Get Answers

In the first of our Get Answers mini-series helping you get the answers you need to life's everyday questions, we assess your options as uncertainty continues in the mortgage market.We look at whether now is the time to fix your mortgage deal, what to do if you can't afford your monthly repayments, and answer your questions from social media.Check out our mortgage repayment calculator & sign up to our free money newsletter.Like what you're hearing? Use #GetAnswers on social media.

This week we’re getting behind the wheel to take a closer look at smart motorways.The government recently announced no new smart motorways will be built, but with some already under construction, and plenty others in operation, they aren’t going anywhere soon.Sign up to one of our free weekly newsletters.

When you brush your teeth, do you ever stop to consider if your toothpaste is actually doing what it claims to be capable of on the tube? Teeth whitening toothpastes are as popular as ever, with influencers pushing products that claim to enhance your smile, look further and the science may be less than solid.In this week’s Which? Investigates, we dig into those claims, ask whether these products are safe, and if we can be confident they work as promised?Are toothpaste tubes recycleable? read more here & sign up to our free weekly newsletters.

We hear how a stolen mobile could result in an empty bank account.Sign up to one of our free weekly newsletters.

Everytime you head to the supermarket, take a trip to your local restaurant, or simply open the fridge, you should be confident that the food you’re about to eat is safe to consume. But 10 years since horse meat was found in beefburgers and ready meals in the UK our high food standards are increasingly at risk and being taken for granted.In this week’s Which? Investigates we take a look at why we’re concerned about the future of food safety, with us calling on the government to ensure our vital food laws are maintained well into the future.Sign up to one of our free email newsletters for all the best articles and advice from Which? & get the latest news from our shopping, food and drink team.

Filling up your vehicle can be an expensive business, but does it need to cost quite as much as it does? Prices have fallen since the record highs seen immediately after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but many experts believe the price per litre should have fallen further.In this week’s Which? Investigates we take a look at the factors propping up forecourt prices, hearing how the price of wholesale oil doesn’t reflect what we’re currently seeing, and asking whether retailers are looking to make money while they can before a ban on new petrol and diesel cars comes into force.Check out our annual fuel cost calculator and sign up to our free weekly newsletters.

The Eurovision Song Contest is the biggest TV entertainment show in the world. With this year’s event being hosted in the UK on behalf of last year’s winner’s Ukraine, we hear how fans from across the continent have been battling with popular demand, high prices, and cancellations in order to find somewhere to stay in this year’s host city of Liverpool. In this week’s Which? Investigates we learn how accommodation providers have increased their prices to record levels, as well as asking  what your rights are should you find yourself with nowhere to stay, even with a valid booking!Read more on how to report the price gouging of products and sign up to our free weekly newsletters.

This week we’re delving into the shady world of apps.Chances are we have plenty downloaded on our mobile, you likely downloaded one to listen to this podcast, but how much do you know about what some of them could be doing to your device, and more importantly, our data.Sign up to our free tech newsletter.

With the Easter Holidays approaching, we’re hearing why you should perhaps think twice before booking your next trip away through an online travel agent.We’ll also learn why you shouldn’t be tempted by the headline price for flights on some booking sites.Read more about our best and worst package holiday providers.

Buying a house or moving into a new home should be an exciting moment in anyone’s life, but as with all aspects of society, this major live event is being infiltrated by fraudsters, keen to make a quick getaway with your hard earned cash. In this Which? investigation we’ll be hearing how the property market could be vulnerable to scammers, with some would-be buyers losing huge sums of money through illegal activity carried out by highly organised criminals.Read our latest scam alerts and sign up for our free newsletter.

How much time do you spend when booking a holiday? There’s plenty to consider; the destination, how you’ll get there, and of course where you’ll stay. But what happens when the accommodation you actually booked isn’t where you end up staying…In this Which? Investigation we’ll hear why those booking a package holiday could see their hotel booking changed even after they’ve stepped onto their flight, as well as hearing from some travellers with a nightmare story to tell.Sign up to one of our free newsletters for more news and advice from the team at Which?

This week we’re hearing about the car sharks, investigating a rise in private parking fines, and explaining how to appeal if you get a ticket.Read our advice on how to appeal a parking ticket or sign up to one of our free newsletters.

