Pays Your Bills Terms - Iliffe Media

JANUARY PAYS YOUR BILLS – TERMS & CONDITIONS

(Iliffe Media Group Premium Rate Text Competition)

1: COMPETITION NAME

January Pays Your Bills running from the start date to the end date as set out below. This is an Iliffe Media Network competition, running across Iliffe Media newspapers and Iliffe Media websites listed under Item 2. The competition will be promoted on those websites, associated print titles, social media platforms, and in some cases via newsletters or paid digital advertising.

2: PROMOTER

Iliffe Media, Medway House, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Rochester, Kent, ME2 4DU.

This competition is running across the following Iliffe Media titles:

Advertiser & Times
Bishop’s Stortford Independent
Cambridge Independent
Diss Express
Fenland Citizen
KentOnline
LincsOnline
Lynn News
Newark Advertiser
Stratford Herald
Suffolk News
Newbury Today

Standard competition Terms & Conditions for each publication:

3: COMPETITION START DATE, END DATE & ENTRY PERIOD

Start Date: 1 January 2025 at 00:01
End Date: 25 January 2025 at 23:59

Any entries received before the start date or after the end date will be invalid but may still be charged.

The competition will be promoted throughout the period on participating Iliffe Media websites, in print publications, on social media channels and other promotional placements.

Winners will be contacted by 29 January 2025, and their names will be published online on or around 30 January 2025.

4: COMPETITION DETAILS

A single skill-based question applies across the entire Iliffe Media network:

“Which season begins in the UK on 20 March 2026?”

A) Spring
B) Summer
C) Autumn

Entrants must select A, B or C and submit their answer by SMS using the appropriate keyword for their publication (see Section 5). All valid entries from all participating titles will be pooled into one single central draw. One entrant will win the main prize, followed by three additional entrants who will each win a runner-up prize.

5: ROUTES OF ENTRY, KEYWORDS, ENTRY LIMITS & COSTS

SMS Entry

Entrants can enter by sending their answer by SMS to 60099, starting with the correct local keyword corresponding to their Iliffe Media publication:

WIN – Advertiser & Times
BILLS – Bishop’s Stortford Independent
CAMBRIDGE – Cambridge Independent
DISS - Diss Express
FENLAND - Fenland Citizen
KENT – KentOnline
LINCS – LincsOnline
LYNN – Lynn News
NEWARK - Newark Advertiser
STRATFORD – Stratford Herald
SUFFOLK – Suffolk News
NEWBURY – Newbury Today

A single SMS entry costs:
£2 + standard network rate message.

Bonus Entry Mechanic

For every two (2) paid SMS entries, entrants receive two (2) additional bonus entries free of charge (four entries total).
This bonus applies only to paid SMS entries.
It can repeat up to the maximum entry limit.
Bonus entries do not apply to postal entries.

Entry Limits

Entrants may submit a maximum of 25 entries across all entry routes combined (SMS + postal). Entries submitted beyond this limit will not be counted but may still be charged.

Auto-Reply

All valid SMS entries will receive an auto-response confirming:

Receipt of their entry
The “pay for two, get two free” mechanic

If an entrant does not receive an auto-reply, possible reasons include:

Insufficient credit
Premium rate services blocked
Network restrictions
Message allowance limits

Major provider links include:

6: FREE POSTAL ENTRY ROUTE

Entrants may enter for free by sending a postcard containing ONLY:

Full name
Full address
Telephone number
Email address
Answer (A, B or C)

To:
January Pays Your Bills
Iliffe Media Group
Medway House
Sir Thomas Longley Road
Rochester
Kent
ME2 4DU

Postal entries do not qualify for bonus entries.
Postal entries count towards the overall 25-entry limit.
Entries must arrive before the competition closes.
Entries sent via any method other than postcard will be disqualified.

7: ENTRANT RESTRICTIONS

The competition is only open to:

UK residents aged 16 or over
Residents living within the postcode areas served by the Iliffe Media title they are entering through
Individuals entering on their own behalf

Not open to:

Employees of Iliffe Media Group
Immediate family members of employees
Anyone professionally involved in administering the competition
Automated, bulk or third-party entries

Entrants must have a valid UK mobile number to enter via SMS.

8: WINNER SELECTION & CONTACT PROCESS

All valid entries enter an automated random draw. Order of selection:

Main prize winner (£2,026)
Three runners up (£260 each)

A Iliffe Media representative will attempt to contact winners using the phone number provided. Up to 10 attempts will be made. If the winner cannot be contacted by 28 January 2025, the prize will be forfeited and a replacement winner may be selected.

Calls may be recorded for verification. Local publications may contact winners for editorial coverage.

9: PRIZE DETAILS

1 × £2,026 Main Prize
3 × £260 Runner-Up Prizes

Prizes will be paid:

By UK bank transfer only
To the winner’s personal UK bank account

Winners must provide valid UK bank details within the required timeframe or the prize will be forfeited. Prizes are non-transferable.

10: PUBLICATION OF WINNERS

Winners’ names (and town/area where appropriate) may be published:

On the Iliffe Media website hosting these terms
On participating Iliffe Media websites
Possibly in print publications

11: QUERIES, SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER CARE

If experiencing difficulty entering, entrants should check with their mobile provider first.

For queries or complaints:

Head of Broadcast – Rob Wills
Email: rwills@thekmgroup.co.uk
Phone: 01634 227945
Post: Head of Broadcast, Iliffe Media Group, Medway House, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Rochester, ME2 4DU

12: DATA PROTECTION

Personal data is used solely for:

Administering the competition
Selecting and contacting winners
Publishing winners

Data is handled under relevant privacy policies and not used for marketing unless consent is given.

13: OTHER CONDITIONS

The promoter may disqualify any entry that breaches these terms.
The promoter may cancel, amend or suspend the competition if necessary.
Iliffe Media is not responsible for network failures or technical malfunctions.
Proof of sending is not proof of receipt.
The promoter’s decision is final.

14: CONTACT DETAILS

Iliffe Media Group
Medway House, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Rochester, ME2 4DU
Email: rwills@thekmgroup.co.uk
Phone: 01634 227945