The Money blog will return tomorrow morning - and we'll leave you with some potential evening reading.

Each Tuesday, we begin the day by tackling a reader's consumer dispute or financial dilemma - but did you know you can catch up with all of these Money Problem posts on our Money tab?

We've saved or clawed back tens of thousands of pounds for readers over the past year, so if you have a Money Problem you'd like us to look into, email moneyblog@sky.uk with the subject line "Money Problem".

More than 500,000 customers on heat networks are now protected from unfair energy price hikes after changes by Ofgem. 

Heat networks warm multiple buildings using one central heating source. 

This could involve taking excess heat generated from a data centre or factory to connected properties through pipes.

Until today, it was an unregulated industry, meaning customers had limited protections. 

Some heat network customers have seen energy costs rise up to 450% following the increase in gas prices.

The new rules will bring heat network customers in England, Scotland and Wales more closely in line with those living on traditional gas and electricity connections.

Homes and businesses on heat networks will also see clearer, itemised billing and there will be greater support for vulnerable customers, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said. 

McDonald's will change its loyalty scheme on Tuesday 17 March - meaning you'll need more points to claim any freebies. 

Currently you have to spend £15 to earn the 1,500 points needed to claim a free item from the lowest tier of goodies, which includes a hash brown, a mini McFlurry, a side salad and a medium drink. 

From 17 March, the points threshold is changing to 2,000 - meaning you'll need to spend £20.

To get a second-tier freebie, like a cheeseburger, a mayo chicken or four chicken nuggets, you currently need 2,500 points, the equivalent of £25 spent. 

This is increasing to 3,500 or an extra £10 that you need to spend to reach this level of items. 

For the third-tier, you need 4,000 points (£40) at the moment, but under the changes you'll need 5,000 (£50). This will get you menu options like a free chicken salad, double cheeseburger, or McChicken sandwich. 

To reach the highest tier of goodies, you need 5,500 points (£55) but this will rise to 6,500 (£65) from March. 

This will unlock menu items like a Big Mac, nine nuggets and a double sausage and egg McMuffin.

The government has announced a support package for pubs after a backlash over rising business rates bills.

Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson announced that from April, every pub in England will get 15% off its new business rates bill.

Bills will then be frozen in real terms for a further two years.

This support is worth £1,650 for the average pub for the next year, says Tomlinson, who adds that around three-quarters of pubs will see their bills fall or remain the same next year.

The package will apply to music venues too, he adds.

Follow all the latest on this breaking story in our Politics Hub...

Airlines paid out £10.9m in compensation to passengers in a year after initially rejecting their claims. 

Data from the Civil Aviation Authority showed the sum was paid between October 2024 and October 2025. 

It was given to passengers whose claims were rejected or unresolved before being escalated to an independent adjudicator. 

Rory Boland, editor of consumer champion Which? Travel, said: "It is concerning, but not entirely surprising, to see that some airlines have attempted to dodge millions of pounds worth of valid compensation claims. 

"This reflects a long-running pattern of airlines shrugging off the legal rights of consumers when the rules are clear.

"While it is positive that independent adjudicators were able to step in and hold the airlines to account, consumers should not have to go to these lengths simply to claim the compensation they are owed." 

Selina Chadha, group director of consumers and markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, told Money: "It is important that airlines look after passengers if something happens to their flight and offer them refunds or alternative arrangements, where required.

"We have recently launched a compliance programme to assess how airlines are meeting their legal obligations to passengers when flights are disrupted.  The programme will identify any systemic issues around how airlines comply with the rules to ensure that passengers get the outcomes they are entitled to."

The owner of Revolucion de Cuba and Peach Pubs has announced the closure of 21 venues with the loss of 591 jobs after appointing administrators. 

The Revel Collective said the administrators from FTI made two deals immediately after being appointed, which secured the future of 41 sites and 1,582 jobs. 

But it will also see the closure of 14 Revolution Bars venues, six Revolucion de Cuba sites and one pub under its Peach Pubs division.

The Revolution and Revolucion de Cuba brands and assets have been bought by Neos Hospitality Group, which runs the Barbara's Bier Haus and Bonnie Rogues brands.

The remaining Peach Pubs business has been bought by newly formed group Coral Pub Company.

Chaired by former Pizza Express boss Luke Johnson, the firm first put itself up for sale in October as its cash crisis deepened and sales slumped.

Airbnb looks set to expand its hotel business, with two key appointments showing it's ready to take on rival holiday sites. 

