Fraud losses increased by 53% in 2023, so protecting personal information has never been more important.”

Consumer disputes expert Scott Dixon, who runs website The Complaints Resolver, said HMRC asked Vinted to request NI numbers from sellers to ensure they pay the correct tax, but this should never have been made publicly available.

“This is a serious breach and the ICO should take action against Vinted and have the powers to do so,” he said.

“Vinted should also liaise with the ICO for guidance on what they need to do to remedy it.”

He added that if your NI is exposed in the public domain and you become a victim of fraud as a result, you could be entitled to compensation.

We have asked Vinted if it will pay any compensation to affected members and will update if we hear back.

What should I do if I’ve been affected?

If your NI number is on display, it’s a good idea to hide it by putting your shop into holiday mode until the issue is resolved.

You can make a complaint to Vinted through the website/app or make a complaint to the ICO by visiting: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints/.

You can also apply for Protective Registration for two years if you’re worried your personal details have been leaked – however, this costs £30.

You can apply online by visiting: cifas.org.uk/services/identity-protection/protective-registration/application-form.

Over the next few weeks, it’s a good idea to be extra vigilant. If you receive any unexpected calls, verify the number before handing over any personal or bank details.

It’s a good idea to hang up and call back the right number. Remember that companies can “spoof” phone numbers, so just because it shows the right number, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a scam.

And don’t open any unexpected links, as these could be phishing for further personal info.

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, you should report it to your bank, building society or any credit cards you use as soon as possible, and report any transactions you don’t recognise.

You should also report your case to Action Fraud, which will give you a crime reference number.

It’s worth checking your credit reports, too, and flag if you spot anything on there that wasn’t you – your credit reference agency can make a note for other lenders to see if you’re disputing a missed payment or unexpected loan.

What is Vinted Pro?

Vinted Pro launched in the UK last week to enable sellers to register as sole traders, or to allow businesses to register as sellers.

Active sellers on the Vinted app have started being messaged informing them about the new service and suggesting they can upgrade their account.

It is free to upgrade to Vinted Pro, and it’s free to sell an unlimited number of items.

Do you need to pay tax on items sold on Vinted?

QUICK facts on tax from the team at Vinted…

• The only time that an item might be taxable is if it sells for more than £6,000 and there is profit (sells for more than you paid for it). Even then, you can use your capital gains tax-free allowance of £3,000 to offset it.
• Generally, only business sellers trading for profit (buying goods with the purpose of selling for more than they paid for them) might need to pay tax. Business sellers who trade for profit can use a tax-free allowance of £1,000, which has been in place since 2017.
• More information here: vinted.co.uk/no-changes-to-taxes

However, Pro accounts must also follow certain consumer rules. For example, they have to offer 14-day returns for faulty items, and they must provide contact details.

Professional sellers must declare themselves as a “Pro Seller” and this label will appear on their profile to identify them as a business.

You can have a Vinted Pro account and a regular account.

The full list of terms and conditions can be read at vinted.co.uk/pro-terms-of-use.

EUROMILLIONS winner Adrian Bayford is planning on renting out his luxury eco-farmhouse to make some extra cash.

The ex-postie who scooped up £148million in 2012 with his ex-wife Gillian bought the mega-mansion two years after he won big on the lottery.

Great Wilbraham Hall in Cambridge is now in the process of becoming a refurbished short-term holiday home – for those who can afford it.

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The farmhouse was used by family and friends until last summer, where it has since stood empty.

Before it’s on the market, Bayford is keen to give the property a revamp and has applied to Greater Cambridge Planning to make some changes.

His planning permission application stated: “The applicant seeks full planning permission for the change of use of Great Wilbraham Hall Farmhouse from residential use to short-term holiday let.”

“As the property has been vacant for some time and there are signs of deterioration in condition we feel that a refurbishment program is necessary to bring the property back into a viable use.”

The 53-year-old lottery winner has also asked for Listed Building consent to create six bedrooms which would sleep 13 people.

This would include a conversion of a first floor bedroom into a bathroom, internal redecoration, an upgraded kitchen, and refurbishing and re-painting the sash windows.

All changes would be made internally and the outside of the property, and the restate of the estate, would remain the same.

The planning application states why Bayford believes the refurb is necessary.

“We feel this program of refurbishment will protect the condition of the property for years to come and will provide much sought after accommodation.”

This isn’t the first time the fancy farmhouse has been upgraded with the rock music fanatic planning to install a set of solar panels in September.

These sustainable energy sources would generate enough electricity to power the entire estate.

The multi-millionaire used his prize money to purchase the two-storey thatched farmhouse building, splashing out on the estate.

Big spender Bayford is no stranger to luxury as these property refurbishments follow a ‘no expense-spared’ wedding after splitting with wife and with fellow winner Gillian.

After a string of unsuccessful entanglements, the millionaire proposed to Tracey Biles, 45, his fourth fiancée in 12 years.

Bayford’s friend told The Sun they are planning a massive bash abroad.

To prove his commitment to his ambulance worker Tracey, he has moved her parents into one of the cottages on his estate.

His friend added: “I mean, that might not be for everyone but they all get on so well — and, let’s face it, there’s plenty of room up there.”

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