The Sunday Times January 6, 2019 15

MONEY

Table shows the cheapest tariff from the 3 cheapest suppliers.Excludes fixed tariffs of less than 12 months’ duration. Excludes tariffs that do not have national coverage. Excludes tariffs where payments are taken in advance of the customer coming on supply. F=Fixed rates V=Variable rates

ENERGY DEALSTable shows the cheapest tariff from the 3 cheapest suppliers. Excludes fixed tariffs of less than 12 months’ duration. Excludes tariffs that do not have national coverage. Excludes tariffs where payments are taken in advance of the customer coming on supply. F=Fixed rate V=Variable rate

Supplier Average annual bill Rate ContactUtility Point £988 V 0345 557 7878People’s Energy £994 V 0131 285 5510Pure Planet £998 V App only (purepla.net)Source: TheEnergyShop.com — 01259 220 270

What it doesThe Evenlode Income fund has become so popular it has closed to new investors to protect performance, but the same team launched Evenlode Global Income in 2017. It is run on the same principles of finding high-quality companies with a growing dividend, this time all over the world rather than just in the UK.

What it invests inAlmost half the assets are in big US firms including Pepsico, Microsoft and Walt Disney. There is a degree of crossover with Evenlode Income, as 17.6% of assets are in the UK including the drinks company Diageo andthe pharma giantGlaxo Smith Kline.

PerformanceIn its first year the fund has returned 3.1%, compared with a sector average of -5%. It’s a short track record but the fund is run along the same lines as Evenlode Income, which has been strong over the long term.

What the manager saysFund manager Ben Peters said: “Companies that listen to customers — keep them happy, look for new ways to make their lives easier and thereby deepen relationships over time — will tend to be enjoyable to own for a patient investor.”

What the experts sayRyan Hughes, head of active portfolios at AJ Bell, said: “Ben Peters has followed this process for nearly a decade and, while it’s early days for the global fund, the initial results are encouraging. It is definitely one to watch.”Holly Black

FUNDFOCUSEVENLODE GLOBAL INCOME

Best BuysFOREIGN CURRENCYThese are the interbank rates at 5pm on Friday, which show where themarket is trading.They are not indicative of the rate you will be able to get.

EUROGBP>EUR

1.12

CHILDREN’S ACCOUNTSProvider Account name Account type Min deposit Interest rate ContactHalifax Kids’ Monthly Saver Regular saver £10 4.5% halifax.co.ukSantander 1 123 Mini Current Account Current account £300 2.96% santander.co.ukCambridge 3-year Fixed-rate Bond Fixed-rate bond £1,000 2% cambridgebs.co.uk1 Interest rates are tiered: 1% on balances of £100-£199; 1.98% on £200-£299; 2.96% on £300-£2,000.

JUNIOR ISAS

Provider Account name Min deposit Interest rate Rate ContactCoventry Junior Cash Isa (1) £1 3.6% V coventrybuildingsociety.co.ukTSB Junior Cash Isa £1 3.25% V tsb.co.ukDarlington Junior Cash Isa £1 3.25% V darlington.co.ukV = variable rate. Source: Savingschampion.co.uk — 0808 178 5354

CASH ISASINSTANT ACCESSProvider Account name Min deposit Interest Transfers in ContactVirgin Money 1 Double Take E-Isa Issue 5 £1 1.45% Yes uk.virginmoney.comLeeds 2 Limited Issue Online Access Isa (Issue 9) £1,000 1.38% Yes leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk1 Maximum of two easy access withdrawals a year. 2 Matures 01.03.2020.

FIXED RATEProvider Account name Term Min deposit Rate Transfers in ContactShawbrook Bank Fixed-rate Cash Isa 1 year £5,000 1.66% Yes shawbrook.co.ukShawbrook Bank Fixed-rate Cash Isa 2 years £5,000 1.86% Yes shawbrook.co.ukSource: Savingschampion.co.uk — 0808 178 5354

CURRENT ACCOUNTSCREDIT INTEREST

Provider Account name Account fee Interest rate 1 Balance ContactCo-operative Bank Current with Everyday Rewards None £4 a month – 0345 721 2212TSB Classic Plus None 5% £1-£1,500 0345 975 8758Nationwide FlexDirect None 5% 2 £0.01-£2,500 0800 302 010

OVERDRAFTS *

Provider Account name Account fee Interest rate 3 0% overdraft limit ContactFirst Direct 1st Account £10 a month 4 15.9% £250 0800 242 424M&S Bank Current Account None 15.9% £100 0345 900 0900Starling Current Account None 15% £0 starlingbank.com1 Based on funding of £1,000 a month. 2 Introductory rate for one year, then 1%. 3 Equivalent annual rate. 4 Fee waived if minimum funding of £1,000 is met.* Based on overdraft of £500 for 15 days a month. Some accounts require minimum funding/direct debits to open or receive rates shown.Source: Moneyfacts.co.uk

