Guides
Plain-English guides
Short answers to the questions people ask about credit, moving home and setting up in the UK. Each one ends with something you can do next in Wisemium.
Start here · Mobile · 11 min read
iPhone 18: what’s new, specs, UK prices and should you upgrade?
Apple’s 2026 line-up, what actually changed in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, what they cost outright and on contract in the UK, and who has a real reason to upgrade.
Read the guideAlso worth readingMobile and SIM-Only Plans for New UK ResidentsMobile · 4 min readSetting Up Household Bills in Your First FlatMoving Home · 4 min readPreparing for a Mortgage: What to Organise Before You ApplyMortgages · 4 min readPersonal Loans: What to Check Before You ApplyHousehold Bills · 4 min read
Mobile
18 guidesiPhone 18: what’s new, specs, UK prices and should you upgrade?Apple’s 2026 line-up, what actually changed in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, what they cost outright and on contract in the UK, and who has a real reason to upgrade. · 11 min readMobile and SIM-Only Plans for New UK ResidentsYou do not need a UK credit history to get a SIM-only plan. Pay-monthly phone contracts are different. What each type requires, what to compare, and how to avoid the common traps. · 4 min readHow Much Mobile Data Do I Need? Work It Out From Your Own PhoneThe right data allowance is the one just above what you already use. How to find your monthly figure on an iPhone or Android phone, what uses the most data, and when unlimited is worth it. · 3 min readBuying a Refurbished Phone in the UK: What to Check FirstA refurbished phone can cost much less than a new one and still come with full consumer rights. What the grades mean, what to check on battery, warranty and locking, and how a refurbished phone on a monthly plan compares. · 3 min readHow to Switch SIM Only Plans Without Losing Your NumberKeeping your mobile number when you change network takes one free text. How the PAC code works, what happens to your old plan, and what to check before you switch. · 3 min readHow to Reduce Your Monthly Mobile BillMost people can pay less for their phone without changing how they use it. Check whether your contract has ended, match your data to what you really use, and look at SIM only once the phone is paid off. · 3 min readBlack Friday Phone, SIM and Broadband Deals: How to Tell a Real SavingBlack Friday 2026 is on 27 November. A lower monthly price on a phone, SIM or broadband deal is only a saving if the total over the contract is lower and you are free to move. How to check both, with a worked example from real offers. · 5 min readMobile Contract Ending? What Happens and What You Can DoYour network must tell you before your mobile contract ends. What happens if you do nothing, why a phone contract is different from SIM only, and how to change network while keeping your number. · 2 min readSIM Only or a Phone Contract? How to Compare the Real CostA phone contract puts the handset and the plan in one monthly price; SIM only means the phone is yours already or bought separately. How to compare the two totals over the same months, and what else differs. · 3 min readWhat to Check Before Financing an iPhone in the UKThe ways to pay for an iPhone in the UK, what each one costs over the full term, how upfront cost and monthly price trade against each other, and what the credit check means. · 4 min readGetting a Phone Contract When You Are New to the UK: Credit Checks, SIM-Only and Buying OutrightNew to the UK and want a phone on contract? Why handset contracts involve a credit check, why a short UK credit history can lead to a decline, and the routes that do not depend on one. · 6 min readiPhone 18 Pro Max: SIM-Free or Contract? How to Compare the TwoBuying the iPhone 18 Pro Max SIM-free against taking it on a contract: what each involves, how to compare the cost over 24 months, and who each route suits. · 3 min readiPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max: specs, cameras, battery, prices and which should you buy?Same chip, same cameras, same storage. What actually separates the iPhone 18 Pro from the Pro Max is size, weight, battery life and £100 outright or £6 a month on contract, and this page sets the choice out. · 8 min readWhat Is an eSIM? How It Works in the UK, Keeping Your Number and TravelAn eSIM is a SIM built into your phone. How to set one up, how to keep your number, how it compares with a physical SIM, and using one when you travel. · 3 min readSIM Only for International Calls: What to Check Before You ChooseUK SIM only plans for calling abroad: included international minutes, which countries count, fair