SHOPPERS are racing to Ocado to get their hands on a Christmas centre-piece scanning for £7.50 rather than £10.

The M&S Marks & Sparkle London Light Up Scented Candle has been hailed as the perfect winter goodie, especially with 15 per cent knocked off the price.

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With an iconic London scene printed on the glass jar and LEDs that light up when the wick is lit, it becomes the perfect centre-piece for any display.

The neroli, lime and bergamont infused candle has become a Christmas favourite with customers jumping to the M&S comment section to compliment it.

One user said: “This is not only a beautiful candle when lit but also when it’s not lit, it sparkles and has a beautiful fresh smell.”

Another added: “I bought it as a beautiful London themed momento, having received it it looks beautiful with a most attractive design in a perfect subtle colour and it smells gorgeous – can’t wait to display and light it up over the festive period.”

A third user responded: “Beautiful candle, really pretty when it’s lit up. Quite a delicate scent. Bought as a present and my friend loved it!”

You can get a hold of this candle directly from the M&S website or in store for £10.

But if you want to get £2.50 discount you can head over to Ocado where it’s 75 per cent of the original price.

Through the Ocado website you add the festive candle to your basked for £7.50.

If you don’t have an Ocado account you can sign up through the website and book a delivery slot that suits you.

First time customers can often receive a discount so make sure to check for voucher codes.

When using grocery delivery services like Ocado, there may be discounts and price drops at the checkout but keep in mind that there is often a charge for delivery.

The price will vary depending on the delivery option, which are one-hour delivery slots, next-day delivery, and same-day delivery.

M&S also has a delivery fee so remember to factor that in when checking out your Christmas treats.

The M&S Christmas room spray has also been getting a lot of love from shoppers.

For a sweet £6 this mandarin, clove and cinnamon room spray could elevate your festive experience.

Customers are saying it simply ‘screams Christmas.’

Another item that’s been flying off the shelves is The Magical Snowing Forest in M&S food halls, which has taken off on social media.

The chocolate box can come home with you for £15 and even has a charming snow-globe effect.

If this isn’t enough chocolate the Santa Chocolate Sleigh has been selling out fast as it’s only £5 a pop.

The tin sleigh holds individually wrapped milk chocolates inside a parcel bag that is a replica of Santa’s sleigh.

How to save money on Christmas shopping

Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.

Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.

Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.

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Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.

Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.

Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.

Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.

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Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.

They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.

MORTGAGE lenders have raced to slash their rates after the Bank of England cut interest rates to 4.75% this afternoon.

This move will immediately benefit thousands of mortgage customers with Halifax, Lloyds Bank, and Metro Bank, who will see a decrease in their repayment amounts.

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Plus, customers with Barclays, Coventry Building Society, Leeds Building Society, Nationwide, NatWest, Skipton, and Virgin Money can also expect changes in the coming days and weeks.

It comes after several lenders cut their fixed mortgage rates in anticipation of interest rates falling for the second time in four years.

For example, Santander and Accord mortgage cut their fixed-rates by up to 0.36%.

Earlier this afternoon, the Bank of England‘s (BoE) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut the base rate by 0.25 percentage points from 5% to 4.75%.

Lenders use the base rate to set their interest rates for savings and borrowing costs, including mortgages.

This reduction means millions of mortgage holders will see their bills decrease.

The central bank’s decision comes after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that inflation stood at 1.7% in September, well below the BoE’s 2% target.

Interest rates had previously risen from historic lows of 0.1% in December 2021, peaking at 5.25% in July 2023, as part of efforts to reduce inflation to the Bank’s target.

A fall in interest rates usually leads to a decrease in mortgage interest rates.

However, the reduction you’ll see depends on the type of home loan you have.

Those on tracker and standard variable rate (SVR) mortgages typically see an immediate change in payments.

A tracker mortgage is a type of variable mortgage where your monthly payments rise and fall in line with the Bank of England base rate.

With a tracker mortgage, you’ll usually pay the base rate plus an additional percentage in interest each month.

A standard variable rate mortgage is what you revert to once any initial mortgage term ends.

This rate will change in line with the base rate and is usually higher than any initial introductory rate.

There are currently 643,000 customers on tracker mortgages and 624,000 on SVRs.

TotallyMoney states that today’s 0.25% rate cut will immediately save homeowners £32 a month or £382 a year on the average tracker mortgage.

Those on fixed-rate mortgages won’t see any changes until their deals end and they take out a new one.

Even if your lender has cut rates, the date your repayments actually change will depend on when your payment is due.

