The Department for Work and Pensions announced today that David Norgrove, chair of the Pensions Regulator, has said he will be stepping down when his second term in the post comes to an end on 31 December 2010. (more…)

Employees still aren’t planning for the future and are confused by what constitutes ‘the right age’ to think about retirement, according to a new report out today. (more…)

Inflation figures released today show that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has fallen marginally to 3.40%, still way above the Government’s 2% target (more…)

English football fans dream of following the national team to the World Cup Final. This could be a costly dream though as supporting the team all the way in South Africa this year, should they make it, could set them back over £9,000 – and that’s before the cost of any match day tickets! (more…)

• Scottish Widows Savings and Investments report reveals that 68% of parents with children under 16 believe that the recession has affected the way they think about their financial role as a parent (more…)

Leading instant online credit information provider, Equifax, is warning consumers making applications for credit, mortgages and other finance to ensure that the address they are using is the same as that used by lenders and by local authorities. (more…)

The Governments announcement of a hike in capital gains tax (CGT) from 18pc to 40pc has sparked a rush of property sales as sellers try to avoid the massive 22pc increase. (more…)

Britain’s older workers look set to hold the aces in 2020, says Friends Provident in its latest Visions of Britain 2020 report, conducted with the Future Foundation (www.visionsofbritain2020.co.uk). (more…)

The sharp car insurance premium increases of 2009 came to an unexpected halt over the first quarter of 2010, according to the latest benchmark AA British Insurance Premium Index. (more…)

The Government has announced a new service, which will increase accessibility to the State Pension for those approaching retirement by making the application process available online, from the summer.

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Obesity levels amongst pets are approaching the same problematic proportions as for people in the UK according new research from Sainsbury’s Finance. The research(1) conducted amongst vets has found that almost four in ten animals seen by vets are overweight, whereas Government studies suggest that more than half of all British adults are overweight (2). (more…)

New guide helps them to make sure their grandchildren are provided for.            

Couples with children whose relationships are breaking up are as likely to discuss separation issues with their parents as they are with professional advisers, including solicitors.  The influential role of grandparents is revealed today in a survey for Child Maintenance Options – the free and impartial information and support service.   (more…)

Almost two million people still don’t have access to a current account
Banks are expected to be forced to offer all customers a basic current account at the very least in Wednesday’s Budget. (more…)

o Over 1,000,000 Brits live abroad and claim state pension
o Average pensioner abroad also wastes £300 a year in bank charges
o Tips for expat pensioners from currency experts HiFX (more…)

Credit reference agency first to make £2 Statutory Credit Report accessible online as Department for Business Innovation & Skills announces measures to improve people’s access to credit files (more…)

The Government today set out the expected charges for NEST (National Employment Savings Trust), which will give millions of people the opportunity to save to meet their aspirations for their retirement. (more…)

Wealthier care home residents already subsidising lack of government funds

The row between Labour and the Conservatives about over funding elderly care is missing the point. (more…)

Martin Lewis comments on what’s next for its savers (more…)

A new TV advertising campaign that shows how rewarding a career in social care can be and urges individuals to consider this as a career option, kicks off this week. (more…)

Comparison sites are supposed to make buying financial products on the web transparent and hassle free. But when it comes to comparing life insurance choosing the wrong comparison service can lead to quite the opposite. With the Office of Fair Trading investigating price comparison sites in 2010, www.money-minder.com exposes the tricks of the life insurance comparison trade which could leave consumers feeling well and truly hoodwinked and offers tips on how to avoid them. (more…)

npower hometeam has seen a six-fold increase in customers enquiring about replacement or new boilers since the announcement of the Government’s boiler scrappage scheme. (more…)

New cebr forecasts for the United Kingdom economy imply that end of recession parties can be pencilled in for 26 January when the Office for National Statistics releases its fourth quarter GDP estimate. The end of de-stocking and expenditure brought forward ahead of the VAT cut reversal prompted a mini-bounce in economic activity and return to quarter-on-quarter growth in the fourth quarter. (more…)

Many over 60s are not prepared to sacrifice holidays despite credit crunch

Not all older people are cutting back on holidays despite the credit crunch according to a new study out today.  (more…)

The Government can help millions of people saving for retirement by ensuring more of the borrowing it needs to balance its books also meets the long-term needs of pension schemes, the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has told the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of next week’s Pre-Budget Report. (more…)

In 2005, the UK was the 4th largest economy in the world. China overtook in 2006, France in 2008 and Italy in 2009. (more…)

