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Over 50s MoneySaving

Archives for January 2013

Lasting power of attorney v Court of Protection
I had an interview with an officer from the Court of Protection this afternoon with regards to my mum. He said that if anyone had a lasting power of attorney and the person it concerned was unable to make decisions for themselves, they would still have to get a court of protection to take care of their affairs. But my…
Too Posh to Wash
The government think tank wants it mandatory for family and friend to care for their families in hospital ie to take them to toilet and bathing and feeding. It is mandatory for jury service but you are paid for it. Would be the same for employers to do the same. Also what about people with no families.…
Half Price Senior Railcards
I Year or 3 Year Senior Railcards can be purchased at half price on-line using Tesco Vouchers. Log in to your Tesco Clubcard account, find the Railcard offer in "Rewards", cash in enough vouchers to pay for the chosen Railcard (copy and paste the voucher numbers to save time!). Print off the final page as a record. Tesco…
Retire,own house,no capital,ideas
Self-employed, retire in 11 months, have house £180K, no capital, estimated pensions £7K total. Looking to sell house outright and rent as I want money to travel while I can. No family. Equity release plans not worthwhile. Any ideas welcomed. 1: Where do I invest the money? 2: How does this affect future benefits, going in…
60+ londoners...free travel
Apologies if this has been posted before. If you are over 60 and living in a london borough but don't yet qualify for your freedom pass, you can get a 60+ travel card fromm tfl which allows free travel on london buses and tubes. No restrictions as to time you can use it. I just got mine and am saving over £1200 on my…
Travel Insurance for the creaky over 50's !
I have previously never declared any medical conditions on travel insurance, however having recently turned 50 I now feel that I'm worrying about it probably too much ! Over the past 10 years I have gone to the doctor many times for various complaints, worries, aches and pains, and injuries. i've thought about this and I…
Elderly Relatives - Worried and stressed
Hi all, I'm using this account as I'm going to go quite in depth into some very personal issues and I would like to keep that separate from my usual on-line persona. The following is all in relation to my partners elderly grandparents; they have been more like parents to her for the entire duration of her life and as such…
Affording retirement
Hubby and I have 18 months now tilll we retire and we estimate our income, before tax, will be in the region of £24,000 a year. We have been wondering if that's enough, although we can't do much about it if it isn't. We will have a mortgage but should have enough in savings to cover the monthly payments (or pay it off if…
Support for non money savvy elderly
My mum died in November. Going through her finances has been a real eye opener. Living a 3 hour drive away, I didn't discuss money much with her. She always taught me how to find a bargain at the supermarket, but don't think she cottoned on that she could find a bargain in her utilities, insurance and the like. I mentioned…
Easy open jars
If like me you occasionaly find it difficult to open jam jars, you might like to look for those with easy open lids. Quite by accident I found Duerr's jam has an easy open lid and their jam is very good. See here > http://www.duerrs.co.uk/ :T :T :T :T :T ++++++++ I do know that their are products on the market which help…
Split age couples and welfare reform
Just wondering if there was any help available out there. Attended a bit of a talk on welfare reform today and a new issue came to my attention that I hadn't thought of before. Currently, if one half of a couple is entitled to pension credit/pension then the household isn't affected by the housing bedroom tax or the…
Stairlift experiences
My mother-in-law is 84 and living alone in her own home. She is reasonably spry and mobile, but the stairs are gradually becoming more and more of a challenge. And so we are starting to think about stairlifts - a subject of which I know nothing, save for the name Stannah! Sshe lives in an end terrace house, with a dog leg…
Benefits for being a carer
does anyone know what benefits u can claim if u give up working to be a carer?my dad has lived with me for 30 years hes now 93 and i have looked after him,but due to my health problems i am now finding this difficult and me and my husband have talked about him stopping working to care for him but we cant get the right…
Need to make a will
I apologise if this is in the wrong place. My husband is 54 and I am 44 and I'm ashamed to say we've never made a will. I was hoping that someone could recommend a good company who could help us to write our wills. Obviously the first choice would be a local solicitor but rather than just google local solicitors, I was…
How can my mum sign her house over to me?
Hi, I pay the mortgage on my mums house but am not on the deeds of the property. Can she sign the house to me?
1st Money save of 2013 Meal and a Pint £3.19.
Turkey Dinner and a pint of Burton Bitter all for £3.19, at the local Carvery pub. Free pint for registering at the pub online 20% off the small carvery meal with the Derbyshire Gold card. Makes a change from the 99p Sausage and Chips, or Fish Cake and Chips at Georges Tradition.
Too Young for McCarthy and Stone
My husband and I are house-sitting in Newport (Shropshire), and just out of interest, went to look round a new McCarthy and Stone development just been built. The sales person said 'You do realise it is for over-60s, don't you?' We informed her that we are almost 63 and 64. She said 'oh I'm sorry, I thought you were…
helping out elderly neighbours
Hi, Without going into too much detail, our elderly neighbour is in hospital about 15 miles away and it's not looking good. His partner of many years is in her 80s herself, and is driving twice a day to see him. We're pretty sure she's not eating properly and seems very down. We really want to help out in some way, but…
I am so tired
My husband who is 70 was diagnosed with bowel cancer last march. When everyone found out, they were sympathetic and assured me they were all there for us and would help in any way they could. Where are they now? The little help I did get and it was little has disappeared, its seems that everyone has got used to the word…
Mum panicking about Dad going into NH
I've been looking everywhere for an answer to this query but without success, so hope someone here can help me. Situation is that my Mum, who is 78, is developing several health problems with the strain of looking after my Dad (80) after 10 years. I really want her to at least start on the first step of his going into a…

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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
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
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 low-income 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.
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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