We’ve listed all the lenders cutting mortgage rates below.

BARCLAYS

All of Barclays’ UK residential and buy-to-let mortgage products are fixed or otherwise track the BoE base rate.

Therefore, whenever the base rate goes up or down, customers on tracker rates will see their interest rate change accordingly.

If you’ve got a tracker or variable rate mortgage with Barclays, your mortgage rate will fall by 0.25% on December 1.

For new customers, the rates will be amended from November 8.

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

COVENTRY BUILDING SOCIETY

Following the Bank of England Base Rate change, all Coventry Building Society mortgages that track the Base Rate will automatically decrease by 0.25%.

This will take effect from 1 December.

The building society said that all the rates offered on its standard variable mortgages are currently under review.

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

HALIFAX

Where a customer has a mortgage that tracks the bank base rate, their rate will be cut with immediate effect in line with their terms and conditions.

The Halifax Homeowner Variable Rate (HVR), currently at 8.49%, will decrease by 25 basis points to 8.24%.

The Halifax Standard Variable Rate (SVR), currently at 8.49%, will also decrease by 25 basis points to 8.24%.

The changes to the SVR rates above will come into effect for existing customer accounts from December 1.

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

LLOYDS BANK

Where a customer has a mortgage that tracks the bank base rate, their rate will be cut with immediate effect in line with their terms and conditions.

The Lloyds Bank Homeowner Variable Rate, currently at 8.49% will decrease by 25 basis points to 8.24%.

The Lloyds Standard Variable Rate, currently at 7.00%, will decrease by 25 basis points to 6.75%.

The changes to the SVR rates above will come into effect for existing customer accounts from December 1.

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

METRO BANK

A Metro Bank spokesperson said: “In line with the Bank of England decreasing the base rate from 5% to 4.75% we’re updating all retail mortgage products that track the Bank of England base rate.

“We are confident that our wide range of mortgages continue to meet our customers’ needs but we encourage anyone who may be worried about their payments to get in touch to discuss their options.”

These changes have come into effect immediately and will be reflected in your next monthly payment on impacted accounts.

Metro Bank said it would formally confirm the changes on its website, and all impacted customers would receive communications about them over the next couple of days.

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

NATIONWIDE

Mortgage customers on Nationwide’s standard mortgage rate (SMR) will decrease by 25 basis points.

The new SMR of 7.49% will come into effect on December 1.

Rates on tracker mortgages held by existing customers automatically decrease when the Bank rate is cut, so these will decrease to reflect the Bank rate change from December 1. 

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

NATWEST

A NatWest spokesperson said: “Following the Bank of England base rate cut, we will be passing on the rate cut in full to our customers on a standard variable rate (SVR) mortgage.

“The SVR will be reduced from 7.99% to 7.74%, effective from December 1.

“SVR customers may also be able to save money by switching to one of our fixed-rate mortgages.”

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

SKIPTON BUILDING SOCIETY

Customers who have mortgages which track the Bank of England base rate will see their account interest rate change in line with their terms and conditions.

For most base rate tracker products, rates will be decreased no later than 14 days from today (November 7).

Skipton’s current, on sale base rate tracker mortgage products will continue to be available until 10pm on Sunday, November 10.

The new rates reflecting the 0.25% Bank of England base rate cut will be available from Monday, November 11.

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

VIRGIN MONEY

Virgin Money is writing to customers who have a mortgage directly linked to the Bank of England base rate to confirm their new monthly mortgage payment and interest rate.

Any new rates set will take effect from January 1.

The lender’s fixed-rate mortgages remain unchanged.

How to get the best deal on your mortgage

IF you’re looking for a traditional type of mortgage, getting the best rates depends entirely on what’s available at any given time.

There are several ways to land the best deal.

Usually the larger the deposit you have the lower the rate you can get.

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If you’re remortgaging and your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) has changed, you’ll get access to better rates than before.

Your LTV will go down if your outstanding mortgage is lower and/or your home’s value is higher.

A change to your credit score or a better salary could also help you access better rates.

And if you’re nearing the end of a fixed deal soon it’s worth looking for new deals now.

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You can lock in current deals sometimes up to six months before your current deal ends.

Leaving a fixed deal early will usually come with an early exit fee, so you want to avoid this extra cost.

But depending on the cost and how much you could save by switching versus sticking, it could be worth paying to leave the deal – but compare the costs first.

To find the best deal use a mortgage comparison tool to see what’s available.