It’s the plot to many a science fiction movie, technology rising up and taking charge of the planet. But could that actually become a reality in the not too distant future?In this Which? Investigation we look at how technology is evolving, how our devices are increasingly ‘smart’, and whether the current rate of development can continue forever?Sign up to our free tech newsletter here.

Since the conflict started in Ukraine, our bills have soared. Energy bills reached levels unheard of previously, food prices rocketed, and inflation is still way above government targets. But exactly how much have the consequences of the war squeezed our finances, and what might happen next?In this Which? investigation we look at how the price for things like electricity, gas, food and other essentials have risen over the last twelve months, as well as looking ahead in an attempt to find some more optimistic news for our pockets.Read more about our food inflation tracker and support our Affordable Food for All campaign.

This week we hear how new research from Which? has found huge differences in the amount of caffeine in popular hot drinks at high-street coffee shops.Read more about our research here and you can also sign-up to our free newsletters.

The NHS is never far from the headlines. Record waiting times and debates over funding have been front and centre of the story for years, but for many people the wait to see their local doctor is the issue they feel most passionately about. In this Which? Investigation we’ll talk to frontline doctors, health professions, and others with a unique insight to take a look at the factors that have led to long waits, difficulties securing an appointment, and ask what could be done to improve the situation.Read more of Ian Aikman's original piece or sign up to our free health newsletter.

2023 is here, and with it comes that ever growing urge to look ahead at where you might like to explore later in the year. But with new Which? research finding the cost of holidaying on the rise, where are the best places to go to get more for your money?In this Which? investigation we take a look at the factors pushing up prices, ask whether there are still good deals to be had, as well as hearing from those rejecting air travel in favour of a more leisurely and climate friendly method of transport.Read more about the destinations where your pounds will go further in 2023 or sign up to our free travel newsletter.

Think back to the last time you were on a plane, did it feel like there was less space than the last time you'd boarded an aircraft?This week Laura Sanders to take us through her recent investigation which left her with that shrinking feeling…You can sign-up to our free newsletters here.

The hosts of the Which? Investigates, Which? Money & Which? Shorts podcasts team up with our experts to answer some of your burning questions.They cover everything from insulation to savings rates, holiday recommendations to smart devices and more...Got a question you want us to answer, email us on [email protected] more of our energy saving tips & grants available & sign up to our free email newsletters.

Can you cook dinner in an airfryer to save yourself some money? Is the traditional turkey centrepiece a thing of the past? And how much has our festive food changed over the last hundred years?In this Which? investigation we take a look at how our Christmas eating habits are changing. We'll also be lifting the lid on some of our intensive testing here at Which? to reveal the best value products, and giving you some ideas on how to impress your guests for less this holiday season. Read more of our best value taste test results on Christmas food and drink & sign up to our food & health newsletter.

While many issues have rightly been thrust into the spotlight as the men’s World Cup takes place in Qatar, there’s another which perhaps hasn’t made the headlines. As with all major events, be they sporting or otherwise, criminals are using all tactics possible to defraud fans of their hard earned cash.In this Which? Investigates we take a look at ticket fraud. We’ll hear from those who have lost thousands, learn more about how the scammers operate, and ask those in the know what more needs to be done to help combat this illegal activity.Read our guide on how to get a refund or sign up to our free Scam Alerts newsletter.

We hear how new Which? research has found those great sales offers might not be all they're cracked up to be.

We’re fast approaching the busiest shopping period of the year. In just a few days Black Friday will mark the traditional start of the festive spending season, with billions spent on items over the few weeks between now and Christmas. But with so many of the sales moving online, how does the world’s biggest online retailer get ready to process millions of orders every single day?In this Which? investigation we go behind the scenes at one of the UK’s largest Amazon fulfilment centres, finding out how the multi billion pound company operates. We’ll also ask whether Black Friday has had its day, and explore the shady online activity you should be aware of.Read more about how to find the best Black Friday deals, and learn about our Great Value badge.