use limits, roaming versus international calling, data, term and promotional pricing. · 3 min readCheapest SIM Only Deals Under £10 in the UKWhat a UK SIM only plan under £10 usually includes, which networks offer them, and what to check on data, coverage, contract length and promotional pricing before you choose. · 2 min readBest SIM Only Deals? What to Check Before You SwitchSIM only plans in the UK: what data allowance, contract length and future price steps actually mean, and how to tell whether a low monthly price is good value. · 3 min readMobile Phone Deals: What to Compare Before You SignUK mobile phone contracts: how upfront and monthly costs work together, what data allowance to choose, and why the future price steps matter before you sign. · 2 min read
Moving Home
6 guidesSetting Up Household Bills in Your First FlatWhen you move into a first rented property, several bills need to be set up or transferred. What each one is, what order to deal with them, typical costs, and what you can shop around for. · 4 min readFinancial Preparation Before Renting a HomeA landlord or letting agent runs checks before accepting a tenant. What they look at, what you need to prepare, how deposits work, and how to estimate your real monthly housing costs. · 4 min readMoving Home? Sort Your Broadband Before Moving DayBroadband is the one moving-home service that can take weeks to arrive. When to order, whether to move your current contract or start a new one, what to check at the new address, and how to stay online in the gap. · 4 min readMoving House Checklist: The Bills, Accounts and Admin, Week by WeekThe money side of moving home in the UK, in order: what to arrange four weeks out, the week before, on moving day and in the first week, so nothing is paid twice or missed. · 4 min readCouncil Tax and Water When You Move House: Who to Tell and What the First Bill Looks LikeHow council tax and water bills work when you move in the UK: which council and which water company, when you start paying, the discounts that change with the household, and the first bill. · 4 min readWho to Tell When You Move House: The UK Change of Address ListEveryone to tell when you move home in the UK, starting with the ones the law requires, then money, household services and health, with how to tell each. · 3 min read
Household Bills
13 guidesPersonal Loans: What to Check Before You ApplyA personal loan is a fixed amount borrowed and repaid over a set term. APR, total repayment cost and your monthly budget matter more than the advertised rate. What to compare and what to avoid. · 4 min readCar Finance in the UK: Types, True Costs and What to CheckMost new cars in the UK are bought on finance. HP, PCP and personal loans all work differently. What each type involves, how the total cost compares, and what to check before you sign. · 4 min readHow to Get Credit-Ready Before You Apply for CreditBefore applying for a credit card, a loan, a phone contract or a mortgage, a few checks avoid surprises and marks that are hard to undo. What lenders look at, and what to do first. · 6 min readCouncil Tax Bands Explained: How Your Band Is Set and What You PayEvery home in England, Wales and Scotland is in a council tax band set from its value on a fixed past date. How the bands work, how to check yours, how the bill is paid, and what happens if you challenge it. · 4 min readCouncil Tax Single Person Discount: Who Qualifies and How to ApplyIf you are the only adult counted as living in your home, your council tax bill is reduced by 25%. Who counts, who is not counted, how to apply, and what to tell the council when things change. · 3 min readWater Meters: When One Could Lower Your Bill and When It May NotUnmetered water bills are based on your home’s rateable value; metered bills on what you use. How each works, the rule of thumb the Consumer Council for Water gives, how to ask for a meter, and how to switch back. · 3 min readLandlord Responsibilities in England: Certificates, Safety and DepositsLetting a home in England comes with legal duties: a Gas Safety Certificate every year, a valid EPC, an electrical report every five years, alarms, deposit protection and Right to Rent checks. What each means and when it is due. · 2 min readTV Licence Explained: When You Need One and How to PayYou need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV on any channel or device, or to use BBC iPlayer. When you need one, when you do not, how it is paid, and what to do when you move or stop needing it. · 2 min readDirect Debits, Standing Orders and Card Payments: What Is Going Out of Your AccountThe three ways regular payments leave a UK bank account, who controls