Ulster Bank has announced it will be introducing fees on its current account from Jul 1, while PTSB has reported strong demand for its no-fee current account.

In a novel move for a bank in the Irish market, Permanent TSB (PTSB) has dropped quarterly and transaction fees on its latest current account product.

Families already swamped by rising service costs and increasing bills could be pushed to the brink and end up as “the new poor”, experts warned yesterday.

STRUGGLING households are paying almost €1,300 more to clear their bills than a year ago.

EVERY home will be hit by an average €250 a year hike in their gas and electricity bills when a range of price increases planned for the coming months take effect.

CONSUMERS have been warned that banks will hit them with extra charges if they don’t have enough money in their accounts to cover direct debits.

ENERGY prices are going up. This has been confirmed by Bord Gáis which recently warned that households and businesses should expect higher energy prices in the coming months because of the rising cost of natural gas.

BANKS may be willing to talk to customers in trouble but according to experts, people should be prepared to be challenged on all aspects of spending.

THE ESB has come under pressure to reverse its decision to exclude customers in arrears from its latest price reductions after Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton urged the company to have a change of heart.

HOUSEHOLDS thinking of joining, rejoining or reaffirming their allegiance to the ESB have been advised not to rush into it until they consider all their options.

IN an era of falling wages and rising taxes you would imagine consumers would be fighting for every euro — but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

INSURANCE costs have soared by a quarter in the last three years with home cover alone increasing by 40%.

A WAR is raging in the electricity and gas market with annual savings of more than €200 to be gained by changing from traditional providers.

FREE flights, €100 cash and discount travel cards are among the incentives being used by banks to encourage students to open accounts.

IRISH households have stashed away an average of almost €44,000 each but many are moving their cash to instant access accounts as concerns mount about their future finances.

HALIFAX could rake in close to €7 million in interest payments from Irish customers from deals it is offering those looking to clear their credit card balances.

A Corkman who was involved in a savage assault on two men in front of a 10-year-old girl while they were out fishing has been jailed for three years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.