We give you a chance to hear our extended conversation from our Which? Investigates podcast as we chat to sustainable fashion campaigner Brett Staniland. He made a stand while appearing on the 2021 series of ITV show Love Island, refusing to wear the clothes provided by fast fastion retailer sponsoring the programme at the time.Here he explains why he made that decision, what he makes of the industry's attempts to become more sustainable, and his thoughs on how we can all live a greener life.Read more about our second hand marketplace investigation, and sign up to our free sustainability newsletter.

How often do you buy new clothes? A new t-shirt here, a new pair of jeans there, and with the increase in popularity for online shopping, it’s never been easier. But have you ever stopped to think about the impact your purchases could be having on the planet? And what happens to your unloved clothes when they no longer prove fit for purpose?In this Which? Investigation we’re taking on the world of fast fashion, hearing how market trends are impacting the planet. We’ll also chat to a former Love Island contestant about his one-man campaign to stop disposable fashion in its tracks, and hear what we can do to both buy and live more sustainably.Read more about our second hand marketplace investigation, and sign up to our free sustainability newsletter.

We all use technology every single day. From phones to computers, smartwatches and more, they are a key part of our everyday lives. But what do you do when it comes to replacing them? Do you repair them, recycle them, or, like most of us, simply throw them away?In this investigation we look at huge impact our thirst for technology has on the planet, before switching our focus to the challenges we face once our tech becomes obsolete. Find out more about the Restart Project, check out our phone security tracker, or sign up to our free tech newsletter.

After our previous episode looked at the food we eat, this time we take a deep dive into the impact our food waste mountain could be having on the planet. With the UK throwing away around 10 million tonnes of food every year, more than any other nation in Europe, we ask what we can do to stop our compulsion to waste. We also explore which foods are the worst offenders when it comes to deadly greenhouse gas emissions, as well as exploring how food otherwise destined for the bin could help combat the cost of living crisis. Read more our three food waste facts everyone needs to know or sign up to our free sustainability newsletter.

In an era of ‘superfoods’ and ‘miracle diets’ we take a look at the foods we eat every single day, examining the changes we could make for the better, and investigating when healthy doesn’t necessarily mean good for you. We also unpack how much we really know about the foods we’re eating, how marketing and unethical advertising could be leading to a health crisis, and what the wider consequences could mean for our own wellbeing.Read more about the 'healthy' snacks packed full of sugar, salt & fat or sign up to our free food & health newsletter.

It’s the question on everybody’s lips, whether they be a potential buyer, or a would-be seller. With the Cost of Living crisis continuing and inflation on the rise, we take a look at the latest predictions for house prices and what factors could influence any major changes to the market.We also examine why so few properties have been built in the UK over the last decade, and explore what can be done to help improve the situation for many currently priced out of property.Read our latest house price guide or sign up to our free Money newsletter.

Marketed as a new way to pay, a step into an exciting future, or a way of taking back control against governments and financial institutions - cryptocurrency has become a rapid growth market for societies across the world.But how have we got here? In this Which? Investigation we discover how despite social media being awash with celebrities endorsing these new digital currencies, they’re anything but a safe and stable investment. Read our cryptocurrency explained article to find out more or report suspected fraud activity to Action Fraud.

With warnings about climate change and the recent heatwave fresh in our memory, we take a deep dive into the science behind sunscreen and debunk some of the claims made by some products available on shelves up and down the country.In this Which? Investigation as we take a look at our own tests which show not all products provide the protection you’d expect, while we also hear about early research which could prove how our fragile ecosystem could be harmed by some of the chemicals meant to help protect our skin.Read more about our mineral sunscreen tests or check out our sunscreen reviews (subscription required).

We’re facing an unprecedented energy crisis. Over the last year numerous firms have gone bust, while bills are rising significantly. And that’s not all… in October prices are set to rise again.In this Which? Investigation we take a deep dive into the energy market. We’ll hear stories of those struggling to heat their homes, cook their food, and ask if there’s anything we can do to help lessen the impact of these soaring prices? Along the way Grace Forell also takes a look into the future to learn when the situation might improve, and what needs to happen in order to see our bills reduce.Read more about the ways we can reduce our bills and find out whether now is the time to fix your tariff?

