Cover that pays a monthly amount of cash for a limited period if you can't work or are made redundant.

Rate at which pension benefits grow within an Occupational Pension Scheme for each year in service. Usually expressed as a fraction of final salary.

An accident or event, which happens due to natural causes such as storm which no one could foresee.

This rate takes into account all the costs, interest charges and arrangement fees and allows you to compare credit facilities on a like for like basis.

This is a series of regular payments that you receive for the rest of your life, in exchange for a lump sum /pension fund that you have built up over your working life.

The Annual Percentage Rate. This rate takes into account all the costs, interest charges and arrangement fees and allows you to compare credit facilities on a like for like basis.

Interest rate set by the Bank of England, used to determine borrowing and savings rates across the UK.

Consumer Credit Act - UK legislation which sets the rules for the way in which banks and other lenders lend money to members of the public.

A life insurance payment made upon the death of an insured person.

The single regulatory authority for the UK financial services industry, setting the rules for how financial companies operate and looking out for the public's interests.

A loan that allows you to borrow up to an agreed amount, so that you can increase or decrease the loan depending on how much money you need from time to time.

The single regulatory authority for the UK financial services industry, setting the rules for how financial companies operate and looking out for the public's interests.

Independent Financial Adviser - an independent expert who is authorised to sell or advise on the policies offered by insurance companies, as well as other financial service providers, such as banks and building societies.

A loan which you take out as an individual, with a fixed interest rate and a fixed number of repayments.

A loan for which you put up an asset, such as your home, as security; if you do not keep up you repayments, the lender can sell your home to get their money back.

Business funding, small business loans, business angels, factoring, asset finance, trade finance, grant funding, property finance and professional management consultants.

A loan for which you don't have to put up an asset, such as your home, as security that the loan will be repaid.

Gas & Electricity

Continuous Authority Credit Card - Authority is transferred to your provider to charge your credit card each quarter with an amount equal to your quarterly bill. The Direct Debit Guarantee makes sure that you are notified at least 14 days before advance of the amount is to be debited.

Deregulation - The process of opening the gas and electricity supply markets for competition among suppliers, thus giving a chance to customers to choose their choice of gas and electricity suppliers. The process of deregulation has already benefited customers by bringing deduction in prices and increases in service and efficiency within both markets.

Direct Debit - Regarded as best and cheapest method to pay for gas and electricity. You can make a direct payment from your bank account according to your wishes which could be either in equal monthly instalments throughout the year (Fixed Monthly Direct Debit), or in full payment of each quarterly bill (Variable Direct Debit).

Dual Fuel - For those who don't know what dual fuel plans are? These are the plans offered by some suppliers to those customers who like their provider of both gas and electricity, same. Originally, these plans also consist of incentives, discounts, or reduced prices. These plans are also known as 'Combined' plans.

Economy 7 - Properties that consume or report high level of night time usage of electricity (e.g. storage heating facilities) reportedly have an Economy 7 meter. This is one meter that separately measures the amount of electricity used in both times i.e. both during the day and at night. Remember, under this system of charging electricity consumed at night will be charged at a slightly lower rate than the charges applicable in day time.

more..

Electricity Association - It is the representative authority of the prominent UK electricity companies.

Electricity Consumption - Electricity consumption is assessed in kilowatt hours (kWh), and most importantly, a charge is imposed for every extra kWh is used by the customer. Remember, customers who are categorised as Economy 7 customers owing to their consumption patterns, are charged separately during daytime and night time.

Expected Annual Cost / Expected Annual Saving - Thanks to regularly updated data on the website, accurate calculation of bills of gas and electricity services takes place. That's not all the current gas & electricity tariffs, the authenticity of these calculations cannot be questioned. The only point to remember here is that these estimations are purely 'expected' basis rather than 'actual' costs and savings.

Fixed Monthly Direct Debit - A Direct Debit official document is provided to the provider, telling him to debit customer's account every month with a determined amount, that depends on the anticipated annual cost of his/her (customer's) bill.

Gas Consumers Council (GCC) - GCC is nothing but the legal authority acting as a representative body for the interests of Gas Consumers in the UK, besides providing free help and advice to them.

Gas Consumption - Gas consumption is assessed in kilowatt hours (kWh) unit, with charge applicable for every extra kWh used by customers.

