WINTER brings the promise of toasty log fires, Christmas festivities and New Year’s Eve parties – but some simple mistakes could land you with a big fine while you’re celebrating.

From out-of-hand parties to driving offences and illegal fires, these are some of the little-known rules that could put the freeze on your fun.

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To help ensure you aren’t slapped with any unexpected bills over the winter months, we’ve drawn up a list of the rules you should be aware of.

Breaking log burner rules – up to £1,000

Breaking new rules around the use of log burners could land you with a huge fine and even a criminal record.

In 2023, regulations were tightened to reduce the amount of smoke wood burning stoves in “smoke control areas” are allowed to emit.

The limit used to be 5g per hour, but is now 3g per hour.

Smoke control areas were introduced by the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to reduce air pollution and cover many towns and cities in England.

Since last year, local councils can issue fines between £175 and £300 to those found to be in breach of the rules.

Lighting a fire to keep you warm this winter could also land you in hot water if you’re found to be using an unauthorised fuel in a smoke control area.

You must use approved fuels for your device or smoke-free fuels in the designated areas.

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you buy unauthorised fuel to use in an unapproved device.

In some cases, if the situation goes to court, then fines could be as high as £5,000 for repeat offenders, as well as an additional £2,500 for every day the breach continues.

You can find out if you live in a smoke control area here: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/sca/.

Halloween parties – up to £1,000

Halloween is a great excuse for dressing up and partying, but if things get out of hand there’s a chance you could be facing a big bill.

The most common complaints made in relation to parties are down to excessive noise.

Derbyshire Police has already issued this warning: “If having a Halloween party at home, let your neighbours know beforehand, so they won’t be alarmed.

“Between 11pm and 7am, keep the noise low and do not let fireworks off.”

After 11pm, permitted noise levels are 34dBA (decibels adjusted) where background noise is no higher than 24dBA or 10dBA above the level of background noise if this exceeds 24dBA.

Noise complaints are generally dealt with by local councils who will serve an abatement notice if they agree the disturbance amounts to a statutory nuisance.

If an abatement notice is not complied with a fine of £110 per household can be issued.

If this is not paid the householder could be prosecuted, with convictions leading to a fine of up to £1,000.

Disposing of Christmas waste – up to £5,000

Christmas brings joy, presents, frivolity and a lot of rubbish.

When it comes to disposing of this waste breaking the rules could land you with an on the spot fine or even a court summons.

So, whether you’re disposing of your Christmas tree come January or working out which bin to put piles of wrapping paper into, make sure you check the guidance from your local authority.

You should also double check if items such as wrapping paper and food packaging are recyclable, as Christmas-y additions such as glitter can mean they are destined for general waste instead.

Depending on your local council, you could be fined up to £1,000 for not disposing of your rubbish properly.

In previous years, North Herts Council has issued fixed penalty notices of £75 for littering and £400 for fly-tipping, while Wakefield Council said it would fine fly-tippers up to £250.

In South Norfolk, residents were warned last year they could be fined up to £5,000 if they pass their waste to an unauthorised person who then dumps it illegally.

Not de-icing your car properly – £60

Not de-icing your car properly on a frosty day could land you with a £60 fine and three penalty points, according to the RAC.

The car specialist said that driving without clearing the car fully could be classed as using a vehicle with parts or accessories in a “dangerous condition”.

It is not enough to clear the driver’s side of the windscreen, drivers must by law have a full view of the road and traffic ahead, which means clearing your entire windscreen, mirrors and side windows.

The RAC has also warned drivers against leaving their engine running while the car is unattended.

While it’s tempting to switch the engine on while you’re getting ready in the mornings to help clear the ice, the car experts said it could land you a fine.

Rule 123 of the Highway Code stated: “You must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.

“Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution.

“However, it is permissible to leave the engine running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic or for diagnosing faults.”

Breaking the rule could land you with a fixed penalty notice of £20, which would increase to £40 if not paid promptly.

Removing fallen leaves – up to £1,000

Leaves can quickly fill your driveway or garden as autumn begins turning to winter, but be careful how you dispose of them.