The short-term rental platform has moved its global head of real estate, Jesse Stein, into a newly created role of head of hotels, and it has hired a Booking.com veteran Lou Zameryka as global head of hotel enterprise and connectivity partnerships. 

The company will be attempting to take on the scale and muscle of Booking.com, Expedia and Trip.com.

Announcing his new role on LinkedIn, Stein said: "As we've shared on recent earnings calls, expanding and optimising the hotel experience on Airbnb is a key growth lever." 

He added that he was focused on "forging partnerships with hoteliers" and "understanding and iterating on how hotels show up on Airbnb". 

Experts said that the move would have been unthinkable back when it was the poster child for spare rooms and living like a local. 

Kate Allen, owner of luxury holiday lettings firm Finest Stays, said the move risks diluting the unique selling point of Airbnb.

She added: "The move seriously muddies Airbnb’s brand. But this shift feels inevitable. 

"For independent, local agents like us, this actually strengthens our position. Guests who book with us get better value, clearer pricing and hands-on service." 

Airbnb told Money: "As Brian Chesky said in our Q2 earnings call homes are the heart and soul of Airbnb. 

"Increasing the supply of boutique and independent hotels on our platform will offer guests even more unique places to stay - especially during periods of high demand -and connect hotels with a global community of travellers looking for unique experiences."

Nearly one million five-year mortgages could be up for renewal this year, with many homeowners facing much higher costs, a comparison site has warned. 

In 2021, 971,105 five-year fixed rate mortgages were taken out, according to data from the Financial Conduct Authority analysed by Compare the Market. 

At the time, interest rates were significantly lower, with sub-2% rates widely available.

Since then, mortgage rates have increased, with the average five-year fixed residential mortgage rate standing at 4.86%, according to Moneyfacts. 

Calculations by Compare the Market indicate that more costly rates could potentially push some households' annual mortgage payments up by as much as £2,124, based on average house prices in 2021 and someone buying their home with a 25% deposit. 

Borrowers letting their five-year mortgage roll on to a standard variable rate, which happens when initial mortgage deals end, could see bigger cost jumps.

Borrowers looking for their next deal will need to factor in the overall cost of the mortgage, including fees, as well as the rate.

David Hollingworth, associate director at L&C Mortgages, said: "Homeowners that locked in a super-low rate five years ago have been sheltered from the ups and downs in interest rates in recent years.

"Although a hike in payments is inevitable once the fix ends, the good news is that mortgage rates have improved substantially recently and are much lower than at the peak.

"That will help to limit the increase, but it makes shopping around for the best deal even more vital. Starting the process several months in advance will help borrowers prepare for higher rates and enable a smooth transition to a new deal." 

By James Sillars, business and economics reporter 

There's movement for shares linked to housing this morning.

Companies exposed to the government's proposed cap on ground rents for leaseholders are starting to report what it could mean for their incomes.

M&G, an asset management firm, warned of a £230m one-off hit.

It also said that should the plans go ahead in their current form, annual adjusted operating profits in 2028 would be knocked by an estimated £15m.

Its shares were down by around 1.5% in early trading.

Elsewhere, news of the EU-India trade deal has failed to widely lift stock market values for major exporters.

BMW and Mercedes, for example, were among stocks to record declines in early deals.

The trade deal, which follows a similar agreement between the UK and India last year, will see reduced tariffs on nearly 97% of EU exports and the bloc cut tariffs on 99.5% of Indian goods.

Stock markets across Europe all opened in mildly positive territory.

In London, the FTSE 100 was 0.2% higher at 10,171. Banking shares were leading the way.

The BBC is working on ways to use iPlayer to find households that haven't paid for a TV licence, Money understands. 

Online BBC accounts could be linked with home addresses for the first time to help find licence fee evaders. 

Any household that watches or records live TV on any channel or uses BBC iPlayer must have a TV licence, which costs £174.50 a year. 

The BBC has a duty to collect the licence fee, and sends targeted letters or emails to those it believes are not paying it and should be. 

There are concessions available for people who are aged 75 or older and receive Pension Credit, blind people, those who live in qualifying residential care and are disabled or over 60 and businesses that provide overnight accommodation. 

Failing to pay the fee can result in a £1,000 fine. 

A TV Licensing spokesperson told Money:  "We always look at ways to improve how we collect the licence fee. This includes using the data available to us to get a better understanding of viewing habits and use of BBC services."

The BBC collected £3.8bn from sales of more than 23 million TV licences in 2024–25, but around £550m is thought to have been lost through evasion.