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Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Full list of Poundland stores shutting for good starting in DAYS as three more announced – is your local closing?
It brings the total number of Poundland stores closing to 24 BYE BYE Full list of Poundland stores shutting for good starting in DAYS as three more announced – is your local closing? POUNDLAND has announced it is shutting three more stores, with some branches set to close in just days. The discount branch will close stores in Inverclyde, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Scarborough, bringing the total number of confirmed closures this year to 24. Advertisement 1 Three more Poundland stores are set to shut with some closing in days Credit: Getty - Contributor The Stratford store on Bridge Street is set to close next week, on July 21, while the branch in Whitby, Scarborough will shut its doors on September 3. A total of 24 stores will shut once the remaining closures have taken place: Connswater Shopping Centre, Belfast – closed March 2024 Macclesfield – closed August, 2024 Maidenhead – closed October, 2024 Sutton Coldfield – closed October, 2024 Clapham Junction Station, London – closed May 2 Belle Vale Shopping Centre, Liverpool – closed May 6 St George's Centre, Gravesend – closed May 8 Southwark Park Road – closed May 14 Copdock Mill Interchange, Ipswich – closed May 20 Brackla, Wales – closed May 24 Chiswick High Road – closed May 28 Filton Abbeywood – closed May 31 Surrey Quays – closed June 11 Barrow Dalton Road - closed June 12 Union Gate, Bristol - closed June 20 Flint - closed June 21 Colchester - closed St Marks Place Newark - closing Telford - closing July 1 Stratford-upon-Avon - July 21 Newquay - closing on July 30 Cowes, Isle of Wight – closing July 30 Newquay - August 1 Pontypool - September 7 Advertisement Poundland is set to close up to 68 stores with a further 150 at risk of closure, separate to the shops mentioned above. The store expects its portfolio to reduce to around 650-700 stores compared to circa 800 sites it operates today. Last month, the chain was sold to investment firm Gordon Brothers for £1. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Advertisement Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scottish Sun
11-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Blow for UK economy as GDP falls 0.1% AGAIN – how it affects your wallet
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE UK economy shrank by more than expected in May, official figures reveal. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Gross Domestic Product (GDP) went down by 0.1% in May. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Official figures showing how the economy has performed were published today Credit: Getty Most economists had predicted a 0.1% increase in GDP. This is the second monthly fall in the size of the economy after it shrunk by 0.3% in April. Oil and gas extraction, car manufacturing and the pharmaceutical industry all contributed to the fall in production. But GDP still grew over the last three months as a whole, with signs that some earlier activity may have been brought forward to May from earlier in the year. Liz McKeown, director of economic statistics at the ONS, said: "The economy contracted slightly in May with notable falls in production and construction, only partially offset by growth in services. "However, across the latest three months as a whole, the economy still grew. "This reflected strength earlier in the year that resulted, in part, from some activity brought forward to February and March." The news comes after a scathing report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) which was published on Tuesday. In it, the OBR warned that spending, borrowing and the size of government debt were set to soar in the coming decades without a change in policy. It added that the country's public finances were on an "unstable" long term path and noted that the UK "cannot afford any of the promises it has made to the public." The report sent the British pound as low as 1.35 to the dollar on the same day, its lowest level since June 24. What it means for your money GDP measures the economic output of companies, individuals and governments. If it is rising steadily, but not too much, then it is a sign of a healthy economy. This is because it means people are spending more money, the Government earns more tax and workers get better pay rises. It also usually means lower inflation as companies don't have to push up their prices to cover shortfalls in their balance sheets. The Bank of England (BoE) also uses GDP and inflation as key indicators when setting its base rate. The base rate decides how much the BoE will charge banks to lend them money. It is also a way that the BoE can help to control inflation. Usually, when inflation is low, the BoE cuts interest rates to try to speed up the economy. The BoE cut rates in May from 4.5% to 4.25%. This was the fourth interest rate cut since 2020. The BoE is widely expected to cut interest rates twice more this year. But whether it will do so when it meets on August 7 will depend on inflation figures published next week. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scottish Sun
10-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Royal Mail gets go ahead for HUGE change to deliveries in massive shake-up
