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Over 50s MoneySaving

Archives for January 2009

Care home fees & deprivation of assets
My mother lives alone (widowed) is in her late 70's, and in poor health. I can see carehome needs around the corner but she understandably wants to stay in her own home for as long as possible with help. I live in a relatively small cottage which isnt really suitable for having my mum to stay - only one downstairs room…
State pension.
Just had my state pension stopped, can cover outgoings from other income, but scary. They won't tell me why. "we are dealing with the matter"In fact only found out when checking bank account online. Could have gone into overdraft. Has anyone else had this occur. Is it legal to stop it without notice? Do I have an right to…
Late application for winter fuel allowance
A distant relative applied for the winter fuel allowance after the deadline. This was in November 2008. he has received an acknowledgement in December. When do you think he will get the money? thanks
Stairlift
Has anyone any experiences - good or bad - with any stairlift companies that they would care to relate? Mrs Biggles is going to need one and I'm grasping at straws!
Sold house abroad, what next?
Hello, We have just sold a house in Florida which we have owned for almost 9 years. We have a gain of almost $45K and we want to bring the money back to the UK. Do we have to notify anybody and when? Can we use our Capital Gains Tax allowances for this?
Taxable ? or not ?
When completing a self assessment tax return should the £250 winter fuel allowance, the £10 Christmas bonus and the recent £60 (bribe ?) be declared alongside the SRP ?
RIAS experience anyone
I want to compare rias with saga for car insurance but cannot find any decent reviews. Does anyone here have personal experience of rias? Saga looks pretty good but some of the online reviews have put me off a bit
Father Living As A Tenant In Our Rental Property
We are thinking of moving our father in to our rental property as he wants to move closer to us, are there any special tax implications etc that anyone is aware of? Many thanks
Can anyone help explain these DWP Pension Payments?
Hi, My Grandad has gone into a residential home (self funding) so I am looking at his bank statements to try and work out how long his money is going to last basically. I think he is claiming Attendance Allowance at the lower rate (I am going to claim for the higher). I assume this gets paid in with his pension because…
Paying for a Funeral?
Can I ask for some advice on this problem please. When my mother died recently I was shocked at the cost of the funeral. I had no idea they were so expensive. The funeral director wanted payment while my mother's funds were still frozen, but we were able to pay, so this was not a problem. However, it has set me thinking…
Now 60 - Car Insurance next month. Tips please?
Hello all, I used the PO £50 cashback insurance last year, have had the reminder, but recall reading a year ago that others had no luck obtaining the cashback on renewal basis quotes. I'll go with anyone who gives me a good deal. I should perhaps add that I've just had a £100 personal docs payout from AXA(the PO insurers…
free smoke alarm? Help
How do i go about getting a free smoke alarm (fitted) for my mother (shes 59) but has had a serious operation so is not mobile I heard something about the fire service but who would i ring?
Any cheap travel insurance out there?
My MIL (aged 68) has got her trip to Florida booked with SIL, (2 weeks in September) and has just been quoted £1000 for travel insurance just for her! She is Type 2 diabetic and takes medication for high blood pressure but it's not drastically high IYSWIM. I've had a look at a couple of other travel insurance sites but no…
Attendance Allowance
Hi, My grandad has gone into a home and my dad has had a stroke so I am trying my best to sort everything out. I have been looking at my grandads bank statements and he gets one payments per month from DWP. He says he is claiming Attendance Allowance and has been for a while and I found a letter at his bungalow saying he…
Care Home Funding - Transferring Asset?
My Grandad has moved into a residential home because he was no longer able to cope at home. He is self funded - we found the home ourselves and sorted it all out ourselves. It costs him £500 weekly (so £26,000 a year). He has money in his bank account amounting to approx £100k so I am happy he will be able to pay for the…
normanward5484
I have an ISA with Smile Banking I also have an C/Account with them,They are paying me 1.75% . Where can I find A better rate to transfer to?
Elderly neighbour in dilapidated/dangerous house
First of all, sorry if I am on the wrong board, but I have no idea where to post this. Also it's very long, sorry! Just looking for some opinions of what other people would do... We have an elderly neighbour who lives alone (his wife, who had Alzheimer's, died 2 years ago, and they had no children). His house is completely…
Identity of beneficiaries
My mother's will, of which I am an executor, provides for a couple of small bequests to children (adult, now married) of my brother's ex. They are now in the States and, though my brother has addresses, they go back some six years or so, so may not be current. When I write, is there some way I should ask the person…
Help please care home funding with house and son
Hi all, I've looked through the threads as I am sure someone has asked this before but can't see the answer. A relative has fallen recently and is in hospital. The hospital are recommending a home as she is unlikely to walk again and is mentally confused. The problem is that she lives with her adult son. He has always…
Being the Executor of a Will
Hello all, this is my first post so apologies if I've posted in the wrong place. I have recently been asked to become one of the executors of a family friend's will (there will be 3 people acting as executors, but I do not know the names of the other people) and I am hoping to get some more information about the role…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
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Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
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Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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Over 50s MoneySaving

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