each, how to check them, what the Direct Debit Guarantee covers, and how to stop one. · 4 min readSplitting Bills in a Shared House or Flat: Who Is Responsible for WhatHow household bills work when you share a home in the UK: whose name is on each bill, who the provider can chase, council tax discounts and liability, fair ways to split, and what to do when someone moves out. · 4 min readHow to Find Every Subscription You Pay For, and Cancel the Ones You Do Not UseWhere UK subscriptions hide (card payments, app stores, PayPal, annual renewals), how to list them in one sitting, and how to cancel each kind so it actually stops. · 3 min readHousehold Bills Checklist: Every Contract, Date and Renewal to Keep Track OfA UK household bills checklist: the bills, contracts and subscriptions most homes carry, which ones have end dates and renewals, and a simple way to keep every date in view. · 3 min readBest Student Deals in the UK for Broadband, Mobile, Energy and SIM OnlyHow students in the UK keep bills down: broadband with a term that fits the year, SIM only instead of a phone contract, energy in shared housing, and the price later in each contract. · 4 min read
Insurance
18 guidesDeclaring Overseas Driving Experience for UK Car InsuranceSome UK insurers reduce the initial premium if you can declare years of clean driving abroad. There is no industry-wide standard: each insurer decides whether and how to count it. How to declare it, what documents help, and what to do if it is not accepted. · 4 min readPhone Insurance: What It Covers and What to Check Before BuyingWhat phone insurance usually covers, from accidental damage to theft and loss, the excess and exclusions to read, and how to check whether you are already covered before you buy. · 4 min readHome Emergency and Boiler Cover Explained: What It Pays For and What to CheckHome emergency cover pays for an urgent repair, such as a boiler that stops working, and is separate from buildings and contents insurance. What it usually covers, the terms that decide a claim, and what to check before you buy or renew. · 3 min readPet Insurance Explained: Lifetime, Time-Limited and What to Check at RenewalPet insurance comes in four types, and the type decides what happens to a long-term condition. How each works, what pre-existing conditions mean, why prices rise with age, and what to check before you switch. · 2 min readHome Insurance Renewal Checklist: What to Check Before It RenewsWhat to check when a UK home insurance renewal arrives: the price against last year, the sums insured, what has changed at home, and the conditions that catch people out. · 3 min readFamily Travel Insurance: What to Check Before You BuyWhat a family travel insurance policy usually covers, who counts as family, and what to check about medical conditions, activities, cancellation and excesses. · 3 min readWhat Affects the Cost of Car Insurance in the UKWhat UK insurers look at when they price car insurance: the driver, the car, where it is kept, how it is used and how you pay, and which of those you can change. · 4 min readWhat You Need to Get a Car Insurance QuoteThe details to have ready before you ask for a UK car insurance quote, where to find each one, and why accurate answers matter. · 4 min readBuildings and Contents Insurance: What Each Covers and Which You NeedThe difference between buildings and contents insurance in the UK, who needs which, and how the sums insured are worked out. · 4 min readCar Insurance When You Move House: What to Tell Your Insurer and WhenMoving home changes your car insurance. What to tell the insurer, when to tell them, what else has to be updated, and what happens to the price. · 3 min readTravel Insurance: Single-Trip or Annual, and What Usually Counts as CoveredSingle-trip versus annual multi-trip travel insurance for UK travellers: when each makes sense, what a policy usually covers, medical conditions in general terms, and what to check before you go. · 3 min readVan Insurance: Business or Personal Use, and What Changes the PriceUK van insurance explained: the difference between social, commuting and business use, carriage of own goods versus haulage, and the factors that move the premium. · 4 min readHome Insurance When Moving House: Buildings, Contents and When Cover StartsMoving home in the UK: what buildings and contents insurance each cover, when cover on the new property should start, what happens to the old policy, and what to tell the insurer. · 3 min readContents Insurance for Renters: What It Covers and What Landlords Do NotRenting in the UK: why the landlord’s insurance does not cover your belongings, what contents insurance covers, how to value