Are you excluded from the chance to make greener travel choices simply because of where you live? It's something that came up with our experts when we were discussing the issue of travel chaos for last week episode.In this bitesize bonus, we ask whether it’s possible for a trip abroad to be both cheap and somewhat eco-friendly? And, to help answer that question, we’ll carry out our own real world experiment, stay tuned to hear our findings.

After two years of lockdowns, stay and home orders and border closures, the travel industry is open again and we can finally get back to enjoying trips abroad. Why then are we facing chaotic scenes at airports, mass cancellations, and customers being denied compensation that’s rightfully theirs? In this Which? Investigation we’ll go to the heart of the issues currently impacting the sector. We’ll hear customers, industry experts, as well as getting the view from those representing some of the UK’s largest tour operators. With summer holidays on the horizon, host Grace Forell ask is now time to panic? What needs to be done to solve the problem? Or are things nowhere near as bad as they seem?Find out more about flight refunds and sign our petition calling for changes to the Travel sector.

A chance for you to hear our brand new podcast, Which? shorts.This week we’re hearing about the metaverse, and how virtual reality goggles and holograms that travel effortlessly are just part of the digital universe Facebook, and others, are planning to build…This article was written by Chris Stokel-Walker, with narration from Harry Kind and Grace Forell.You can sign-up to our free newsletters here and find the podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Technology offers us convenience, freedom, and a way to improve not just our health, but also the planet’s. But it can also collect our personal data and share it without our permission. We’re told it can harm our health. And that by buying & using it we’re damaging the environment. So how much is too much tech?In this final investigation of our tech & security season, Greg Foot turns his attention to our own digital lives. He asks whether we are indeed ‘addicted’ to smart tech, and what - or who - can do something about it? He discusses concerns about surveillance in future digital cities and learns of a novel way we could handle our personal data. And he asks whether the tech giants would ever allow us to start a ‘digital detox’ in the first place?Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Scam texts asking you to pay a fake delivery fee. Emails claiming to contain links to book vaccines or covid passports. The list goes on. Frustratingly, more and more of us are being scammed, in more and more ingenious ways, and it looks like advances in tech are enabling it.In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot speaks to experts in fraud, fake news and consumer rights to find out some of the latest, most popular scams, and asks if technology could not only be the cause of the problem, but also potentially it’s solution.Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As we explore the internet we leave digital footprints… but who is able to see them, follow them, and why do they want to? In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot asks the experts if we should indeed ‘Accept all cookies?’, he hears the importance of our choice of browser, learns of ‘Surveillance Capitalism’, and asks if we weren’t being tracked, would we be missing out on something?Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alexa, do you record our chats? Siri, what do you know about me? Hey Google, how come I’m being shown an advert for something I’ve never searched for... but talked about in the kitchen yesterday?In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot tackles one of your biggest tech and security concerns: we appreciate smart assistants are always listening, but are they always recording? And what are the privacy and data implications of having them in our homes?Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A recording of our first-ever, live panel event. “Which? Investigates” Producer & Host Greg Foot puts your tech & security questions to Which? experts Kate Bevan, Andy Laughlin & Marianne Calnan, as well as Prof. Gavin Brown from the University of Liverpool. From whether our panellists would ever put a smart camera inside your home? to which products are most likely to appear with a fake review? Hear more on how the rise of technology is impacting our lives and what we can do to protect ourselves, our families, and our homes in a digital world. We’ve got a new investigation coming next week so make sure you follow us to get notified. And if you’ve been enjoying the podcast please do rate & review us - thanks! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We know that being at the top of the search results on Amazon is prime real estate for sellers. Good sales and good reviews help get you there, but some sellers are gaming the algorithm themselves with fake reviews.. But how big of a problem is it - and have you been duped?In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot speaks to Which? experts about their recent investigations: setting up a fake company on Facebook Business to find out how much fake reviews cost, discovering that an ‘Amazon Choice’ badge is not a badge of approval, and the uncovering of a new type of con that you may have been a victim of - ‘brushing’.Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With tales of contactless cards being ‘skimmed’ by hackers, and occasions where online bank services drop out for hours on end, where should we be keeping our money? As the use of cash continues to decline, will it soon be a thing of the past? And how safe really is cryptocurrency? In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot is joined by Lucia Ariano and the Which? Money team to find out more about how to protect our digital money. We find out who controls it, what our use of it tells them about us, and we explore the future of money - will it be in the hands of banks, bitcoin, or someone else entirely… Facebook perhaps?!Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s not just the smart tech inside your home that could be at risk from hackers. With modern technology making new cars often more computer than combustion engine, we look at whether someone could take control of your vehicle… while you’re driving!In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot speaks to experts to find out whether making our cars smarter makes hacking more likely, what digital techniques thieves use to steal connected cars, and what you can do to protect yours.Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We start our new ‘tech & security’ season with a look at whether the smart devices more and more of us are installing in our homes could give hackers easy access to our lives and data.In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot speaks to experts and fellow Which? journalists to discover how vulnerable we really are, and quickly learns that any connected device could leave your home open to cyber attack - from your TV, to your doorbell, your printer, and even a baby monitor. Greg asks, if a casino across the Atlantic was hacked through a smart fish tank, should we be worried about our own smart devices at home, and what changes can we make to get the most from our tech but ensure we’re protected?Show notes and references are available here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A chance to hear more from three of the conversations we had whilst recording the second half of season one:02.35 - 16.12 Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel, discusses whether a trip abroad can ever be truly ‘sustainable’.17.58 - 34.02 Mike Berners-Lee, climate impact expert, explains how to work out a carbon footprint and the impact working from home has on the planet.36.20 - 47.33 Olivia Bowen, partner and financial advisor at Castlefield, chats about ‘ethical’ investing and what a ‘green’ investment fund actually means.We very much hope you enjoyed this first season of the podcast - if you did please do rate & review us - and we’ll be back in the autumn for Season 2! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There’s a shocking claim that if you eat less meat to cut your food footprint, drive an EV to reduce your travel emissions, or choose products that don’t contribute to deforestation, the eco-benefits of all of those could be completely undone by something else, something you may not have considered: your money.In this Which? investigation, Greg Foot finds out how our bank accounts, pensions and investments may be causing climate change without our knowledge. He teams up with the Which? Money team to analyse the ‘sustainable’, ‘ethical’ options, and discovers what could be the biggest case of green-washing yet. Read more about this and all our episodes here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After a year of Zoom calls, countless hours sat in a makeshift home office, and less time stuck in commuter traffic, what does the future of work look like? Will ‘hybrid working’ reign supreme? And would WFH actually be better for the planet? In this Which? investigation Greg Foot suggests that with some offices down-sizing and fewer of us travelling to work the eco-benefits could be huge, but soon learns that it’s much more complex than he thought. Read more about this and all our episodes here & check out the show notes here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’ve all heard that flying is terrible for the planet, but is it getting cleaner? Can ‘carbon-offsets’ soak up and neutralise your flight’s emissions? And will ‘bio-fuel’ decarbonise the aviation industry? In this Which? investigation Greg Foot asks if he could ever justify taking a flight, he learns about the benefits and wider impacts of travelling abroad, and uncovers how ‘eco-friendly’ an ‘eco-holiday’ really is. Read more about this and all our episodes here & check out the show notes here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With homes and heating responsible for around a fifth of UK’s carbon emissions, talk of our boilers potentially being upgraded to hydrogen, and increased government interest in heat-pumps as a possible way to reach the net zero target, what is the future of your home heating system? In this Which? Investigation Greg Foot asks if these are indeed viable options for your home or whether their green credentials are being exaggerated. He also looks to Norway to learn about ‘district heating’ and finds out what you should do next time your boiler fails. show notes here. Read more about this and all our episodes here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A chance to hear more from three of the conversations we had whilst recording the first half of season one:02.22 - 19.14 Materials Scientist, Engineer and Broadcaster Mark Miodovnik reveals more about how your mobile phone is made, how repairable it is (or not), and the shocking reality of what happens if you recycle it20.45 - 32.31 Journalist and Author of ‘Sex Robots and Vegan Meat’, Jenny Kleeman, shares stories of her unique research trips looking at the alternative meat industry34.11 - 48.39 And Which? car expert Adrian Porter answers some of your biggest questions about electric vehicles (EVs)We’ve got a new investigation coming next week so make sure you follow us to get notified. And if you’ve been enjoying the podcast please do rate & review us - thanks! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.