Articles by Alex Nelson

Clean Energy Jobs Plan: new UK jobs and careers in renewable energy coming with £50k salaries - how to apply

A new government plan is opening up high-paying, secure careers for workers 🔋

National Lottery unclaimed prizes: latest unclaimed UK Lotto, EuroMillions winnings - check tickets, results

Millions in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed each year because winners don’t realise they’ve wonTickets are often forgotten in drawers, pockets, or unopened emails, leaving prizes waitingLottery winnings can be claimed in-store, online, or by phone, depending on the prize amountJoining lottery syndicates online can boost your chances of winning without spending moreMajor unclaimed prizes include Lotto and EuroMillions jackpots worth over £1 million each Each year, millions of pounds in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed; not because the money vanishes, but because winners don’t realise they’ve struck lucky. Life-changing tickets are often forgotten: tucked in a jacket pocket, buried in a drawer, or lost in an unopened email. Meanwhile, the winnings sit waiting for their rightful owner. One of those unclaimed prizes could be yours. With several major jackpots still waiting to be claimed, even a single overlooked ticket might change your life. Take a moment to check the list below. How long do National Lottery winners have to claim their prize? Winning lottery ticket holders have 180 days (approximately six months) from the draw date to claim the prize. If no valid claim is made within the deadline, the prize money - along with any interest it accrues - goes towards funding National Lottery Projects across the UK. How can National Lottery winnings be claimed? Prize winnings of £500 and under can be claimed in store from a National Lottery retailer - that is, an authorised store or outlet where you can purchase lottery tickets, like newsagents, supermarkets, and petrol stations. Prizes over £500 and up to and including £50,000 can be claimed online. For prizes over £50,000, and monthly prize winnings (Set For Life), winning ticket holders should call the National Lottery on 0333 234 50 50 to confirm and arrange the winning claim. If your ticket has been damaged or destroyed, you still may be able to make a valid claim, however, an appeal should be filed within 30 days of the draw date. Details on the information you would need to provide can be found on the National Lottery website. How to increase your chances of winning the lottery Let’s be honest: hitting the jackpot isn’t easy. The odds are slim, but there are ways to improve your chances and spend less money while pursuing that life-changing prize. Lottery syndicates have been popular for as long as the draws themselves - and for good reason. By pooling resources with others, you can boost your odds of winning. Sure, you’ll have to share the prize, but when it’s a £100 million EuroMillions jackpot, does that really matter? This is the clever ethos behind Lotto Social, an online syndicate anyone can join in. Not everyone will have a syndicate at work, or in a pub, or a sports club, so this opens the opportunities up to the wider public. With its simple online platform, Lotto Social unlocks far more opportunities for wins, whether they are big wins or small wins, by increasing the number of entries you're getting. It’s completely free to join, so you're in control of how much you're spending, and you choose the syndicates you join, and the prizes you're hoping for. You can even opt in to international lotteries to increase your chances of a win even further. At a glance: How to increase your chances of winning the lottery 💷 Current unclaimed National Lottery prizes Lotto - £1m Someone became a millionaire in the May 24 Lotto draw with the numbers 9, 12, 13, 26, 38, 40, (Bonus 4) — but they haven’t come forward yet. The winning ticket was bought in Birmingham, and the prize must be claimed by November 20. EuroMillions - £1m A EuroMillions prize from the August 15 draw is still unclaimed. The winning ticket was bought in Birmingham, and the lucky ticket-holder has until February 11, 2026 to come forward and claim their prize. Lotto - £10,633,323 A second person became a millionaire in the October 4 Lotto draw with the numbers 6, 8, 12, 33, 49, 59 (Bonus 42) — but they also haven’t come forward yet. The winning ticket was bought in the London Borough of Bexley, and the prize must be claimed by April 2, 2026. Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at yourworld.net/submit. It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.

3 days ago

Technology

Poundstretcher: free £10 vouchers with bargains retailer's weekend Halloween event - how to get one near me

Poundstretcher is giving away free £10 vouchers to shoppers this weekend across the UKThe Mega Halloween Giveaway runs on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26 in all storesOne shopper will be chosen at random every hour at the tills to win a £10 voucherStaff will be dressing up and stores stocked with Halloween items starting from 99pThe retailer says the giveaway is a fun way to thank customers and celebrate Halloween Savvy shoppers heading to one bargain chain this weekend could be in for a Halloween treat, with the retailer set to hand out free £10 vouchers in stores across the UK. Poundstretcher is running its Mega Halloween Giveaway on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26, with lucky customers randomly chosen at the tills to receive a £10 voucher. Winners will be announced through the in-store radio every hour during opening times, giving shoppers multiple chances to snag some free spending money. Poundstretcher said the event has been “scarily popular” in previous years, and is bringing it back to mark Halloween 2025 in style. Chief executive Andy Atkinson said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing back our Mega Halloween Giveaway. It’s a fantastic way to thank our customers, spread some fun, and give people even more value when they shop with us.” The retailer has also gone all-in on spooky season, with staff dressing up in Halloween costumes throughout the weekend and stores stocked with hundreds of themed products — many starting from just 99p. Shoppers can expect shelves full of affordable Halloween essentials, from Eyeball Lollies and Zombie Brains sweets to Glow-in-the-Dark Skull Masks and Spooky Gel Window Stickers. How to get a Poundstretcher voucher To be in with a chance of winning one of the £10 vouchers, customers simply need to make a purchase in-store during the giveaway weekend. Each hour, one shopper will be selected at random at the checkout, meaning the more stores visited (or the longer you stay browsing), the better your odds. The promotion applies to Poundstretcher branches nationwide, so bargain hunters across the UK can take part. With household budgets under pressure, the chance to grab a free £10 to spend on Halloween decorations, homeware or everyday essentials is likely to prove a monster hit. Are you looking to celebrate Halloween, but are worried about the strain it might have on your finances? Check out my 7 ‘spooktacular’ budget-friendly Halloween ideas for families - from DIY costumes to movie nights.