your things, and what to check before you buy. · 3 min readCar Insurance for New UK Residents: Licences, No-Claims History and What Insurers AskArriving in the UK and insuring a car: which licences you can drive on, why foreign no-claims history may or may not count, what insurers ask, and how to keep the first premium down. · 3 min readCar Insurance Renewal Checklist: What to Do Before It Auto-RenewsWhat to check in the weeks before your UK car insurance renews: the renewal price against last year, what has changed, the excess, the cover level, and how to avoid a policy renewing on autopilot. · 4 min readBreakdown Cover Explained: Roadside, Home Start, Recovery and European CoverWhat each level of UK breakdown cover does, the difference between covering a vehicle and covering a person, what is usually excluded, and what to check at renewal. · 3 min readCar Insurance for First Time Drivers in the UKWhy car insurance costs more for first time drivers in the UK, what affects the price, third party versus comprehensive, black box policies, and how to keep the cost down. · 4 min read
Broadband
26 guidesBroadband Deals with Reward Cards and Vouchers: What They Are and Whether They MatterA reward card or voucher from a broadband provider is a one-time payment after your service starts, not a reduction in your monthly price. What to check before you sign, and why the monthly price still decides the deal. · 3 min readCheap Broadband: What You Actually Pay Over 24 MonthsThe advertised monthly price is not the only cost. A setup fee, a built-in price rise and a reward card that must be claimed all change what a deal costs over a 24-month contract. How to work out the total. · 3 min readBroadband Cashback and Reward Cards: How to Claim and What to KeepA broadband reward card, voucher or cashback payment is paid once, after your broadband starts. To receive it, you usually have to take an active step by a deadline. Missing the deadline typically means losing the reward. · 3 min readBroadband Social Tariffs: Who Can Get One and What to CheckSocial tariffs are lower-priced broadband plans for people on certain benefits, offered by many UK providers. Who is usually eligible, how to apply, and what to check before moving. · 2 min readBroadband Down? Automatic Compensation and How It WorksMost large broadband and landline providers pay compensation automatically when a fault is not fixed in time, an engineer misses an appointment, or a new connection starts late. When it applies, what to do, and when it does not. · 2 min readBroadband Price Rise in the Middle of Your Contract: What Is Allowed and What You Can DoWhy broadband bills rise during a contract, the Ofcom rule that rises must be stated in pounds and pence, when you can leave without paying an exit fee, and what to check on your own contract. · 3 min readBroadband When You Rent: Contract Length, Landlord Permission and Moving Out Mid-ContractChoosing broadband as a tenant in the UK: matching the contract to the tenancy, when you need the landlord’s permission, what is already at the property, bills-included rentals, and what happens if you move before the contract ends. · 3 min readSlow or Unreliable Broadband: What to Check, What Your Provider Must Do and When You Can LeaveWhat to check at home when broadband is slow, how to test it properly, the minimum speed your provider may have guaranteed, automatic compensation for faults and missed appointments, and when you can leave without an exit fee. · 3 min readFull Fibre and the Landline Switch-Off: What Changes for Your Home Phone and BroadbandWhat full fibre is and how it differs from part fibre, what the UK’s move from copper landlines to digital phone lines means for your home phone, what happens in a power cut, and who needs to act. · 3 min readBroadband Contract Ending? What Happens Next and What to CheckWhen a UK broadband contract ends: the end-of-contract notice, what your price does if you do nothing, how switching works, and what to compare before you decide. · 2 min readBest Broadband Deals for New Immigrants in the UK: What to CheckNew to the UK and choosing home internet: fibre versus mobile broadband, contract length, setup fees, speed, and the stated future price step that decides what a deal really costs. · 3 min readWhat I Wish I Knew Before Getting Broadband in the UKThe things newcomers miss when they first set up UK broadband: the price later in the contract, the term, the speed they actually need, what their postcode allows, and installation time. · 2 min readHow Broadband Contracts Work in the UK, A Simple Guide for NewcomersUK broadband contracts for newcomers: fixed terms and exit fees, stated