AMERICAGBP>USD

1.27SWITZERLANDGBP>CHF

1.26AUSTRALIAGBP>AUD

1.79

ICO

NS

BY J

AM

IE J

ON

ES

MORTGAGES2-YEAR FIXED RATES

Lender Rate Scheme Deposit Fee Notes ContactLeeds 1.39% Fixed to 31.03.21 35% £1,999 V 0345 045 4049Hanley Economic 1.55% Fixed to 28.02.21 20% £799 LV 01782 255 000HSBC 1.79% Fixed to 30.04.21 10% £999 LV 0800 494 999

3-YEAR FIXED RATESLender Rate Scheme Deposit Fee Notes ContactCoventry 1.65% Fixed to 31.03.22 35% £999 LV 0800 121 8899Coventry 1.79% Fixed to 31.03.22 15% £999 LV 0800 121 8899HSBC 2.35% Fixed to 30.04.22 10% £0 LV 0800 494 999

LONG-TERM FIXED RATESLender Rate Scheme Deposit Fee Notes ContactSkipton 1.88% Fixed to 31.05.24 40% £995 LV 0345 850 1755M&S Bank 2.04% Fixed to 30.04.24 15% £1,094 LV 0800 923 1536First Direct 2.25% Fixed for 5 years 10% £490 LV 0800 482 448Coventry 2.35% Fixed to 31.03.29 35% £999 LV 0800 121 8899

TRACKERS */ DISCOUNTSLender Rate Scheme Deposit Fee Notes ContactLeeds 1.38% Tracker +0.63% to 31.03.21 25% £999 LV 0345 045 4049Skipton 2.05% Tracker +1.3% for 2 years 10% £995 ELV 0345 850 1755Nationwide 2.14% Tracker +1.39% for 5 years 40% £999 AELV 0800 302 010Hanley Economic 1.99% SVR -3.45% for term 40% £999 ELV 01782 255 000

FIRST-TIME BUYER / LOW DEPOSITLender Rate Scheme Deposit Fee Notes ContactMonmouthshire 2.55% SVR -2.69% for 2 years 5% £0 PVE 01633 844 351Hanley Economic 2.69% Fixed to 28.02.21 5% £0 PV 01782 255 000Barclays 2.13% Fixed to 31.01.24 25% £749 FPV 0333 202 7580

BUY TO LETLender Rate Scheme Deposit Fee Notes ContactCoventry 2.49% Variable for term 35% £999 LV 0800 121 8899Virgin 3.83% Fixed to 01.05.21 20% £0 R 0345 605 0500Skipton 2.57% Fixed to 30.04.24 25% £995 LV 0345 850 1755Early repayment charge applies unless otherwise stated. * Most deals track Bank of England base rate. Notes: SVR = Standard variable rate; A = £500 cashback for first-time buyers; E = No early repayment charge; F = Help to Buy or shared-equity scheme; L = Free legal work for remortgages; P = Purchases only; R = Free valuation and legal work for remortgages; V = Free valuation. Source: landc.co.uk — 0800 373 300

CREDIT CARDSINTRODUCTORY RATES

Provider Card type Introductory purchase APR 1 Reward ContactPost Office Money Online Platinum Mastercard 0% for 28 months 18.9% No 0345 607 6500MBNA All Round 28/28 Visa 0% for 28 months 19.9% No 0345 606 2062Virgin Money 28-month Purchase Mastercard 0% for 28 months 19.9% No 0800 389 2875

BALANCE TRANSFERS

Provider Card type Introductory purchase Transfer fee 2 APR 1 ContactMBNA Platinum 33-month Visa 0% for 33 months 1.99% 19.9% 0345 606 2062Post Office Money Online Mastercard 0% for 32 months 2% 19.9% 0345 607 6500MBNA Platinum 31-month Visa 0% for 31 months 1.1% 19.9% 0345 606 2062

CASHBACK CARDS

Provider Card type APR 1 Cashback ContactAmerican Express Platinum Cashback 28.2% 1%-1.25%. Intro 5% for 3 months 0800 917 8047American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday 22.9% 0.5%-1%. Intro 5% for 3 months 0800 917 8047Santander All in One Mastercard 21.7% 0.5% 0800 389 99051 APR = annual percentage rate, dependent on credit rating. 2 Fee charged on the amount of each balance transfer during the introductory period.Source: Moneyfacts.co.uk

SAVINGS ACCOUNTSINSTANT ACCESS

Provider Account name Min deposit Interest rate ContactWest Bromwich 1 Direct Double Access £1,000 1.5% westbrom.co.ukVirgin Money 2 Double Take E-Saver (Issue 10) £1 1.5% uk.virginmoney.comMarcus 3 Online Savings £1 1.49% marcus.co.uk

