Disputed Wills, Energy Bills, Selling Your Property

We discuss how the conflict in the Middle East is set to impact our everyday costs, including household energy bills and fuel prices.

It is one of the most difficult things to deal with at a painful time in someone’s life, but disputes around wills and inheritance are increasing. In 2024, the High Court dealt with over 100 more cases of disputed wills than it did in 2016 – and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. According to the Ministry of Justice, around 11,000 cases are settled outside of court each year, up from 7,000 before the pandemic.

The number of drive-throughs in the UK has increased by around 270 in the last two years, according to market researchers Meaningful Vision. It takes the total to more than 2700. A lot of this has been driven by the expansion of new American fast food chains, as well as high-street giant Greggs entering the sector. It isn’t just fast food either, drive through coffee shops are growing too. So, what’s behind this boom in popularity?

It’s not an easy time to sell your house right now. At the beginning of the year, Zoopla found that the average estate agent had 32 homes to sell, which is the highest number for eight years. It's further compounded by the fact that there are fewer people trying to buy right now than before. We’ll hear some of the creative solutions that homeowners are using to sell their properties.

According to Crimestoppers, there were almost 14,000 reports of energy theft last year across Great Britain. This is 9% more than 2024 and almost double the number in 2021. Why is this happening and how can you spot it?