>
Authors>
Sara Benwell

Author

Sara Benwell

Finance journalist

About the Author

Sara Benwell is a freelance journalist, consultant and editor, specialising in personal finance, pensions and investments, and consumer affairs.

She is the editor of Insurance Investor and Fund Operator. She also writes for several high profile newspapers and magazines, including the Sun, the Daily Mail, Best Magazine, Money.co.uk, the Mirror, Pensions Age, Strategic Risk, PRWeek and Good Housekeeping Online.

Before going freelance, Sara was the consumer finance editor at Good Housekeeping, the most widely read women’s magazine in the UK. She has also previously worked as the editor of both Pensions Insight and Reward Magazines and as the Digital Editor of Engaged Investor.

Why is my credit score going down?

There are lots of things that can cause a credit score to drop. Here we explain the most common reasons and how to rectify them.

How long does a default stay on your credit report

If you miss repayments on a credit card or loan, you could end up with a default. This marker goes on your credit file and impacts your score. Here’s everything you need to know.

How to turn business ideas into a profitable company

What's involved in turning a business idea into a going concern - and should you bother in the first place Here we explain how to tell if you idea for a business is actually a good one in reality, and what the next steps to making it happen.

How to tell if a business idea is any good

Home working, self employed, startup, entrepreneur, laptop, phone call

How to register a business?

Here’s everything you need to know to make sure your side hustle is legitimate including the difference between being a sole trader and a limited partnership, which might be right for you, and the deadlines and paperwork you need to consider

What you need to get ready now

A woman in glasses sits in front of piled of work while a man taps his watch behind her

Your legal right to go on holiday explained

The UK has strict laws around how much holiday you have a right to take each year - but when it comes to exactly which days you can take off things get a little murkier.

Your rights to take holiday

A woman relaxes with a cup of coffee in an airport comfortable lounge chair

How to get access to airport and airline lounges for the least money

Getting access to an airport lounge doesn’t have to mean frequent flights or paying more for first-class tickets. Here’s how to get in cheaply or even for free.

What's on offer and what airport lounge access costs

Two friends relax in a hotel room while on holiday

How to find cheap hotel rooms

Getting a great deal on accommodation can slash the cost of your holiday. From using comparison sites, to when a travel agent is best – here’s everything you need to know about finding cheap hotels

Tricks to saving money and finding cheap hotel accommodation

A woman heads to the terminal with her luggage after parking her car at the airport

How much airport parking costs and how to find the best and cheapest options

Finding airport parking can be stressful and expensive, so it’s important to understand all the options available to you. Here’s how to find the best and cheapest solution for your needs.

Tips for saving on airport parking

Are student loans worth it?

Taking on £50,000 in student debt might seem daunting, but the headline figure has nothing to do with what you’ll eventually repay. Here we explain why student loans are usually the cheapest way to fund university or college

Do you homework with our guide to all the different types of student loans, grants and bursaries.

All the different types of student loans, grants and bursaries explained

From tuition fees to maintenance payments, we explain all the different types of student finance on offer and who can access them.

Student sitting cross legged with her laptop.

What’s the maximum you can borrow with a student loan?

Student loans are the most cost-effective way to pay for university for almost everyone, but how much can you borrow? Here we explain everything you need to know.

Five students working together around a table.

How much do student loans cost?

Student loans are the best way to pay for further education for almost everyone – but how much will they cost you? Here we explain what you’ll have to repay.

Lottery win or the wife - what's stopping people moving house - Money.co.uk Home Buyers Report August 2021

The latest monthly homebuyers report, compiled by Money.co.uk examines the barriers that are preventing people from getting on – or moving up – the property ladder.

Norwich residents struggle most to find a home they can afford - Money.co.uk July 2021 Home Buyers Report

Wales, the South West and Yorkshire and Humberside are the UK regions where homebuyers are most suffering from a lack of housing within budget, with the struggle to find places in major cities worst in Norwich, Cardiff, Brighton and Leeds.

The admin needed to move house is now a bigger barrier than mortgage rates

As the economy reopens, and the property market gets hotter, it seems Brits not already part of the home buying process are cooling on the idea of getting a new home any time soon - with the hassle of getting involved simple too much for many to bear.