price steps during the contract, setup fees, postcode availability and what happens when the term ends. · 2 min readJust Moved House in the UK? How to Choose the Right Broadband Without OverpayingBroadband after a house move in the UK: what your new postcode can get, the speed your new home needs, contract price steps, and how quickly you can be connected. · 2 min readUK Broadband Explained Simply for Immigrants, No Confusing TermsUK broadband in plain English for new arrivals: fibre and full fibre, what Mbps means, contracts and exit fees, stated price changes, postcode availability, and rewards. · 2 min readCheap vs Fast Broadband in the UK, What Should You Choose?Cheap or fast broadband in the UK: who a lower speed suits, when full fibre is worth paying for, and why the price later in the contract matters more than the headline. · 2 min readDo You Really Need a 24 Month Broadband Contract in the UK?Whether a 24 month UK broadband contract is right for you: the lower monthly price, exit fees, stated price steps during the term, and when a 12 month deal is the better choice. · 2 min readStep by Step Guide to Setting Up Broadband When You First Arrive in the UKSeven steps to get UK broadband set up after arriving: availability, speed, the whole price, contract length, installation time, ordering and the router. · 2 min readJust Moved to the UK? How to Choose the Right Broadband Without StressChoosing broadband after arriving in the UK: what your address can get, the speed you need, contract length, setup cost, future price steps and how providers differ. · 3 min readHow to Save Money on Internet Bills in the UK as a NewcomerNew to the UK and paying for broadband: how to pick a speed you will use, read the future price, check what your address can get, and keep the renewal date in view. · 3 min readBest Broadband Deals for New Residents? What to Check FirstNew to the UK and choosing broadband: how availability, speed, contract length, setup costs and future price steps decide which package is genuinely worth it. · 2 min read6 Months Half-Price Broadband in Your Area: Checking Offers and the Real CostHalf-price broadband offers charge half the monthly price for the first months, then the full price. How to work out the total over the contract, check what reaches your address, and what happens when the offer ends. · 3 min readFibre or Standard Broadband in the UK: Full Fibre, Part Fibre and What Reaches Your HomeStandard broadband runs over the copper phone line; part fibre runs fibre to the street cabinet; full fibre runs it all the way to your home. What each means for speed, how to find which you can get, and when it matters. · 3 min readHow to Switch Broadband Providers in the UK and Save MoneySwitching broadband in the UK: when it is worth it, how the switch works, what the large providers offer, and what to compare before you move. · 2 min readCompare Broadband, Energy and SIM Deals: What to Check FirstReviewing your broadband, energy and SIM: what to compare, where availability is decided by your address, and how Wisemium lists each of them differently. · 2 min readHow to Find the Cheapest Broadband Deals in the UKFinding cheaper broadband in the UK: why prices change when a contract ends, which providers reach most homes, what speed you need, and how to compare packages properly. · 2 min read
New to the UK
9 guidesGetting a Credit Card When You’re New to the UKA strong credit record abroad does not automatically carry over to the UK. What UK card lenders look at, how to check your UK credit reports, how eligibility checkers work, and when overseas credit information can be considered. · 7 min readOpening a UK Bank Account When You Have Just Arrived: What You Need and What to Do Without Proof of AddressWhat UK banks ask for when you open an account, how to prove your identity and immigration status, what to do if you have no proof of address yet, and what a basic bank account is. · 4 min readYour First UK Payslip: Tax Code, National Insurance and What the Deductions MeanReading a UK payslip for the first time: gross and net pay, how PAYE and your tax code work, National Insurance, workplace pension and student loan deductions, and what to check when you start a new job. · 4 min readUK Household Bills Explained for Newcomers: What You Pay, Who You Pay and What Is CompulsoryThe bills a UK home comes with, which are compulsory and which are a choice, who sends each one, how they are usually paid, and the parts that surprise people who have just arrived. · 4 min readBuilding a UK Credit History From Scratch: What Counts, What Helps and What to AvoidWhy newcomers start with a thin UK credit file, the three credit