Read on to find out what the changes mean for you SENDING A MESSAGE Royal Mail gets go ahead for HUGE change to deliveries in massive shake-up Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Royal Mail has been given the green light to make a huge change to its deliveries in a blow to customers. The postal service has been told it can deliver second-class letters every other weekday and not on Saturdays to help cut costs, the industry regulator has said. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Royal Mail will make a huge change to second class deliveries Credit: Alamy Ofcom said that a reform to the Universal Service Obligation (USO) was needed as people are sending fewer letters each year. As a result stamp prices keep rising and the cost of delivering letters goes up. Under the current one-price-goes-everywhere USO, it means Royal Mail has to deliver post six days a week, from Monday to Saturday. It also must deliver parcels on five days - from Monday to Friday. The decision comes as part of proposals laid out by industry regulator Ofcom. Ofcom said Royal Mail should continue to deliver first-class letters six days a week but second class will be limited to alternate weekdays. Natalie Black, Ofcom's group director for networks and communications, said the changes are "in the best interest of consumers and businesses". She added: 'Urgent reform of the postal service is necessary to give it the best chance of survival. 'But changing Royal Mail's obligations alone won't guarantee a better service – the company now has to play its part and implement this effectively." She said that the regulator will make sure Royal Mail is clear with its customers about what is happening and pass the benefits of the changes on to them. She also added: 'As part of this process, we've been listening to concerns about increases in stamp prices. So we've launched a review of affordability and plan to publicly consult on this next year.' Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scottish Sun
02-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
New state pension age revealed unless the triple lock is scrapped
We reveal how much the full new state pension is below RETIREMENT PAIN New state pension age revealed unless the triple lock is scrapped Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOUSEHOLDS face working for years longer unless the pension triple lock is scrapped, according to a new report. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has revealed the state pension age would have to rise to 74 to fund the government policy. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The state pension is currently worth up to almost £12,000 a year Credit: Alamy The triple lock sees the state pension rise by whatever is highest out of wages, inflation or 2.5%. It saw the state pension rise by 4.1% for millions in April meaning the full new amount is worth £11,973. However, in a new report, the IFS said the state pension age would need to rise to fund the policy and not put added pressure on poor households, from 66 currently to up to 74. The report said: "Increases in the state pension age required to keep spending on the state pension below a certain level of national income would have to be substantial. '[Official] modelling shows that to keep public spending on the state pension below 6% of national income while retaining the triple lock, the state pension age would have to rise to 69 by 2049 and 74 by 2069." Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to keep the triple lock until 2029. But the IFS said the policy will cost taxpayers up to £40billion a year and force younger households to work longer. It is suggesting introducing a double lock instead linking increases in payments to wages or inflation as a more sustainable policy. Paul Johnson, director of IFS, said: "There is much to celebrate about the current UK pensions system. "The current generation of retirees is, on average, doing much better than any previous generation. "Pensioner poverty is way down on the very high levels in the 1970s and 1980s, and is indeed below that for other demographic groups. "The state pension has been simplified and is now much more generous to many women than in the past. "Many more employees have been brought into workplace pensions by the successful roll-out of automatic enrolment." Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scottish Sun
28-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
I have a repair policy with Currys but it will not fix my fridge freezer – now I'm £360 out of pocket
Got money problems? We can help fight for your cash back or challenge the way firms operate. Email money@ ASK ADELE I have a repair policy with Currys but it will not fix my fridge freezer – now I'm £360 out of pocket Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Q. I PAY £36 a year for my Currys Care and Repair plan for my fridge freezer. The policy says that if my fridge stops working Currys will come and fix it within seven days, if not, I could get a replacement. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Consumer Champion Adele Cooke solves your money issues In October, my fridge developed a fault and would not keep my food cold. I called Currys and it sent an engineer to check what was causing the issue. After a few days I called Currys again and a man came to my home to fix my fridge. He said it couldn't be fixed so Curry would send me a new one. But I haven't heard anything from them since. I really needed a working fridge so I contacted another company. I paid £360 for a new fridge freezer, which was delivered the next day. I've wasted £36 and am now hundreds of pounds out of pocket. Can you help? Kathryn Cudmore, Lincolnshire. A. Your plan with Currys promised care and repair but you received neither when your fridge unexpectedly stopped working. I was disappointed to hear that Currys had fallen below its usually high standards. The Care and Repair policy promises breakdown support when you need it. Once you have signed up you should be able to contact Currys as soon as a device breaks. The company is so confident in its ability that if it takes more than a week to repair your appliance then you can get a replacement for free. Meanwhile, if the device can't be repaired then Currys will give you a gift card so you can get a new one. This is what you were told when the repair man came to your house. Despite these promises Currys left you out in the cold - which was more than could be said for your fridge freezer. I wanted to get your issue resolved as soon as possible so I put your case to Currys. A spokesperson apologised and said it was not the level of service Currys prides itself on. You have been sent a cheque for £333.32, which includes the value of the voucher, refund for your policy, original delivery, installation charges and the cost to recycle the old product. I am so glad the money is back with you. It is always worth complaining to a company if its service falls below the levels you were promised. Make a note of the date and time you made any calls to a company's customer service. You should also save any letters or emails you receive to use as evidence. Squeeze Team total: £223,150. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
