Simon Read
Simon Read is an award-winning financial journalist and broadcaster with more than 25 years of experience writing for national newspapers and other publications.
He was Personal Finance Editor of The Independent newspaper for seven years and has written for a range of other newspapers, from The Financial Times and The Times to The Sun and The Mirror.
Originally from Essex, Simon now lives with his family in south-west London.
Simon's Experience
As well as being a traditional print journalist, Simon writes regularly about finance for online sites, such as BBC News, as well as contributing to a number of blogs and podcasts.
He champions consumer rights and is a commentator on a range of tv and radio shows, such as Watchdog on BBC1, Sky News, Channel 5 News, Radio 5 Live, LBC and Talk Radio.
He was a money expert on three series of the daytime BBC1 TV show Right On The Money and presented a BBC Radio 4 documentary on fraud, as well as battling for fair treatment from companies for a number of years in his Fights For Your Rights column in Moneywise magazine.
Simon's recent coverage
The Sun | Drivers are being fleeced...
The Scottish Sun | House prices fall at fastest rate in 14 years
Expertise
Car insurance
Personal finance
Banking
An early repayment charge (ERC) is a fee for ending a mortgage deal before the term ends. Typical ERCs range between 1% and 5% of the remaining loan amount if you want to end it early.
ERCs often also apply if you attempt to pay back more than 10% of the outstanding loan amount in a single year.
Find out more in the MoneySavingExpert guide to early repayment charges.
The base rate or 'Bank Rate' is the official interest rate set by the Bank of England that guides banks and lenders.
The base rate is currently 3.75%, following a .25% cut in December 2025.