4 days ago

Technology

Winter Fuel Payment 2025: UK expats abroad can still claim £300 under these rules - country eligibility list

Thousands of UK pensioners abroad can still receive the Winter Fuel PaymentIt applies only to those living in the EEA or Switzerland who moved before December 31, 2020They must have a ‘genuine and sufficient link’ to the UK, such as paying NI or holding a UK bank accountPayments are worth £100–£300, and help cover heating costs during winter monthsAround 34,000 expat pensioners currently receive the benefit each year For many older Britons, the Winter Fuel Payment is a welcome annual boost that helps take the sting out of heating bills. But what many people don’t realise is that you might still be able to claim it even if you’ve moved abroad. Yes, if you’ve swapped the UK’s drizzle for life abroad, you could still be entitled to help with winter energy costs... as long as you meet strict post-Brexit rules. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is currently sending out letters to all eligible pensioner households across October and November. Most will automatically receive the tax-free payment — worth between £100 and £300 — into their bank accounts in November or December, with all payments expected by the end of January. And while the vast majority of recipients live in the UK, thousands of British pensioners overseas still receive the Winter Fuel Payment each year, as long as they live in a qualifying country and have maintained a “genuine and sufficient link” to the UK. READ MORE: DWP confirms when millions of pensioners will get Winter Fuel Payment next month How the Winter Fuel Payment works The Winter Fuel Payment is designed to help older people cover the cost of heating during the coldest months. For winter 2025/26, you’ll qualify if you were born on or before September 22, 1959, meaning you’ve reached State Pension age (currently 66). Payments are made automatically to those receiving the State Pension or certain benefits, though people who believe they’re eligible but haven’t been paid can contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160. The payment is tax-free, though new rules mean that households with an income of £35,000 or more may need to repay it through the HMRC tax system. READ MORE: Millions of pensioners face £300 Winter Fuel Payment deductions - new rules explained Who can still get it abroad? If you’re a UK pensioner now living overseas, you could still receive the Winter Fuel Payment, but only under some very narrow conditions: You live in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or SwitzerlandYou moved there before December 31, 2020, meaning you’re covered by the Brexit Withdrawal AgreementYou were born on or before September 22, 1959You have a “genuine and sufficient link” to the UK, such as previously living or working here, paying National Insurance, keeping a UK bank account, or having close family still based in BritainYou receive a UK State Pension or an equivalent means-tested benefit (such as Pension Credit or Universal Credit) during the qualifying week, which this year fell between September 15–21 The DWP uses these criteria to decide whether someone living abroad can continue to receive the payment, criteria that are so restrictive, the official GOV.UK page for eligibility still states that you must “live in England or Wales.” In 2023/24, around 34,300 overseas pensioners received the payment out of 11.6 million total recipients, meaning only about 0.3% of all payments went to those living in Europe or Switzerland. Since it’s not a broad “you can live abroad and still get it” but a specific narrow path for certain pensioners, to include this information on GOV.UK could cause confusion. Full list of countries where you can still receive the Winter Fuel Payment If you do happen to meet all of the above criteria, you will be able to continue receiving Winter Fuel Payment if you live within the EEA or Switzerland. Remember that since Brexit, you must have moved to one of these countries before the end of 2020 to remain eligible. Here’s the full list of countries where UK pensioners can still claim: AustriaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandGermanyHungaryIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgNetherlandsNorwayPolandRomaniaSlovakiaSloveniaSwedenSwitzerland Countries where you can’t claim Not every European retiree will qualify, and in 2025, the Government decided that the Winter Fuel Payment would no longer be available to people living in countries where the average winter temperature is warmer than the South West of England. That means pensioners who’ve retired to the following countries cannot get the payment, even if they meet all other criteria: CyprusFranceGibraltarGreeceMaltaPortugalSpain Likewise, pensioners who have moved outside Europe entirely are not eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. There have been a few inaccurate headlines suggesting that HMRC will be ‘taking’ £300 from pensioners’ bank accounts this winter. This isn’t quite true, and here’s what is really happening.

5 days ago