The latest data released from the Office for National Statistics the UK’s deficit on trade in goods and services rose to £3.5 billion in September, compared with the deficit of £2.2 billion in August. (more…)

Lloyd’s Community Programme approaches the end its 20th anniversary year with awards and success stories as it hosted the City Business Traineeship Awards in the famous Lloyd’s building last night. (more…)

Following the news that the UK economy remained in recession between July and September 2009, new independent research commissioned by Foresters Friendly Society reveals today that less than a third of UK adults (28%) believe the worst of the financial crisis has now passed. (more…)

NEW findings released by Cancer Research UK reveal that short-term money pressures are causing people to fail to plan beyond the recession. (more…)

Students’ kit is thieves’ favourite, so cover at university is vital
Parents’ home insurance can cover up to £5000 worth of possessions taken to university (more…)

UK renters are falling prey to identity fraud as post is stolen and personal details used for illegal purposes. (more…)

• Number of credit cards with no balance transfer fee increases by 20% in the last 12 months
• Number of 0% introductory offers on balance transfers falls from 171 to 149 in the last year

Credit card providers are cutting balance transfer fees in the battle for customers at the same time as they cut back on zero per cent transfer deals, according to new research* from MoneyExpert.com. (more…)

According to recent research from Push*, the new students heading to university this autumn could end up graduating with over £23,000 of debt. With the economic outlook continuing to look gloomy, leading credit information provider, Equifax, believes it has never been more important that students going to university are more pro-active with managing their finances.
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• Suppliers triple spending on voluntary social programmes during 2008-09
• Social tariff uptake reaches one million
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• Plus new freephone number for NS&I’s contact centres: 0500 007 007

NS&I (National Savings and Investments) is increasing the interest rates on its Fixed Interest Savings Certificates, Children’s Bonus Bonds and Direct ISA by up to 1.20%. The revised interest rates came into effect from 19 August 2009.
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Householders are making burglars’ lives easier by not taking simple security measures to protect their properties and gardens, according to research from Direct Line Home Insurance.
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The credit crunch has hit Britain’s pensioners and those coming up to retirement hard as they have seen their disposable income reduced. Many are being forced to try to return to work, or delay their retirement, for many years longer than planned. These are the findings of new research amongst people aged 60+, by (more…)

According to LegalWills.co.uk, every adult in the UK should have prepared their last will and testament but as many as two thirds have not. The most common reasons given for not having a will are the inconvenience of setting up meetings with a lawyer and, in these tough economic times, the high cost of professional assistance. (more…)

The Mansfield Building Society has been named Best Local Building Society at this year’s What Mortgage Awards.

L-R: Peter Doherty, product manager at the Mansfield Building Society and Ben Wilkie, editor of What Mortgage magazine.

The awards recognise lenders who offer customers competitive rates on their mortgage and good value on insurance products. Lenders are also judged on the overall service they provide to (more…)

Taxpayers continue to be targeted by fraudsters

www.equifax.co.uk

London 28th July 2009 – Leading ID fraud expert, Equifax, has become aware of another wave of phishing emails from fraudsters offering tax refunds in return for credit card or bank details. This latest spate of fraudulent emails has surfaced as the deadline for tax payments looms – perhaps trying to catch out the unwary hoping for some relief from their tax bills. And as some recipients have confirmed, at first sight these emails are fairly convincing although on careful reading it is clear they are a scam.

“Coinciding with the fact that many self-employed people may be just sorting out their tax credit applications and second stage payments on overdue tax to meet the 31st July deadline, this is cynical timing” confirmed ID fraud expert, Neil Munroe, External Affairs Director, Equifax. “If you were worried about money and then got the email you might think all your prayers had been answered. They ask for credit card or bank details and if you gave those you could find yourself very quickly a victim of ID fraud. However, generally a person would be alerted to a tax refund at the end of the financial year.

“The key thing to remember is that organisations should not be asking its customers to confirm personal details such as bank and credit card details via email or telephone. So anyone receiving one of these emails shouldn’t reply and delete the email immediately.

“Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated in how they operate and consumers need to be aware of these types of phishing scams and the risk to their identity. Make sure you know who you are speaking to and if in doubt, check. As the HMRC advises, they only ever contact customers who are due a refund in writing by post.”

