WATER giants want to flush out even more cash from hard-pressed customers by adding another £100 to bills over five years.

The biggest suppliers in England and Wales say they need price rises above the levels they have already asked for, despite the regulator telling them that even those amounts were too high.

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In July, Ofwat said bills could go up by an average of £94 in the period up to 2030 — a 21 per cent hike, typically working out at an extra £19 a year.

But most companies have now submitted new plans, saying they need to cover urgent investment to cut sewage spills and combat leaky pipes, as well as higher debt interest costs.

It emerged as one provider, United Utilities, was yesterday accused of failing to report more than 100million litres of raw sewage being illegally dumped into Lake Windermere over a three-year period.

Southern Water has already asked to lift bills by 72 per cent from £420.35 a year to £627 a year. Ofwat said in July this should be limited to 44 per cent, but now bosses want more.

Troubled Thames Water says it needs to raise bills by 59 per cent to survive, but Ofwat wants a limit of 23 per cent.

Thames creditors argue that unless Ofwat approves the bigger rise, investors will desert the business and it could run out of cash by the New Year.

They say that could create a domino effect, causing an overall lack of appetite to invest in UK infrastructure.

Family’s back at N Brown

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THE fashion group behind Jacamo, JD Williams and Simply Be is being taken private in a £191million deal by the family that built the business up 60 years ago.

Joshua Alliance is to pay 40p per share for the 40 per cent of the N Brown Group that his family does not already own.

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has 20 per cent and will make a sizeable profit after upping its stake in February when the shares were sitting at only 18p.

The stock price of N Brown, which recently called on TV’s Denise van Outen to front JD Williams adverts, jumped by 45 per cent yesterday on the back of the bid.

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Mr Alliance, 35, has a 6.6 per cent stake while his father, 92-year-old Lord David Alliance, who bought the business in 1963, has 53.4 per cent.

Lord David was once known as the King of British Textile for his empire that included Coats Viyella.

 He started his career working in bazaars in Iran before moving to Manchester to work in the rag trade.

Joshua Alliance said N Brown would be better off in private hands because, due to its current shareholder ownership, it is “not benefiting from being listed on the AIM market — whilst having to bear significant costs associated with its listing”.

He said: “In the business’s current cycle of evolution, we will be able to achieve this growth potential more successfully away from the public markets.”

Taking a break in revenue

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KITKAT maker Nestle has halved its growth expectations for the year after blaming weaker demand and boycotts linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

The world’s biggest food group said its sales would grow by around 2 per cent this year, rather than the 4 per cent expectation it had at the start of the year.

It said its growth was impacted by “soft consumer demand and consumer hesitancy towards global brands, linked to geopolitical tension”.

 The cost of living crisis has also prompted many shoppers to turn their back on many big brands, which have raised prices and shrunk packets to boost their profits.

The Swiss food giant follows global giants Starbucks and McDonald’s in being impacted by boycotts linked to the conflict in Gaza.

Nestle has become a target for the boycott due to its stake in Israeli food seller Osem.

Buy now, pay safer

SHOPPERS will be protected by new rules around “Buy Now, Pay Later” firms, the City watchdog has confirmed.

Regulation around BNPL products, such as Klarna and Clearpay, will finally kick in by early 2026, the Financial Conduct Authority has said.

Proposals to regulate BNPL were first touted in 2021. The new rules will mean firms must follow the same laws covering credit cards and customers will be protected if things go wrong.

30 fired at Meta

FACEBOOK’S Mark Zuckerberg has fired almost 30 workers on six-figure salaries for using meal credits to buy goods such as wine glasses.

Staff at Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, were being paid £300,000 but still received perks including free meal vouchers to buy breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A probe found the sacked workers had used them to buy toothpaste and cosmetics.

Meta, worth £1.1trillion, has led an efficiency drive which has included 21,000 lay-offs in the past two years.

THE boss of Ladbrokes owner Entain has lifted its profit forecasts after a boost from the recent Euros and NFL matches. But Gavin Isaacs yesterday also warned the Government that a tax grab on the gambling ­sector would lead to job losses.

£571M in scams

BRITS had more than £571million stolen by fraudsters and scammers in the first six months of the year.

There were almost 2,000 cases of romance scams, with customers losing £14.5million, says UK Finance data.

