'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

Six out of ten over 50s can’t live without online banking It’s a well-known fact that people over 50 are savvy with their money and it seems they are making the most of technology to keep track of their finances. Research shows that eight out of ten over 50s have used the internet in the last 12 months and half of these people use the internet to do online banking*. An online survey by Saga Personal Finance shows that one...Read more

If you are a road user then you may wish to pencil this date in your diary, streetrepairs.co.uk is launching the second national pothole day on the 15th of January 2016. This pothole initiative is again being co-ordinated by Colin Mahoney owner of the award winning Street Repairs website. Colin said “after the success of the 2015 #NationalPotholeDay campaign many thousands of our followers and supporters have asked us to highlight the seriousness of this major problem yet again, social...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

60 is the new 50-old age has a new definition In a snap poll of our office, we concur with a recent report produced by the Trajectory Partnership on the actual age we feel ‘old age’begins. A survey of 2000 Brits concludes that 68 is when we leave ‘middle age’ In the Mirror article they cite the American psychologist Walter B Pitkin famously coined the phrase “Life Begins at 40”, arguing the machine age had liberated workers from back-breaking labour....Read more

Renewables bring down the wholesale cost of energy, finds new study A new report shows that renewables are cutting the wholesale price of energy and lessening the impact of subsidies on bill payers. The report has been published today by independent energy company Good Energy and is backed by experts at the University of Sheffield. It follows recent announcements by the Government that it will cut subsidies for renewables such as solar and wind in order to keep bills as...Read more

Saving for your retirement? One in ten adults uses a piggy bank! Four in 10 UK adults say they are not saving for their retirement Almost half are saving for retirement in cash forms Holidays and rainy days are the top reasons for saving in general Almost half of UK adults are saving on a monthly basis One in 10 UK adults is using a piggy bank to save for their retirement, according to new research from Aviva. A delve...Read more

Almost 50% of unemployed over-50s want to work – however a third believes their age stopping them back from being hired according to a study by Barclays Apprenticeships. As reported in the Daily Mail over half felt they had no choice in having to leave their previous employment, with approximately 20% being unemployed owing to injury or poor health. Interestingly almost 50% in the report would like to return to the workforce. Others in the survey cited redundancy or caring...Read more

The Goodwill Partnership and Multiple Sclerosis Society partner to offer Will-writing services The Goodwill Partnership (http://www.thegoodwillpartnership.co.uk ), the UK’s leading Will-writing service for charities’ donors, has partnered with the Multiple Sclerosis Society (https://www.mssociety.org.uk). The MS Society is the UK’s leading MS charity, providing invaluable information, support and research funding as well as fighting for change. Founded in 1953, the organisation has over 35,000 members as well as 5,500 volunteers and 265 staff members whose stated aim is ‘to beat MS’....Read more