Money Talks: would staggering school terms save holiday costs? Plus, how to beat fraudsters

The Ryman family of Brighton: ‘We’d save at least £1,000 a year if the council created a week’s holiday at an off-peak time’. Photograph: Andrew Hasson for the Observer

Hello and welcome to this week’s Money Talks – a roundup of the week’s biggest stories and some things you may have missed.

Money news

Young working-class homeowners ‘down 20% under Cameron’

E.ON and Age UK urged to refund pensioners over fuel deal

Age UK earned £6m a year for encouraging people to sign up to special rate £245 higher than cheapest tariff. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PA

Ministers accused of ‘mis-selling’ over women’s pensions

Help to buy London launches, but expert questions its reach

Landlords ‘don’t understand right to rent immigration checks’

Construction workers denied access to auto-enrolment pensions

Scottish Power to cut gas prices by 5.4%

Feature

Would staggered school terms help keep the cost down?

In pictures

Homes with famous ex-owners

This penthouse in Cheyne Walk, London, once belonged to Sol Campbell and is priced at £6.5m. Photograph: Strutt & Parker

In the spotlight

Scamming money out of people is a lucrative business for fraudsters but there are many ways to prevent yourself becoming a victim. Rodney Hobson offers some useful tips.

Consumer champions

Running out of energy to fight this fictitious Ovo bill

Only TalkTalk could charge for saying ‘sorry’

A stone cold reaction from Highways England after car window was shattered

Workmen using a strimmer admitted liability for my car window but I’m left with a bill for £175. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian

Money deals

Create your own energy price cut, sign up to our group switch and you could save over £200 a year. There’s no obligation to switch but you need to sign up before 14 February if you want the chance to save with our special deal.

Download a free guide to where to invest your Isa in 2016 from MarketViews, including a 10 step plan for success.

Sign up to a free Guardian international money transfers account and you’ll get competitive exchange rates and free online transfers when you send money abroad.