Criminals posing as bank staff or police stole £32.3million, while fraudsters pretending to be bosses to trick victims into transferring cash led to a £7.8million loss.

Banks are calling on social media firms to help tackle scammers at source because most fraud starts online.

TESCO has announced its Christmas 2024 meal deal range and four fan favourites will return to its aisles in just days.

The retail giant has confirmed that a total of eight new mains and sides will join the lineup in stores and online from October 21.

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Tesco Clubcard members can nab a festive main, snack and drink for a measly £3.60.

The supermarket has something for everyone – with options catering to meat-eaters and veggies alike.

Sarnies making their debut in the range include Tesco’s new Christmas Cracking Currywurst Sub – available for a £3.00 on its own, making this meal deal a stellar saver.

The festive sandwich is filled with juicy pork sausage, smoky caramelised onions and tangy curry ketchup, wrapped into an egg-glazed sub roll. 

For £3.25, the new Ho-Ho-Hog Wrap comes with low-cooked pulled pork seasoned with fennel and garlic.

It’s paired with rosemary gravy mayo and a crunchy apple slaw and wrapped in a tortilla.

Veggies can enjoy the new Plant Chef Christmas Veg Fest Wrap for just £3.

It features roasted carrots, parsnips, and spiced red cabbage, topped with vegan gravy mayo and is tucked inside a spinach tortilla.

The supermarket has also kept gluten-free eaters in mind with their new Gluten Free Festive Chicken & Trimmings sandwich for £3.40. 

It pairs tender chicken breast, layered with pork, sage and onion stuffing mayo, cranberry sauce between two slices of seeded gluten-free bread. 

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But that’s not all – some popular products are returning to the festive meal deal range, including the likes of Tesco Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich, priced at £3.40.

This sandwich is packed with turkey breast, sausage, sage and onion stuffing, and beechwood smoked bacon and is layered with mayo and cranberry sauce, served on slices of malted bread.

And Clubcard members can get three premium mains as part of its Christmas Meal Deal range for just a fiver.

The Tesco Finest side comes complete with a side and a choice of drink, like regular meal deals.

The first premium main is the Chicken & Bacon Wrap with Gravy Mayonnaise Dip, setting shoppers back £4.25 on its own.

It contains chargrilled chicken breast and maple-cured bacon which is paired with a tangy cranberry chilli chutney and wrapped in a soft, bar-marked tortilla.

The second main to join the lineup is the £4.50 Festive Chicken, Bacon & Stuffing Mayo Baguette which comes with chicken breast, beechwood smoked bacon, sage and onion stuffing mayo, and cranberry sauce.

The third and final premium main is the £4.25 Tesco Finest Turkey BLT that’s inspired by New York delis.

It features pastrami-style turkey, maple-cured bacon, Emmental cheese, and tangy gherkin mayo, all served on rye and caraway bread.

Tesco has also launched snacks for just £1.50 a pop, with two new treats for shoppers to feast on.

The Mini Christmas Bangers with Gravy Mayo Dip are made from pork, apple, and cranberry and served with a rich sage and black pepper mayo dip on the side for a herby, festive finish.

The Christmassy Chicken Bites with Festive Cranberry Dip feature tender chicken bites seasoned with stuffing and accompanied by with a zesty cranberry dip.

But two meal deal snacks will be returning – including Tesco Mini Pork Pies and Tesco Pig in Blanket Sausage Rolls.

The pair of mini pork pies feature seasoned cured pork, sweetened dried cranberries, and cranberry sauce wrapped in a crisp hot water crust pastry.

Meanwhile, the Pig in Blanket Sausage Rolls include pork sausage meat wrapped in smoked bacon and encased in flaky puff pastry and sage and onion seasoning.

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THE annual festive hiring spree is officially in full swing, with another 40,000 Christmas temp jobs up for grabs this week.

Seasonal positions are a great way to test out different sectors and to see if it’s an area you would like work in longer term.

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Taking on an unconventional temp job will help you develop a new skillset, build your network and make your CV stand out when you apply for jobs in the future.

This week Sunemployment brings you some of the most unusual festive jobs on offer . . .

Warwick Castle needs 15 ice rink hosts and two ice rink team leaders. Apply at ­merlincareers.com.

Posh baker Cutter & Squidge has just launched in John Lewis and is hiring 30 more staff to meet demand for luxury Christmas hampers and cakes.

