Over 50s reveals money is the biggest concern for 28% of retirees More than a third (35%) of retirees are worried their cash will dry up before they die and a quarter say they don’t think they have enough money in their pensions to cover their retirement, according to SunLife’s Big 50 research. Big 50, which interviewed 50,000 people age 50 and over, found that, when asked to think about their biggest concern for the future, 28% of retired people...Read more

Bank of Gran and Grandad pays out average £39,350 One in five retired homeowners releasing equity to help out family More than two-fifths (44%) helping out their children are doing so to the tune of £20,000 ​Pensioners taking advantage of their property wealth are gifting over £39,350 to their family, analysis from leading over 55s retirement specialist KeyRetirement.com shows. Its data shows over one in five (21%) retired homeowners are accessing the money in their homes to treat their children...Read more

66% of over 50’S have no will Have you made a will, have your friends? According to a BBC article only three in 10 people in the UK have a will. Last year the Treasury gained £53m from people who died intestate - without a will. The year before it was £76m. And yet the fractured nature of modern families and an increasingly litigious society means making a will has never been so important. Illustrated in this article are a...Read more

'State Pension top up’ scheme starts A new scheme to help anyone reaching State Pension age before 6 April 2016 to safeguard their long-term financial security. A new scheme is being launched helping anyone reaching State Pension age before 6 April 2016 to safeguard their long-term financial security. Men aged 65 or older and women aged 63 or older are being offered a chance to increase their State Pension by up to £25 a week, giving them guaranteed extra income...Read more

The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has launched three new Made Simple Guides on Better Data, Better Governance; Diversified Growth Funds; and Foreign Exchange − extending the popular series designed to help demystify some of the most complex and technical areas of investment and pensions management. Commenting on the launch of the new Made Simple Guides, Graham Vidler, Director of External Affairs, Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, said: “Workplace pensions have seen phenomenal change in recent years. Employers and pension...Read more

Play Fair on Age campaign victory on home buyers age caps In last weekend’s Money section of the Sunday Times Anna Mikhailova reported on an important victory for a Sunday Times campaign to lift age caps on mortgages. The article cites that ‘every building society in Britain is set to review its age limits for mortgages’. The Play Fair on Age campaign has been battling to assist the plight of the elder buyer. An example the Times illustrated was that...Read more

Royal London study finds the cost of a UK funeral has risen by 3.9% in the past year The average ‘basic’ funeral now costs £3,702 - a rise of £140 in one year More than one in ten people struggle with funeral expenses – the average debt: £1,318 New research by Royal London – the UK’s largest mutual life, pension and investment company – reveals the cost of an average, basic funeral in the UK has increased by 3.9%. This...Read more