Green Tariff - Green Tariff is a tariff that either leads in the buying or production of energy from inexhaustible sources of energy such as sun, wind, water, and waste, or in monies being allotted to conservation of funds and environment protection projects.

KWh (kilowatt hour) - Kwh is the standard unit of assessing both gas and electricity consumption done by customer. The number of kWh used by the customer during a billing period will get reflected on your bill. Remember, this is computed on the basis of calculating customer's unit charges.

MPAN (Electricity Supply Number) - S number - Customer's MPAN is the unique identification number of the Electricity meter installed in his/her property. The customer's MPAN is normally mentioned to as a "Supply Number" or "S" number, and it can be also be located on customer's electricity bill. If the customer is unable to find "S" number, he/she can contact his/her present electricity supplier, who will be able to disclose the number for the customer. A fine example of an MPAN is listed below.

MPRN (Gas Meter Point Reference Number) - M number - Suppose here is a person whose name is Mr. X and he is the customer. His MPRN is the unique identifying number of the Gas meter at his property. Mr. X's MPRN is a 10 digit number, normally known to be as the "M" number, and can be easily located on every customer's gas bill. There may occur a case where Mr. X fails to locate his MPRN, then in such cases he can call the Meter Number Helpline.

No standing charge - It is a customary practice that a few providers offer plans that do not have a fixed daily standing charge. The best part about these plans is that they are advantageous to low users, but in reality when these standing charges are removed, these plans end up having higher unit charges.

Ofgem - Founded in June 1999, Ofgem (The Office of Gas & Electricity Markets) came into existence by combining the functions of the former Office of Gas Supply (OFGAS) and the Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER). The body was formed by the government to safeguard the interests of all gas and electricity customers and with a motive to encourage competition in the supply and regulation of the gas and electricity industries throughout the country of Great Britain.

Pay a Year In Advance - As the name suggests, this is one concept that itself tells that here payment is made a year in advance, depending on approximated level of consumption for the year. Towards the end of each year, a rapprochement will occur to line-up for any overpayment or underpayment.

Pay on Receipt of Bill - Again, the name reveals it all. Here, the payment is made upon receipt of customer's bill, which is either done by posting a cheque, or via cash or cheque payment at a bank or building society, Pay Point or Post Office outlet. Some organisation facilitate the customers by permitting you to pay over the phone by citing your debit card or credit card details.

PC or telephone banking - We all know, bills can be paid in any way in today's time. It could either be Online or over telephone by contacting your bank or building society, citing customer's supplier's bank details and customer's account number.

Prepayment Meter or Quantum Meter - It is a meter that restricts the quantity of gas or electricity that a consumer can use to the amount that the he/she has paid for in advance.

Regular Payment Scheme - A payment card or a booklet is issued to customers, and are then asked to make consistent payments; which could be in any time-frame whether weekly, fortnightly or monthly based on the supplier and plan chosen by the customer. The sum is paid and then is deducted from customer's quarterly bill.

Standing Charge - Standing Charge is a fixed daily charge for the energy supply, regardless of the fact of customer's consumption level.

Standing Order - A standing order is an instructional document suggesting customer's bank to pay the supplier a pre-determined monthly or quarterly amount.

Transco - Transco is the largest company in UK that is known for the transportation of gas, and for maintenance and development of majority of the network of gas pipelines cross the nation. Transco is also the authority responsible for conducting the repair-work in case if gas leaks or emergencies are discovered.

Unit Price - Unit Price is the variable charge based on customer's consumption level. Remember, this unit price will be applicable on every kilowatt hour (kWh) of gas or electricity used by the customer.

Variable Direct Debit - A Direct Debit mandate is supplied, telling the supplier to debit customer's account in every quarter with an equal amount to your quarterly bill. The Direct Debit Guarantee also makes sure that the customer's are notified minimum14 days before of the amount is due to be debited.

Digital TV

Analogue:- It is one main transmission manner which functions to display television channels with the help of standard waves.
Audio Description:- This system is installed with a broadband to help visually impaired people. Here, an audio runs parallel to video for providing the visual details.
Bandwith:- The speed of data transfer depends on your Bandwith. With the help of good quality bandwith one can also experience much clearer picture and sound quality.
Broadcasters:- A big or small group of people which works for the transmission of television programmes.
Common Interface:- This can be seen in the form of set-top box through which the same broadband connection can be attached with another device.

more..

