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Money guides for UK households

Karl Johnson

Karl Johnson

Founder and editor, GetSmartSaver.Uk · Coventry, United Kingdom

Karl Johnson launched GetSmartSaver.Uk in 2026 to give UK households one honest place to compare savings accounts, household bills and everyday deals. He researches, writes and verifies every guide on the site personally.

His day job is operations management for a UK manufacturer and wholesaler, running multi-site P&L across more than 30 retail stores, negotiating supplier contracts, and owning the compliance side of the business — including acting as the named HMRC responsible person for a UK excise duty regime. That is where the method behind this site comes from: go to the primary source, check every figure against the provider's own documentation, and never publish a number you cannot evidence.

Karl is not a financial adviser and GetSmartSaver.Uk is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Everything here is written from the position of a household consumer doing the research properly — rates checked against each provider's own website, terms read in full, and the working shown so you can check it yourself. Where a guide is wrong or out of date, he wants to hear about it: team@getsmartsaver.co.uk.

Based in Coventry, West Midlands.

How the guides on this site are researched

  • Every rate, fee and eligibility rule is checked against the provider’s own website or the relevant regulator before publication, and re-checked on a rolling schedule.
  • Interest rates are checked against the Bank of England Bank Rate; deposit protection against the FSCS checker; firm authorisation against the FCA Register; energy caps against Ofgem; and tax and allowance rules against GOV.UK.
  • Claims that cannot be traced to a primary source are removed rather than hedged. Several have been.
  • Corrections are acted on the same week and the page’s verification date is updated. Report one at team@getsmartsaver.co.uk.

Independence

GetSmartSaver.Uk is published by a sole trader and is not owned by, or affiliated with, any bank, broker, comparison group or lead-generation network. Some links earn a commission — that never changes which products are recommended or how they are ranked. See how we make money.

Karl is not a financial adviser and this site is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Nothing here is personal financial advice. For free impartial guidance, see MoneyHelper.

Contact · LinkedIn

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Showing 190 guides
Credit Cards 22 Jul 2026
Section 75 Explained: How Your Credit Card Protects Purchases up to £30,000
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act gives you powerful legal protection on credit card purchases between £100.01 and £30,000. Here's exactly how it works, when to use it instead of chargeback, and how to claim.
12 min read Read guide →
Groceries 21 Jul 2026
Too Good To Go, Olio and Yellow Stickers: How Food Waste Apps Cut Your Grocery Bill in 2026
Surplus-food apps and supermarket markdowns can slash your weekly shop. Here is a practical guide to Too Good To Go Surprise Bags, Olio free food sharing, yellow sticker timings at every major supermarket, and how to combine them all for maximum savings.
13 min read Read guide →
Holidays & Travel 21 Jul 2026
Flight Delay Compensation UK 2026: How to Claim up to £520 Under UK261
Your flight was delayed or cancelled — now what? UK261 gives you the right to claim up to £520 per person in statutory compensation. Here is exactly how to do it for free.
10 min read Read guide →
Savings 21 Jul 2026
Frozen Tax Thresholds 2026: How Fiscal Drag Is Quietly Raising Your Tax Bill
The personal allowance has been stuck at £12,570 since 2021 — and thanks to the Autumn Budget 2025, it stays frozen until 2031. Here is what fiscal drag means for your pay packet, your pension, and your family finances, plus the legitimate steps you can take to push back.
11 min read Read guide →
Cash ISA 12 Sep 2026
Can You Have More Than One Cash ISA? The New Multiple-ISA Rules Explained
Since 6 April 2024, you can pay into multiple cash ISAs in the same tax year. Here is exactly how the new rules work, how to split your £20,000 allowance, what the 2027 limit change means for you, and how to use multiple accounts strategically.
10 min read Read guide →
Savings 12 Sep 2026
Andy Burnham as PM? What His Policies Could Mean for Your Family Finances
Andy Burnham is the frontrunner to become Labour leader and Prime Minister. We break down his publicly stated policies on transport, housing, energy and tax — and what each could mean for your household budget.
10 min read Read guide →
Energy 12 Sep 2026
Air Conditioning in a UK Family Home: Running Costs, Pros and Cons in 2026
Thinking about air conditioning for your UK home this summer? We break down the real purchase and running costs of portable ACs, split systems and heat pumps — with worked examples at the current 26.11p/kWh electricity rate — plus cheaper alternatives and a verdict on when AC is actually worth it.
10 min read Read guide →
Tax 19 Jul 2026
Tax Codes Explained UK 2026: What Yours Means and How to Fix a Wrong One
Your tax code tells your employer how much income tax to take. Here is what 1257L and the letters mean, why codes go wrong, and how to fix one and claim a refund.
10 min read Read guide →
Estate Planning 21 Jul 2026
What Happens to Your Pension When You Die? UK 2026 (and the IHT Change from April 2027)
How DC, DB and State Pension death benefits work in 2026, the age-75 income tax rule, and the major change bringing pensions into Inheritance Tax from April 2027.
10 min read Read guide →
Estate Planning 21 Jul 2026
Gifting Money to Family UK 2026: The 7-Year Rule and Tax-Free Allowances Explained
You can give away far more than 3,000 pounds a year tax-free. A clear 2026 guide to UK gift allowances, the 7-year rule for PETs and how taper relief works.
10 min read Read guide →
Estate Planning 21 Jul 2026
Trusts Explained UK 2026: Do You Need One to Protect Your Estate?
Most UK families don't need a complex trust. Here's what trusts are, the main types, the 2026 IHT and tax position, costs, and when one genuinely helps.
10 min read Read guide →
Pensions 21 Jul 2026
Pension Consolidation UK 2026: Should You Combine Your Old Pensions?
Combining old pensions can cut fees and simplify your retirement savings - but valuable guarantees can make it the wrong move. Here's how to decide in 2026.
11 min read Read guide →
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