Simply sweeping leaves off your property could result in an on-the-spot fine or even a fly-tipping prosecution.

Mansfield Council has previously warned that those caught sweeping leaves from their property onto the highway could receive a £75 fine.

Trafford Council has said sweeping leaves and other natural debris from a garden or driveway onto the street will be treated as a littering or fly tipping offence, depending on the quantity.

Those caught fly-tipping can be handed fines of up to £1,000.

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

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

A SAVVY-STAY-AT-HOME-MOM has revealed how she made $300 in one week, with her fun fall side hustle.

Lisa has tried every side hustle under the sun, and last October, had great success delivering pumpkins to people’s doorsteps.

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“I was just selling pumpkins out of the back of my car, and delivering them to people’s porches”, she said.

The mom was inspired to start her seasonal side hustle, after her parents lovingly grew 20 pumpkins, and weren’t sure what to do with them.

She asked her followers if anyone would want her to deliver her a pumpkin, and was met with a resounding “yes”.

The thrifty mom then headed to Hobby Lobby, and picked up some cute ribbon to decorate her pumpkins with.

“I charged $15 a pumpkin, and I sold out!”, she said.

Lisa revealed that she had never heard of a pumpkin delivery before, so feels like she hit a gap in the market.

“People love to welcome hall, so I just tried it, and it was a hit”, she said.

The side hustle was especially successful with the elderly, who weren’t able to get out and about to decorate their porches themselves.

Lisa now dreams of turning her pumpkin business into a service, where she decorates people’s front porches for fall.

“These pumpkin deliveries were so fun for me, it was so fun to bring smiles to people’s faces”, she said.

She added that, although she got her pumpkins for free, there are some states in the US where you can buy pumpkins in bulk, for a cheap price.

Lisa’s video (@somo.mama)has likely left many people impressed, as it has racked up over 50,000 views on the video sharing platform.

TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to share their thoughts.

Side hustles and tax implications

Extra income you make from side hustles may need to be reported to the IRS.

If you receive more than $600 in gross payouts from a selling platform like eBay, the site will issue you a Form 1099-K to use in your tax return.

Individuals should calculate their adjusted gross income, taxable earnings, and deductions for the year.

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Once they have that, they can use the 1040-ES form to calculate estimated taxes.

One person said: “You are awesome Ms Entrepreneur you did a wonderful thing helping the elderly!”

A second person said: “I would definitely pay for a pumpkin delivery!”

A third person said: “Amazing!! Especially for those who can’t get out much, they can experience all the fall feels!”

A fourth person added: “I absolutely love this idea.”

THREE major deadlines are coming up before Christmas which could open up payments worth hundreds of pounds.

The cost of living remains high with energy bills rising for millions of UK households at the start of this month.

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Luckily, there is help at hand, including the Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount and Christmas Bonus.

But there are some crucial deadlines you need to be aware of if you want to snap up the payments worth potentially £460.

One is coming within weeks too so you should act as soon as possible.

November 10 – deadline to backdate Pension Credit to get the Warm Homes Discount

The Warm Homes Discount (WHD) is a discount on your energy bills worth £150 each winter.

The money is not paid to you but is a one-off deduction applied between October and March.

In most cases, it is made automatically although households in Scotland have to apply.

To qualify for the help, you need to have been in receipt of the guaranteed credit element of Pension Credit or a different qualifying benefit from the list below on August 11:

If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits on August 11, 2024, you won’t be eligible for the WHD this year.

However, the same August date does not apply if you are receiving the guarantee credit element of Pension Credit.

This is because you can backdate a Pension Credit claim by up to three months while the other benefits in the list above can only be backdated by up to one month.

That means you have until the end of Sunday, November 10 to launch a claim and get the £150 rebate.

Pension Credit is a benefit that tops up your weekly income to a minimum amount if you are on a low income and of state pension age, currently 66.

There are two parts to the benefit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.

Savings Credit is extra money you get if you have some savings or your income is above the basic full state pension amount – £169.50.

December 2 – deadline for Christmas Bonus

The Christmas bonus is a tax-free £10 payment made once per year to cover some of the additional costs associated with Christmas.