Communal System:- This is a special system which works in the direction to distribute network through difficult areas like same aerials etc.
Conditional Access:- This is a function designed to secure the programmes, so that one can view them only by providing the correct code.
DAB:- This stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting through which a radio signal can be availed to a digital TV.
Digital Box:- It stands as a device to catch and unscramble the digital signal and is very important for the proper functioning of Digital TV.
Decoder:- This term is used to note the areas which can receive the signals through a particular service provider.
Enhanced TV:- This is a special service determined to allow the viewers for interacting with already playing TV programmes.
EPG:- EPG stands for Electronic Programme Guide, through which a viewer can see the details of running and coming programmes on digital cable.
Freeview:- This is noted as a UK digital terrestrial television service, for which a viewer does not need any kind of subscription.
HDTV:- This stands for High Definition Television, where the guarantee of four times good quality picture is offered in comparison with a normal picture quality.
iDTV:- It stands for Integrated Digital Television, where the built-in digital tuner is also present with TV.
LCD:- This stands for Liquid Crystal Display, which is seen in the form of flat panel where a picture can be viewed with much more clearance.
MATV:- This term stands for Master Antennae TV. This facility is mostly used for flats where a master aerial is used by communal aerial system for receiving a signal.
Multiplex:- This is a facility where a single channel delivers more channels.
Pixel:- A pixel can be noted as a single dot out of thousands which forms a colourful image for a television channel.
Red Button:- This is a special button provided in your broadband to ensure the interactive viewing.
Rooftop Aerial:- This is an aerial fitted on a rooftop to catch television signals for good viewing.

BroadBand

Activation – It permits a pertaining telephone line to receive data (broadband) and voice telephone calls at the same time. The users' phone line must be activated at their local telephone exchange for them to be able to receive broadband.
ADSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. It is a DSL line where the uploading and downloading speed varies, generally the downloading speed is a bit faster than the uploading speed.
Always on – This is an Internet connection which is always available and ready for use.
Anti-virus Software – This is a software gives the users a high degree of protection against PC viruses encroaching their computers.
Broadband - It is a transmission technology which enables various signals to share one cable.
Bandwidth – This is a term adjourning how fast a user can send and receive data using his/her connection.
Contention Ratio – It characterizes the maximum number of people sharing the bandwidth on the broadband connection among their local exchange and their broadband provider.
DSL – Digital Subscriber Line. It is a mode of disseminating data over standard telephone lines.

more..

Dial-up – This kind of Internet access was the original way of connecting to the Internet through a phone line. Transfer speeds are very low in this which is just 56k, which is opposite to a 50Mbps maximum speed of broadband. Just because of the limited bandwidth - the efficiency of the modem to send and receive data - dial-up service can even take up to five minutes to download only one megabyte of data.
Dynamic IP – It is an IP address which differs each time user connect to the Internet. An IP is provided to the user' broadband connection, and the user will require the IP number to hand if he/she want to, for instance, host a forum or an online game. In the occurrence of attacks or individuals playing unfairly, having a Dynamic IP allows the user to re-set his IP address easily by disconnecting and reconnecting to the net via unplugging and replugging his router.
Firewall – The Firewalls can secure the users from internal and external threats. It is basically a computer system which sits between the Internet and a PC or network.
ISP/ Broadband Provider – An acrostic for Internet Service Provider. This is the firm that is providing users with their broadband service.
Kbps – Kilobits per second (1 kilobit per second is equal to 1,000 bits per second). This is a Broadband speed measuring term.
MAC code – Migration Authorisation Code – it enables the users to migrate from one broadband provider to another.
Mbps – This is an abbreviation for Megabits per second. Virtually every broadband assortment available is efficient to deliver speeds of at least 1Mbps or more than this.
Modem – A modem is nothing but a hardware which is usually used for connecting computers to the Internet - it is placed in between the router and the actual connection, transmitting information among the two. This name a blend of the words 'modulator' and 'demodulator', taking the "mo" and "dem" from these words.
Phishing – It is the act of misleading someone into providing them confidential information or trapping them into performing something that they generally wouldn't do or shouldn't do.
Router – A router works as an agent between a computer, modem and the Internet and ascertains where data is sent, as the gadget 'routes' information to one or more machines.
SDSL – It is Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. An alternative of DSL where the uploading and downloading speeds are the same.
Spyware – Any software which covertly accumulates the user information via the user's Internet connection without her/ his knowledge, generally for advertising purposes.