reference agencies, the everyday things that build a record, and the mistakes that set it back. · 7 min readNew to the UK? Here Are 15 Things You Should Do in Your First 30 DaysMoving to the UK is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. · 4 min readMoving to a New Home in the UK? Here Are the Services Most People Forget to CompareThe services people forget when moving home in the UK, and what to check for each: broadband, SIM, energy, car and home insurance, and the property costs around a tenancy. · 3 min readHow to Save Money on Internet, Energy, and Mobile Bills in the UK as a NewcomerThree bills every newcomer to the UK sets up in the first weeks, and how to avoid overpaying on each: broadband speed, energy tariff type, SIM only, and the price later in the contract. · 2 min read5 Costly Mistakes Newcomers Make in the UK (And How to Avoid Them)Five mistakes that cost newcomers money in the UK, from signing on a headline price to losing track of contract end dates, and how to avoid each one. · 2 min read
Energy
13 guidesEnergy Direct Debit Too High? What to Check and What to DoYour supplier sets your energy direct debit from an estimate of your use for the year. Why it can be too high or too low, the four things to check, how to ask for a review or a refund of credit, and where to go if you cannot agree. · 3 min readThe Energy Price Cap Explained: What It Limits and What It Does NotOfgem’s price cap limits the unit rates and standing charges on standard variable energy tariffs, and changes every three months. What it covers, what it does not, and how it affects a fixed tariff. · 3 min readSmart Meters Explained: What They Do and Whether to Get OneA smart meter sends your gas and electricity readings to your supplier, so bills stop being estimates. What one does and does not do, what it costs, renting, switching supplier, and what to do if it stops sending readings. · 2 min readEconomy 7 Explained: Night Rates and Whether It Suits YouEconomy 7 gives you cheaper electricity for seven hours at night and dearer electricity in the day. How to tell if you have it, when your night hours are, and when it suits a home. · 2 min readFixed Energy Tariff Ending: What Happens Next and What to Do in the Last 49 DaysWhen a fixed gas or electricity tariff ends in the UK: the letter your supplier must send, the 49 days in which you can leave without an exit fee, what happens if you do nothing, and how to decide. · 3 min readPrepayment Energy Meters Explained: Topping Up, Emergency Credit, Switching to Credit and Getting HelpHow UK prepayment gas and electricity meters work: topping up, standing charges, emergency and friendly credit, moving into a home with a prepayment meter, changing to a credit meter, and the help available. · 3 min readHow to Read Your Energy Bill: Unit Rates, Standing Charges, Estimated Readings and Your BalanceA plain guide to a UK gas and electricity bill: kWh, unit rates and standing charges, estimated and actual readings, whether your account is in credit or debit, and the reference numbers you will need. · 3 min readMeter Readings and Estimated Energy Bills: How to Fix an Estimate and the 12-Month Back-Billing RuleWhy energy bills are estimated, how to read gas and electricity meters and submit a reading, what the back-billing rule protects you from, and what to do if a bill still looks wrong. · 3 min readEnergy When Moving House: Meter Readings, Who You Pay and the First BillGas and electricity when you move home in the UK: the readings to take on both days, who supplies the new property, the deemed contract you start on, and how to avoid paying for someone else’s energy. · 3 min readHow to Save Money on Utility Bills in the UKPractical ways to cut UK household bills: reviewing tariffs before renewal, fixed versus variable energy, reducing waste at home, and reading broadband and mobile prices properly. · 3 min readHow to Reduce Energy Bills in the UK Without Changing Your LifestyleCutting UK energy bills without big sacrifices: fixed versus variable tariffs, the small habits that matter, what drives your bill, and when switching supplier is worth it. · 2 min readHow to Switch Energy Supplier in the UK: When, What You Need and What ChangesSwitching energy supplier changes who bills you, not your supply. When you can switch without an exit fee, what you need, how to compare on your own use, and what happens during the switch. · 3 min readHow to Compare Energy Suppliers in the UK: Prices, Tariff Types and ServiceCompare gas and electricity tariffs on your own annual use: the unit rate and standing charge, fixed against variable, exit fees, and how suppliers rate for service. · 3 min read