Co-founder Emily Lui said: “We hire on a combination of positive attitude and energy rather than a whole host of qualifications.

“Oh, and a love of cake also goes a long way too!”

Apply at cutterandsquidge.com.

Have you got what it takes to work in a Christmas grotto?

Great Grottos is recruiting for elves, grotto managers and Santas at greatgrottos.co.uk.

Full training is given but Santas must be aged at least 28. Full and part-time positions available and wages are paid every fortnight.

If you’re a dab hand at ensuring presents look perfect, most major department stores are searching for in-store Christmas gift wrappers.

See jobsearch.selfridges.com, harrodscareers.com and janemeans.com/pages/gift-wrapping-jobs.

Love a Christmas selection box? Then apply to Cadbury World.

The Birmingham attraction is hiring six retail hosts to refill shelves and help on the tills, plus 13 chocolate demonstrators, with the possibility of a permanent job.

Carmen Martin-Smith joined Cadbury World as a festive chocolate-making temp and now works as a permanent chocolate creator.

Carmen, 32, from King’s Norton, Birmingham, said: “I didn’t know a chocolate creator was even a career choice until I started at Cadbury World.

“It’s not like any other job. I love getting creative and I even train new colleagues how to make the handmade items.

“I only have to say my job title is Cadbury World chocolate creator and people are always interested in what it involves.

“If you are thinking of applying for an unusual Christmas job I would say definitely, give it a go.

“Plus, I get to work with chocolate every day, and who wouldn’t want that?”

Gerrard Baldwin, general manager at Cadbury World, said: “Our colleagues play such an important role in delivering the magic of Christmas.”

A SUPER ROLE FOR TEMPS

FOR a super seasonal job, try your local supermarket.

They are among the biggest recruiters of festive temp staff, and this year Tesco is taking on 26,000 Christmas helpers.

Positions are available in the retail giant’s superstores and Extra shops, packing for online deliveries and in store replenishment.

Alexandra Brown, group people services director, said: “We’re looking for people who enjoy working as part of a team and are prepared to go that extra mile to help our customers.”

Jay Styles started as a festive temp but is now a permanent staff member on the checkouts at Tesco’s Hednesford store, in Cannock Chase, Staffs.

Jay said: “Growing up with autism, I found socialising really difficult and never fitted in. I also suffered from low self-esteem and confidence.

“Once I started working at Tesco I felt my confidence grow and I have much more faith in my abilities.

“I was made permanent after my role as a Christmas festive colleague and received great feedback from customers.

“I always feel supported by Tesco and the management team and would highly recommend Tesco as a great place to work.”

Apply at tesco-careers.com/festive.

ALDI is hiring 3,500 store staff at aldirecruitment.co.uk, with pay rates from £12.40 per hour.

MORRISONS needs 3,000 extra people to work across its stores, food manufacturing sites and logistics operations. See morrisons.jobs. 

The Co-op also needs 400 new staff. See jobs.coop.co.uk.

IT’S NOT JUST FOR XMAS…

EACH year, around one in five festive temps gets an extra present in the shape of a permanent job at their Christmas employer.

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If you’d like to turn your seasonal post into a serious career, try this Santa’s sackful of tips, from Department for Work and Pensions work coaches.

ASK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES: Enjoying your job? Let your manager know you are keen to stay on with the company. If you see a suitable vacancy, apply while you are still working there.

HAVE A CAN-DO ATTITUDE: Approach every task with positivity. Even when the role may be difficult, show determination to get it done well.

BE A TEAM PLAYER: Consider what tasks need to be done by your department and how you can add value.

BE PROACTIVE: When you have finished a task, ask your manager or colleagues if there is anything else you can do to help.

ASK FOR FEEDBACK: Requesting this from your colleagues and your manager will show you have a desire to improve and that you are thinking long-term on how you can develop personally but also within the team.

SHOW YOUR POTENTIAL: Ask if you can shadow colleagues in departments of interest and use it as a work experience exercise.

GET PARCELS WHERE THEY NEED TO GO

IT’S not just Father Christmas who busily needs helpers at this time of year.

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Logistics firms have thousands of jobs on offer to deliver gifts and parcels across the nation.

DPD is taking on 200 warehouse operatives and drivers (3.5t, 7.5t and Class 1), on fixed-term contracts. See jobs.dpd.co.uk.

