Signing up to an annual direct debit payment plan from your energy supplier is supposed to help prevent bill shock as your payments are spread equally throughout the year. But it might not work like that...
Lib Dems back plastic bag levy

The Government needs to introduce a levy on plastic bags, Lib Dems activists say
The Government needs to introduce a levy on plastic bags, Lib Dems activists say.
Under the proposed scheme, revenue from the new tax would be spent on community food initiatives.
The new Lib Dem policy was ratified by the party's members during a vote at their conference in Brighton.
Cllr Justine McGuinness said she used to be against the introduction of a tax on plastic bags but had changed her mind.
She said: "When you go to southern Ireland, where they have a plastic bag tax levy, you don't see plastic bags floating around in hedgerows and you don't see people just using them once because, of course, there is plastic bag levy. It has changed people's behaviour.
"For me that is a sign of a very good policy indeed. In fact, seeing what has happened in southern Ireland has helped changed my own behaviour so I would urge you to support this motion because it is a policy that will effect change."
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