Benjamin Taylor

Money Analyst – Banking and Insurance

Benjamin's experience

Benjamin joined MSE in June 2022 as an Editorial Assistant. In his pre-MSE days, he studied English at the University of Sheffield and worked an array of odd jobs.

A little more about Benjamin

He lives in London and enjoys going to Morrisons, seeing friends and family, and just generally walking about. He supports Norwich City Football Club.

Benjamin says...

"As a member of MSE's Money team, I cover everything from credit cards, ISAs, loans and car finance, to pet, cycle and home insurance. I joined MSE to try to help people claw back pounds from big business and love to read about MSE users' innovative successes each week on the MSE Forum."

Latest from Benjamin Taylor

A Lifetime ISA (LISA) can be opened by anyone aged between 18 and 39. You can use one to save up to £4,000 a year, towards either a first home costing up to £450,000 or for retirement, with the state adding a bonus of up to £1,000 a year on top. This guide takes you through how LISAs work, whether they're right for you, how you get the bonus and the best buys.

11 December 2025

Junior ISAs (JISAs) let you save or invest up to £9,000 in the 2025/26 tax year, with the cash locked away until the child turns 18. This guide has the pros and cons of junior ISAs, how to transfer in from a Child Trust Fund, plus the top paying accounts.

11 December 2025

Help to Buy ISAs are now closed to new applicants. Didn't get one in time? Lifetime ISAs also offer a 25% bonus for first-time buyers. But if you do have a Help to Buy ISA, here's everything you need to know, including how to claim the 25% bonus, whether it's worth transferring to a Lifetime ISA and how to get a better rate by changing provider.

11 December 2025

Every adult has a £20,000 ISA allowance for 2025/26 and it's possible to use all or part of that ISA allowance to invest in the stock market. This guide runs through what you need to know before investing in a stocks & shares ISA.

9 December 2025

Cheapest loan rates have finally started to creep down recently, though they're still close to double what they were a few years ago. If you NEED to borrow, this guide has full info on the cheapest loans – how to get them, and what to watch out for.

8 December 2025

Personal loans are one of the cheapest ways to buy a car – and that's even considering that their rates have doubled in the past two years.

8 December 2025

While the lowest loan rates have doubled over the past few years, that doesn't mean that you can't cut the cost of existing loans, especially if your credit rating meant you had to take out a high-rate loan in the past. If you're paying more than 6%, it's worth checking if you can save by getting a new loan to pay it off. This guide shows you how to find the best new deal, and has a unique loan-switching calculator so you can see if you'll save.

8 December 2025

There are regulations governing how APRs must be displayed. Below are loan providers' official examples of the cost of taking out a loan.

8 December 2025

2 December 2025

The personal savings allowance (PSA) lets most people earn up to £1,000 in interest without paying tax on it. At current savings rates, basic-rate taxpayers need around £20,000 in the top easy-access savings account to exceed the allowance. This guide has full details on the PSA and how it works...

2 December 2025

The Help to Save scheme gives low-income earners a savings boost – and it's become more accessible. Now open to more Universal Credit claimants, the scheme offers a 50% bonus on the amount saved, paying up to £1,200 over four years. If you’re claiming Universal Credit here’s how the account works and how you could benefit.

2 December 2025

19 November 2025

If you've given your long debit or credit card number when paying for a subscription or other repeat service, it's likely you've set up a continuous payment authority (CPA). This allows the company to take money from your account when it thinks it's owed – we run you through all the key need-to-knows.

18 November 2025

Joint savings accounts can be a useful way for two people to share responsibility for a pot of money or reach shared savings goals. Both account holders will have access to the cash though, so you should only open one with someone you trust. This short guide runs you through the options.

17 November 2025

You may have noticed when looking for an ISA that some banks offer ‘flexible’ ISAs, and others don’t. This short guide – a spin off from our main cash ISA guide – explains what a ‘flexible’ cash ISA is and whether it's right for you.

17 November 2025

Opening a joint bank account with someone lets you both manage it, which can be useful for household bills or pooling your cash. However, any money you pay in will then belong to you both, so only do it with someone you trust. This short guide runs through it all, including how sharing an account can let you double up on free cash and other perks.

13 November 2025