There are also 1,000 jobs for self-employed, permanent owner drivers at drivers.dpd.co.uk/apply.

GXO needs 1,500 staff, including warehouse operatives, forklift and HGV drivers. See jobs.gxo.com. Eddie Stobart has more than 100 driver vacancies.

Email your CV to careers@eddiestobart.com.

EVRI needs 5,000 self-employed couriers, with working patterns right across the seven days of the week.

Gary Robinson, director of couriers, said: “As we head into our busiest time of year, we have lots of vacancies for those seeking a role that puts them in control of setting their own workload, with opportunities spanning beyond Christmas.”

See beacourier.co.uk.

CADBURY fans are over the moon after the chocolate giant brought back iconic treats just in time for Christmas.

The Mini Snowballs range has now returned to supermarket shelves – and the festive treats are proving a massive hit.

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The range includes an 80g and 270g bag of Mini Snowballs, which retails from £1.50 and £4.25 respectively.

Cadbury are also selling a 110g Mini Snowballs bar, retailing from £1.50.

The chocolate giant announced the return of the seasonal treats on Instagram on October 9 with a video of fans excitedly rushing to their local Sainsbury’s store to snap up the treat.

The caption read: “PSA: Cadbury Snowballs have hit the shelves! Is it too soon, or are we just getting a head start on the Christmas magic?”

Ecstatic fans took to the comments to weigh in with their opnions after the treat “finally” made a comeback.

One wrote: “Yay! My favourite! Even better than mini eggs.”

Another said: “We have been waiting since last Christmas!”

A happy third added: “I’ve eaten 3 packets already. They’re the best.”

Made with sustainably sourced cocoa, the Mini Snowballs bag contains Cadbury milk chocolate balls wrapped in a crisp sugar shell with a dusting of icing sugar.

Meanwhile, the Mini Snowballs bar contains chocolate with mini snowballs inclusions.

The products are currently available to purchase at major retailers across the UK, including Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. 

As Christmas becomes more expensive with each passing year, some punters may now have the perfect solution to rising food costs.

That includes your festive-favourite chocolates, which are always popular with shoppers at this time of year.

It’s always a good idea to shop around to make sure you can find the best deals.

There are plenty of comparison websites out there that’ll check prices for you – so don’t be left paying more than you have to.

Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers.

Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web.

Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results.

Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and supermarkets.

Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock.

Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers.

All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one.

SHOPPERS cry “it’s a dreadful shame” as a major high street chain announces the closure of its town centre store.

The store, based in the Welsh town of Rhyl, has revealed its exact closure date.

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On February 15, 2025, WHSmith’s on Rhyl High Street will close for good.

As reported by North Wales Live, the stationary giant revealed the store was “no longer sustainable”.

A WHSmith spokesperson said: “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Rhyl will be closing on Saturday 15 February 2025.

“It is no longer sustainable to continue to trade from this location and the decision has been taken to close the store as a result of the forthcoming lease expiry.

“We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Rhyl and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us.

“We are also extremely grateful for the commitment of our in store colleagues who we will support with this transition and redeploy to nearby stores, where possible.”

Over the past few years various WHSmith stores in the region have too, sadly closed.

Such as in Colwyn Bay and one in Bangor.

Many unhappy shoppers took to social media to share their woes in response to the closure in Rhyl.

One said: “It’s a dreadful shame was has happened to the High Street, they should never have taken Marks and Spencer’s to Prestatyn it’s buzzing there. Disgraceful!”

A second said: “Awww lovely memories of going upstairs to browse all the books. Rhyl is turning into a sad place.”

And a third said: “Spent many a happy Friday afternoon in there while my Grandkids picked their books so sad to see this.”

While a fourth commented: “Such a shame. Rhyl high street is ruined.”

And then a fifth said: “Everything is going from Rhyl. The last time I was there I wash shocked at the changes and non seem to be for the better.”

The Facebook post has in fact racked up 72 likes and hundreds of comments.

This closure comes after it was revealed WHSmith’s in March, Cambridgeshire will also shut down in January 2025.

Again, many people took to Facebook to express their frustration with the closure and the state of the town’s high street.

One user said: “I knew this would happen. God, our high street is dying…all That work seems like such a massive waste.

“And on top of that, more jobs going. I hope all the staff find work ASAP.”