The payment is made by the DWP before December 25 and can come in handy.

However, the £10 payment is only made to those in receipt of certain qualifying benefits. The full list of benefits is:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer Support Payment
• Child Disability Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Mobility Supplement
• Pension Credit – the guarantee element
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under
• Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow’s Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension

You will need to have been receiving one of the above benefits in the qualifying week to receive the £10 payment.

This year, that week is the first full week of December, which starts on December 2, so you will need to claim one of the above benefits by this date to qualify for the £10 Christmas Bonus.

If you want to find out if you qualify for one of the above benefits, you can use a number of free calculators.

The three main online calculators you can use are:

December 21 – deadline for backdated Pension Credit to get the Winter Fuel Payment

The Government has made the Winter Fuel Payment means-tested which means only those on certain benefits qualify for the up to £300 payment this year.

Rather than it being open to anyone of state pension age, you now only receive it if you were receiving Pension Credit or one of the below benefits by September 22:

However, again, you can backdate your Pension Credit claim by up to three months meaning you still have time to qualify for this year’s Winter Fuel Payment.

That means the ultimate deadline to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment is December 21, not September 22.

The Winter Fuel Payment, which is usually paid by Christmas, is worth up to £300 depending on your circumstances.

If you were born before September 23, 1944, you will get £300 while those born between September 23, 1944, and September 22, 1958, will receive £200.

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

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

But unfortunately, the lottery is a game of luck and there are no tips or tricks that can guarantee you’ll take home a top prize.

The odds show how likely you are to win any particular prize – the lower the number, the better the odds.

For example, odds of 1 in 10 are better than odds of 1 in 100 or 1 in 1,000.

There are several major lottery games in the UK including Lotto by the National Lottery, Camelot’s EuroMillions and Thunderball.

Chances of winning the Lotto

Lotto by the National Lottery is a game where you pick six numbers from 1 to 59. You can play up to seven lines of numbers on each slip.

The game costs £2 to play per slip.

The odds of winning any prize on the Lotto are 1 in 9.3.

But to win the jackpot on the Lotto, the odds are considerably slimmer.

To bag the top prize, you need to have six matching balls. The odds of doing this and scooping the jackpot are currently 1 in 45,057,474.

The next highest prize of £1,000,000 is for getting five main matching balls plus the bonus ball.

The odds of taking home the million pound prize are 1 in 7,509,579 – far higher than the jackpot, but still unlikely.

The odds of taking home £1,750 for getting five main numbers without the bonus ball are 1 in 2,180, while you have a 1 in 97 chance of bagging £140 for getting four main numbers.

Your chances of taking home £30 for getting 3 main numbers are much better at 1 in 97.

And you have a roughly 1 in 10 chance of getting a free lucky dip for 2 matching numbers.

Chances of winning the EuroMillions

The EuroMillions costs £2.50 to play and is open on Tuesdays and Fridays.

To play, you must pick five numbers from 1-50 and two “Lucky Stars” from 1-12. Players with the most matching numbers win the top prizes.

Your chance of bagging the EuroMillions jackpot is even slimmer than winning the top Lotto prize.

This is because it generally has higher jackpots on offer, meaning it attracts more attention.

Currently, the odds of matching five numbers and two lucky stars – the top win – stand at 1 in 139,838,160.

The average jackpot prize is £57,923,499, according to EuroMillions.

The odds of winning the second top prize for matching 5 balls and a lucky star, which is typically around £262,346, are 1 in 6,991,908.

The chances of taking home the third prize for five matching balls, with an average payout of £26,277, are 1 in 3,107,515.

For four matching balls with two lucky stars, it’s 1 in 621,503, and for four balls with one lucky star, it’s 1 in 31,076. These come with an average prize of £1,489 and £95, respectively.

Chances of winning the Thunderball

Thunderball is another game run by National Lottery where you pick five numbers and one “Thunderball”. It costs just £1 to play and you can enter up to four times a week.

The jackpot of £500,000 for matching five balls plus the Thunderball is 1 in 8,060,598.