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You can also go to a mortgage broker who can compare a much larger range of deals for you.

Some will charge an extra fee but there are plenty who give advice for free and get paid only on commission from the lender.

You’ll also need to factor in fees for the mortgage, though some have no fees at all.

You can add the fee – sometimes more than £1,000 – to the cost of the mortgage, but be aware that means you’ll pay interest on it and so will cost more in the long term.

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You can use a mortgage calculator to see how much you could borrow.

Remember you’ll have to pass the lender’s strict eligibility criteria too, which will include affordability checks and looking at your credit file.

You may also need to provide documents such as utility bills, proof of benefits, your last three month’s payslips, passports and bank statements.

HUNDREDS of pensioners are set to receive a cost of living payment voucher up to £120 on their doorstep.

For those who need a little bit of help this Christmas, the Household Support Fund offers some assistance to low income households.

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The Household Support Fund is worth £421million and aims to help with gas, electricity, and food during the winter months.

It’ll be split across local authorities that will individually decide who is eligible.

All households issued the support will be offered the vouchers automatically so there’s no need to reach out to the council.

Wakefield Council has set aside some money for pensioners receiving a council tax reduction but not pension credit.

They have recently released the conditions of their eligibility scheme.

To qualify for the voucher from this council you must live in Wakefiel,d be over the age of 16 and not living with family or friends, be responsible for the rent, receive a low income, and have no access to other public funds.

How much will I get?

For pensioners who still receive the Winter Fuel Allowance you should receive £80 worth of supermarket voucher.

This will be issued between November 6 and November 15.

If you are pensioner who no longer gets the Winter Fuel Allowance you could receive a supermarket voucher of £130.

The voucher should also arrive between November 6 and November 15.

For other households in receipt of Council Tax Support there should be £80 heading your way.

This will get to you between December 2 and December 11.

The vouchers should arrive within seven days with a set of instruction of how to redeem it.

What will the fund cover?

The aim of the fund is to support with rising living costs, especially for those who don’t receive other forms of support.

It’ll cover the costs of food, housekeeping and other essential bills like gas and electricity.

Items like clothing can be covered, including school uniforms, and beds and bedding.

It can’t be spent on non-urgent items, cash payments, mortgage costs, or rent.

What if I don’t live in Wakefield?

The Household Support Fund will be accessible all around the country.

The £421million fund budget will be spread across each council but each authority will decide its own eligibility.

Not all councils have published what they plan to do with the Household Support Fund budget yet.

If you’re keen to find out what support is available to you, you can contact your local council and ask if there is any help on offer.

For those unsure which council they should contact, you can find your council area by using the Government’s council locator tool via gov.uk.

The Sun recently shared a guide and interactive map to help you find out what you may be able to claim.

Other help on offer

You might be able to get some support from you energy firm if you haven’t receive a Household Support Fund voucher.

For example, British Gas is handing out up to £1,700 worth of grants to UK households.

This is through the company’s Individual and Families Fund and is accessible to people living in England, Scotland, and Wales – even if you’re not a British Gas customer.

To be eligible to get this support you must have been given help from a money advice agency in the last six months and .

You’ll also need to have not received a grant from The British Gas Energy in the last six months.

Other energy companies have their own support network for customers.

These include OVO, Boost, E.On, E.On Next, EDF, Scottish Power, Octopus, Shell Energy, SSE and Utilita.

How has the Household Support Fund evolved?

The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.

Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £421million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.

It was then extended in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a second time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.

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The DWP then confirmed a third extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.

Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fourth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.

In September 2024, the Government announced a fifth extension.

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NextGen Planners has announced that entrepreneur, author and speaker James Ashford has acquired an equity stake in the organisation.

This partnership will accelerate NextGen Planners’ mission to provide its community of financial professionals with enhanced tools and strategies for personal and business growth.

Ashford, known for founding GoProposal – a pricing software for accountants acquired by Sage in an eight-figure deal – brings significant expertise in business development, client engagement and profitable growth strategies.

He has experience in transforming the accounting industry, as well as being an advocate for the benefits of financial planning through his own personal story.

He will provide invaluable insights as NextGen Planners expands its offerings to financial planning professionals worldwide.

NextGen Planners chief executive Adam Carolan said: “James Ashford’s involvement marks a significant milestone for us, enabling us to reach new heights in supporting our members’ growth.

“James’s background in scaling companies and enhancing client value will empower our community with practical strategies for driving success in their businesses.”