Another said: “Shame as some books and mags will have to be bought online now.

“Mind you almost always empty when I’ve been in there.”

In the past 11 months, as many as nine WHSmith stores in the UK have closed.

They include:

• Crewe, Cheshire – March, 2023
• Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire – March, 2023
• Bicester, Oxfordshire – August, 2023
• Manchester – December 2, 2023
• Alfreton, Derbyshire – January, 2024
• Ramsgate, Kent – January, 2024
• Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland – February, 2024
• Nantwich, South Cheshire – February, 2024
• Margate, Kent – April 20, 2024

WHSmith also confirmed it is “regrettably” closing its store in Street, Somerset, early next year.

KLARNA has revealed a major change to its famous buy now, pay later scheme.

From today, British and American Apple users can use the savvy AI-powered shopping tool through Apple Pay when placing an order.

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Customers can check out with Apple Pay online and through apps if they have iPhones with iOS 18 or later or iPads with iPadOS 18 or later.

Shoppers will have access to Klarna’s flexible payment offerings, including pay later in three or four instalments with no interest or over longer periods with APRs starting at 0%.

Klarna is set to launch the same feature in Canada within the next few months as part of a global expansion.

Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Co-founder and CEO of Klarna, said: “Consumers around the world have been asking for Klarna on Apple Pay, so I’m super proud to let them know it’s here!

“Our fair, flexible and interest-free payments options are now even easier to use at your favourite merchants when checking out on Apple Pay online and in apps in the US, UK, and soon Canada. 

“This is a big step toward our mission to offer consumers Klarna at every checkout.”

Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, added: “We’re excited to give users in the US and UK more choice in how they pay with the addition of Klarna’s flexible payment options right at checkout on Apple Pay.

“With this rollout, users have the option to pay for purchases over time, and they get to enjoy the seamless and secure experience of Apple Pay that they already know and love.”

The new integration hopes to make flexible payment options more accessible so Klarna purchases can be made directly on an iPhone or iPad, in app and online with Apple Pay.

All eligible users need to do is select Other Cards & Pay Later Options when they check out on Apple Pay with an iPhone or iPad.

Then they must select Klarna to access the Klarna products that are available to them.

Once they agree to the terms, they can double click the side button and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID to confirm their purchase.

Before approving the purchase, Klarna will make a new lending decision, using its industry-leading underwriting checks.

This decision will not impact a customers’ credit score.

With this handy integration, users can enjoy all the privacy and security features they love about Apple Pay.

As with all Apple Pay purchases, when a user pays with Klarna, Apple does not keep a record of a user’s transaction history.

Klarna clarifies that loans are not offered by Apple and the feature may not be available for all types of purchases, such as subscriptions and recurring transactions.

And while it’s available with Apple Pay online and in apps, via suitable iPhones or iPads, it is not available in-store.

Since last month, US-based customers have been able to purchase Apple products using flexible payment options on Klarna.com and Apple from Klarna, a storefront in the Klarna app.

With 85 million active consumers, Klarna is the biggest global buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider in the world.

Earlier today we revealed that changes to BNPL rules to protect shoppers are set to kick in within months under major new plans by the government.

The new Labour government has confirmed that it intends to legislate to bring the BNPL sector under the City watchdog’s rule by early 2025.

This would mean the regulation would come into effect in early 2026.

Proposals to regulate BNPL products were first touted in 2021, but have been repeatedly delayed.

We revealed earlier this year that the previous government had shelved the plans over fears that it would drive BNPL firms out of the market during a cost of living crisis.

But the lack of regulation around BNPL is bad news for shoppers as it means these firms don’t have to follow the same rules as major credit lenders and customers aren’t protected if things go wrong.

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How to get free debt help

There are several groups which can help you with your problem debts for free.

• Citizens Advice – 0800 144 8848 (England) / 0800 702 2020 (Wales)
• StepChange – 0800138 1111
• National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
• Debt Advice Foundation – 0800 043 4050

You can also find information about Debt Management Plans (DMP) and Individual Voluntary Agreements (IVA) by visiting MoneyHelper.org.uk or Gov.UK.

Speak to one of these organisations – don’t be tempted to use a claims management firm.

They say they can write off lots of your debt in return for a large upfront fee.

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But there are other options where you don’t need to pay.