NOTICE ACCOUNTSProvider Account name Notice period Min deposit Interest rate ContactSecure Trust Bank 4 120-day Notice 120 days £1,000 1.83% securetrustbank.comSecure Trust Bank 4 90-day Notice 90 days £1,000 1.81% securetrustbank.comCharter Savings Bank 95-day Notice (Issue 20) 95 days £1,000 1.81% chartersavingsbank.co.uk

FIXED-RATE BONDSProvider Account name Term Min deposit Interest rate ContactInvestec Fixed-term Deposit 1 year £25,000 2.05% investec.comInvestec Fixed-term Deposit 2 years £25,000 2.35% investec.comMasthaven Fixed-term Bond 3 years £500 2.4% masthaven.co.uk1 Rate includes conditional bonus, subject to maximum of two easy access withdrawals a year. Rate reduces to 0.25% if conditions not met. 2 Maximum of two easy access withdrawals a year. 3 Rate includes 0.15% bonus for first 12 months. 4 Maximum three capital withdrawals a year. DEALS ARE LISTED ONLY IF THEY ARE COVERED BY THE UK FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPENSATION SCHEME (FSCS) OR A EUROPEAN EQUIVALENTSource: Savingschampion.co.uk — 0808 178 5354

Fast broadband is ‘tantalisingly close’, but BT just can’t close the gap

promises have all been broken. “They even closethe road to connect a line,but then this is cancelled,” said Chris, a retireddefence consultant.

After being contacted by Money, BT connected the service just before Christmas. Chris’s account has been credited with 12 months of free broadband and he has received £350 as a gestureof goodwill.

BT said: “While more than95% of homes and businesses in the UK can access fibre broadband from BT, speeds vary due to a number of factors including distance from the fibre cabinet, home wiring and the home environment.”

Telecoms companiesare expected to make a connection within 10 working days of a request, according to Ofcom. From April, they will have to compensate customers automatically if this deadline is missed, with the charge set at £5 for each day of delay. Missed appointments will incur a £25 payout and there is an £8 daily charge for repair delays.

About 677,000 homes andoffices in the UK are without decent broadband — defined as a download speed of at least 10Mbps. Most of these (496,000) are in rural areas.

Ofcom is working to implement the government’s broadband “universal service obligation”, giving people the right to request decent broadband, by next year.

Baz Parmer has spent three years trying to persuadeBT to connect him to the superfast internet receivedby almost every other household in his village of Fulking, West Sussex.

Although he pays the company £39.99 a month for a 50Mbps service, he only gets 12Mbps at the best of times. He and his daughter, Madelaine, 15, get faster internet from their mobile phones — or by popping to the local library.

Fulking has a populationof about 350, but six houses, including Baz’s, are stuck with slow internet.

“Surely, BT should be ableto extend their fibre [optic cable] to us as we are only1.4 miles from the exchange box. What else could we do to get the same broadband as our neighbours?” said Baz, 60, a retired orthodontist.

The inhabitants of Fulkingrely on BT as rival providers do not offer broadband inthe area. About 250,000 Britons are in this position, according to the telecoms regulator Ofcom.

Baz and other residents ofhis road have offered to pay for the extension of the superfast broadband, asking

BT for an estimate of the cost. They have received no reply.

BT said Baz was receivingspeeds within the range predicted when he joined the company — and added that his monthly payments included a £15 discount. However, it has emerged that only £12.50 had been refunded since February last year because of a system error. The shortfall was made up this month.

Money has been inundatedwith letters from readers frustrated at BT’s failure to connect their homes — despite numerous promises to do so — even though the company has upgraded the cable up to the cabinet at the end of their road, or to the base of their block of flats.

David Ferrar has spent2½ years trying to get the company to connect his home to the superfast fibre cable that has been laid atthe bottom of his block of flats in Weston, near Crewein Cheshire.

He pays £20 a month fora service that averages about 0.5Mbps. The most he canget is about 2Mbps.

He has tried to contact Openreach, the BT division responsible for upgrading Britain’s broadband infrastructure, but it willnot deal directly with individual customers.

“It’s tantalisingly close, butno one at BT or Openreach seems to be able to get a wire from the service cupboard at the bottom of our building to

people’s homes,” said David, 72, a retired businessman.

He has suggested that BTmake the final part of the connection using the older copper wire technology instead of fibre optics, but to no avail.

BT said it was waiting for Openreach to make the final connection. Openreach said it was waiting for permission from the landlord, Estates & Management, so it can gain

access to the block of flats. Estates & Management saidit had yet to receive proper health and safety assurances from Openreach so the access can be provided.

Chris Howe, 62, from Ewerby, near Sleaford in Lincolnshire, applied for broadband in April 2018 but was still waiting last month. BT made five promises to turn up and do the work to connect his home, but the

Baz and Madelaine Parmer, with their dogs Barney and Leap

Rural homeowners and flat dwellers are still missingout on top speeds, writes Ali Hussain