Your odds of bagging the next highest prize of £5,000 for matching five balls is currently 1 in 620,046, while the chances of winning £250 for four balls plus the Thunderball is 1 in 47,416.

You have the best chance of winning £3 for matching the Thunderball, with odds of 1 in 29.

A HUGE outdoor retailer has announced it will close one of its stores within days.

Decathlon is set to shut the doors on its shop in Forge Retail Park in Telford, Shropshire, on November 3.

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The French sporting goods retailer has operated at the shopping centre since 2018.

The closure is said to be part of a “brand refresh” and a “broader review” of its store network.

Decathlon told customers they can use vouchers at its Wednesbury store until the end of the year.

The company also said that staff members were being supported to continue working at the company “where possible”.

Michael McHale, Regional Leader at Decathlon UK said: “We’re saddened to be closing our Telford store, which has served the local community for over six years.

“However, we’re excited to continue supporting our loyal customers by welcoming them to our Wednesbury location, just a short drive away.

“At Decathlon, we remain committed to bringing the wonders of sport to life and providing the same great products, services, and experiences that our customers have come to love.”

Local residents have been left disappointed at the news that their area is losing its Decathlon store.

One wrote on Facebook: “Great shop – sad to see it closing.”

Another said: “Sad. Great store. Useful to have on our doorstep.”

A third claimed: “All thanks to the blumming shoplifters!”

It comes as closures have rocked high streets across the UK in recent years.

Some retailers have closed a few branches here and there for various reasons, like when a store lease has come to an end.

Other examples of one-off rather than widespread closures is if there are changes in the area, like a shopping centre closing, and in some cases a shop will close to relocate to another area.

Some chains have faced tougher conditions though, forcing them to shut dozens of stores, or all of them in the worst case.

Elsewhere, a much-loved tea room is being forced to close having been in business for 34 “happy and successful” years.

The family-run Two Hoots Tea Room is situated in one of Wales’ most-visited tourist spots and they say they are devastated after they were ordered to pull down the shutters for good.

Meanwhile, customers were left devastated after a family-run clothing shop was forced to close after 144 years.

Dancers is run by the fourth and fifth generation of the Dancer family, but the rise in online shopping meant they had to let it go.

And, closures are affecting various industries across different sectors as a historic city brewery, with a legacy spanning 150 years, is also set to close.

The Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has confirmed plans to close Wolverhampton’s Banks’s Brewery.

M&S has brought back an iconic retro crisps flavour two years after they disappeared from shelves.

The major retailer confirmed it has both listened and answered the prayers of its fans.

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That’s right, M&S’s Prawn Cocktail Shells are back.

M&S insists the tasty snacks are made from the finest ingredients with a “top secret” exclusive spice blend.

If you’re a fan of Skips, the prawn cocktail crisps, chances are you’ll like these too.

According to Ocado, the six pack of Prawn Cocktail Shells are selling for £2.

They’re also suitable for vegeterians.

And the fun doesn’t stop there.

M&S also announced three-brand-new tortilla sharing bags will too be hitting shelves.

Each tortilla bag has been inspired by a classic Mexican dish.

Such as Tomatillo & Jalapeno Pepper and Lime & Coriander, and Feta & Pink Peppercorn Chickpea & Red Quinoa Tortillas.

Be warned, M&S say “these are nacho average sharing bags… you will NOT want to share.”

On October 16, an M&S representative shared the reveal of the tortilla flavours on Facebook.

One person commented on the post: “Yum! These sound delicious!”

According to Ocado, the tortilla packs are selling for £1.35.

Since we’re on the topic of surprises, M&S has one more to share.

It’s three totally new peanut snack packs, bursting with flavour, seasoned and not salted.

The flavours include Katsu Chicken Curry flavour, Smoky Chorizo flavour, and a Spicy Buffalo Wing flavour.

According to Ocado, the new peanut snack packs are selling for just £1.50.

To find your nearest M&S store visit their website and click Find your nearest store.

Put your postcode, or town or street name in and a list of local stores should come up.

It is also recommended to check in store and online product availability.