This strategic partnership will provide NextGen Planners members access to high-impact growth resources, leveraging Ashford’s innovative methodologies for efficient pricing, business growth and client service enhancement.

A HIGH-STREET favourite is being forced to shut for good after 50 years, leaving customers feeling concerned for their town centre.

Steffans Jewellers, Northampton, has been forced to close after being a ‘class’ town centre jewellers for 48 years.

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The store on Abington Square will be saying its final goodbyes on November 9, with owner Steffan Suter gutted to see it go.

He said: “I was hoping to make it 50 years in Northampton but the town’s retail environment isn’t as good as it used to be.”

Steffan founded the jewellers in 1974 at 24-years-old was able to expand into the shop next door after 18 months.

When Steffan’s son, Wes Suter, was just nine he also began working in his fathers shop and is also sad to see it go.

The family said they tried their best to support Northampton but their ideas were turned down when suggesting ways to make the town centre more appealing to visitors.

Loyal customers of the jewellers have flocked to Facebook to voice their concerns over another high-street store being forced to close.

One wrote: “Another good retail outlet leaves our town. Revamping the market square will never attract shoppers to the centre, the Council needs to find a way to attract retailers back into Northampton.”

Another added: “Sad another class shop closings for good. Yet another bit of old Northampton is going.”

A third user said: “I went into Northampton last week for the first time in years. It’s awful – people sleeping in doorways, all banks and building societies in Abington St apart from Bonmarche.

“And the ‘new’ market square is in my opinion a total waste of the millions it cost! The money would have been better spent on accommodation for those sleeping in doorways!”

Northampton town centre Business Improvement District Mark Mullen backed the town centre revamp.

He said: “There is huge positivity around the new Market Square and with work due to complete soon on Abington Street and Fish Street, plus the arrival of Stack, the beginnings of a bright new era for Northampton town centre are starting to emerge”.

Unfortunately, Steffans Jewellers isn’t the first retailers to close in Northampton, with many other shops struggling with the reduction in footfall in town centres.

Fashion giant Next is closing after arriving in 2015, as well as a huge branch of the DIY retailer Homebase.

TGI Friday’s declared it would be shutting in Northampton and filed bankruptcy earlier this month.

It’s now closing 35 location in the UK with more than 1,000 staff losing their jobs.

Another well loved chain that has closed its doors for the last time is The Body Shop.

The Northampton branch started out in Peacock Way in 1981 and has been a key part of the high-street’s history.

A spokesperson from West Northamptonshire Council said they are saddened to hear about the closure of Steffans and acknowledge the significant role it has played in Northampton’s history.

They added: “As a council, we are committed to creating a vibrant environment where businesses can grow and succeed.

“Supporting our small business community is a key priority for the council.”

Thankfully, The Suter family has decided to set up shop 20 miles down the road in Market Harborough.

They are planning on opening this store as father and son after after Steffans Jewellers closes.

The Sun has reached out for Northampton Council for a comment.

Why are retailers closing shops?

EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.

The Sun’s business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.

In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.

Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.

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The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.

Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.

Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.

Boss Stuart Machin recently said that when it relocated a tired store in Chesterfield to a new big store in a retail park half a mile away, its sales in the area rose by 103 per cent.

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In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Wilko, Debenhams Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Paperchase to name a few.

What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.

They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.

Standard Life has completed £250m pension buy-ins with the Halma Group Pension Plan and the Apollo Pension and Life Assurance Plan.

The bulk purchase annuity transactions, finalised in September, secure benefits for 2,200 members.

The trustees, sponsors and their advisers collaborated closely with Standard Life to meet both plans’ de-risking objectives and secure the buy-ins, significantly reducing risk exposure for the plans and their members.

LCP acted as the lead transaction adviser to the trustee, with investment advice from Mercer and legal advice from Squires Patton Boggs.

Standard Life BPA transaction manager, Joe Haswell, said: “By collaborating closely with the Trustees, sponsors and their respective advisers, we are pleased to provide a secure home for the benefits for over 2,000 members.

“The plans came to market with clear objectives and well-prepared data and benefits, which laid the groundwork for an effective outcome.

“The BPA market continues to be busy, and as the end of the year fast approaches, solid preparation like this remains key to the efficient production of quotes in a competitive market.”

LCP partner David Fink added: “By running the two buy-in processes together, this helped the Trustees secure attractive pricing for both plans quickly and efficiently in the busy market.

“The increased scale of the combined transaction also meant the plans were able to optimise the secondary market sale for the plans’ illiquid assets.”