Selectra UK News
The Selectra UK editorial team tracks the news, changes and innovations across the energy, telecoms, insurance and money markets, and explains what each one means for your household budget.
Front page
The feed
Hosepipe ban: the double blow for the four in ten homes with no water meter
Green walls: how many degrees they really take off your home
Hosepipe ban: the households allowed to ignore it, and how to join them
The buried pipe that cools your home using the ground, almost without electricity
How long will the heatwave last? What the forecast says about the August heat
Petrol v electric under a thermal camera: efficiency made visible
Is cooling your home cheaper and greener than heating it? The numbers might surprise you
Hosepipe ban: what you can't do in the garden or with your pool this summer
Car air conditioning: the recirculation button that cools faster and uses less fuel
Is a reversible heat pump just an air conditioner? What it really means for your bills
Ceiling fans: how many degrees cooler they really feel, and what a day of use costs
Why trains slow down in a heatwave: the truth about buckling rails
Solar panels in the heatwave: why the hottest days generate less power, not more
The no-cost trick that keeps your home cool for hours without the air-con on
The air conditioner with no outdoor unit: the flat-friendly fix that comes with a catch
Leaving the air con on all day: does keeping it running really save you money?
The one number on your air-con remote that quietly runs up the bill
Your air conditioner is making free water in this heat, and most of it is wasted
Buy an air conditioner now or wait until September? The maths most people never do
Can you refuse to work when it's too hot? What the law really says as the heat returns
Heatwave: 4 cooling habits that have no effect (and the one costing you £188 a month)
No aircon? 5 tricks from the world's hottest countries to cool your home for free
No air conditioning? The viral method to build your own «DIY aircon» for £7
Dyson vs a £30 fan: the difference that justifies (or doesn't) ten times the price
What the Selectra newsroom covers
Selectra helps people across the UK compare and cut the cost of the services every home relies on: gas and electricity, broadband and mobile, home, car and travel insurance, and the bank accounts and money tools that sit behind them. Our editorial team writes about the news that moves those markets, from a fresh Ofgem price cap announcement to a change in insurance regulation or a new government support scheme.
The aim is always practical. Markets like energy and insurance are full of jargon and moving parts, and a single rule change can quietly add or remove pounds from your monthly outgoings. We break those stories down into plain English, explain who is affected and, wherever possible, point you to the action that saves money, whether that is switching tariff, claiming a rebate or simply shopping around at renewal.
Following the stories that change your bills
The energy crisis of recent years showed how quickly a wholesale price move can reach the kitchen table. When gas prices surged, the Ofgem price cap climbed with them, fixed deals disappeared and millions of households were moved onto pricey default tariffs. Understanding why prices rise, and where help such as the Warm Home Discount or the Household Support Fund applies, is the difference between absorbing an increase and doing something about it.
The same is true elsewhere. In insurance, a change to the rules on renewal pricing reshaped how much loyal customers pay. In broadband and mobile, annual mid-contract price rises and the end of a discount period are the moments to compare and haggle. Our news section exists to flag those turning points and to link you straight to the guides and comparison tools that turn a headline into a saving.