Equifax tips to protect against ID Fraud
• Be wary when asked to give out your personal details online, if you doubt the request is genuine, contact the company directly
• Make sure you have the latest virus protection that ideally updates hourly and you have a Firewall
• Keep your PIN secure and do not use the same PIN for all of your cards and accounts and never write down your PIN
• Don’t include common verification such as your date of birth or your mother’s maiden name
• When using online banking, ensure people can’t view your details and log out of the site, rather than just closing the window
• If you are disposing of an old computer, make sure you destroy information on the hard drive
• Always check bank statements and credit card statements carefully against receipts
• Apply for a copy of your credit file to look out for any unauthorised activity

Consumers urged to take the uSwitch.com Energy Bill Challenge and to sign an e-Petition to make energy bills simpler, clearer and easier for all to understand.

uSwitch.com is campaigning for household energy bills to be made simpler, clearer and easier for consumers to understand after asking an examining board to give an independent (more…)

The UK’s most inspiring companies are being urged to showcase their talent by entering a top national business award that could open doors – with the most accomplished UK firm winning a £50,000 cash boost.
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When times are tough it is important people know where to turn to get all the help and advice they need during an economic downturn. That is why the Government has today launched a booklet for pensioners and those over 60 that pulls together all the help that it available to them in one place.
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While almost three quarters of people are worried about the value of their pension as a result of the recession, three in ten are less inclined to pay into their pension fund than they were before, says Which? The consumer champion’s survey found that people aged 45-54 years old are particularly worried about the value of their pensions, while people in the private sector are more concerned than their public sector counterparts.
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Ahead of a recent debate in Parliament, the National Association Pension Funds (NAPF) wrote to a number of MPs to urge them to re-think changes announced in the Budget on pensions taxation, saying the changes will have a negative impact on pension saving.
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Young people struggling in jobs market should turn to their elders

Rising unemployment and a shrinking economy are painting a gloomy picture for the UK jobs market. But there is hope – from an unexpected quarter. For many of the 1.5m unemployed people in Britain, caring for the elderly is an overlooked opportunity. That’s according to one of the country’s leading elderly care specialists. Nick Bruce, co-owner of Nightingales Retirement Care, is calling on the government, schools, colleges and jobcentres to promote looking after our older citizens as a career worth pursuing. (more…)

Over 60’s wish they had done things differently
Annuities are still causing confusion amongst the over 60’s and those that have already purchased an annuity would have done things differently with the benefit of hindsight. These are the findings of new research* by Intune, the financial products and services provider owned by Age Concern and Help the Aged.
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The term Adverse Credit is used to describe borrowers who have a history of unsatisfactory credit transactions. The expressions ìsub-primeî and ‘poor credit’ describe exactly the same situation. This begs a number of questions; what credit information is used, where does the information come from and how poor must a credit history be for it to be labelled as ‘adverse’?
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Reader’s Digest is delighted to announce the publication of How To Pay Less For Just About Everything on 25th June, price £12.99: the essential guide to how to beat the credit crunch, for everyone, from those still working to those already enjoying retirement, looking to get more for their money. Top tips and advice include:
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Londoners are the UK’s most on-the-ball consumers when it comes to sniffing out bargains and watching their precious pennies. Based on a survey of 25,000 by consumer shopping advice site, Offers.co.uk, the savviest spending regions were revealed and there are a few surprises. Research centred on downloaded money saving vouchers and use of 2-4-1 and BOGOF deals from Offers.co.uk.
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Only one in three brits are happy with their job
We all wish for the perfect work and life balance. But for many of us happiness in the work place is a distant dream, according to a recent national survey undertaken for Lifetime, one of the UK’s leading leisure training providers.
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Protect Yourself on the Net. Identity Theft is a Growing Concern – But a Preventable Threat When Users Adhere to Some Easy-to-Follow Guidelines.

72% of UK citizens believe they are at greater risk from identity theft as a result of the financial crisis. These concerning figures come from the latest Unisys Security Index, a bi-annual global study into consumer security concerns. (more…)

Research by Intune, the financial and insurance services provider for older people, shows that more than one in three (35%) of people over the age 60 has been a victim of theft, vandalism, fraud or con artists in the last year, with nearly half (47%) of the victims choosing not to report it. Furthermore, nearly one in four (24%) has been the victim of a non-violent crime. (more…)

The weekly full basic State Pension will rise by five per cent from £90.70 to £95.25 from today – almost an extra £5 a week. Around 12 million pensioners will benefit from this increase in their State Pension, the biggest percentage increase since 2001. (more…)

Rogue wheel clamping firms could soon find themselves subject to tough new regulations, the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today.

The Home Office will look at proposals for introducing compulsory licensing to tackle the limited number of wheel clamping companies whose dodgy practices include: (more…)