West Yorkshire: 5,200 police days lost to sickness

Human bite injuries were partly to blame for police in West Yorkshire taking more than 5,000 days off sick following accidents or attacks in the last two years.

Health and safety statistics show officers missed a total of 5,237 working days in 2010-11 and 2011-12 for reasons other than illness.

They included 69 days taken off following bite injuries – relating to 118 incidents recorded in the last two years.

Figures given to the YEP show that, of the 62 recorded biting incidents last year, one in five was from a human.

Twenty were dog bites, six were from insects and two were from horses. One of the bites was from a cat.

Read More - http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/west-yorkshire-5-200-police-days-lost-to-sickness-1-4981087

Protection is still a vital part of financial planning

There has been much debate over the future of accident, sickness and unemployment cover following the various misselling issues and resultant Competition Commission and Office of Fair Trading Reviews.

We are told that advisers are supposedly running scared of selling this type of cover but it is becoming clear that the prophets of doom are over-exaggerating the issue and needlessly deterring advisers from considering this important area of client cover.

The recent report from Defaqto entitled, Opportunities in Protection Post-PPI, confirmed what many of us in the industry have been saying for some time – that there is still a real customer need and that income protection cover must remain a core focus of the financial planning process.


Read more - http://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/analysis/protection-is-still-a-vital-part-of-financial-planning/1056674.article

Payment Protection Insurance: Ringing the changes

Could a redrawing of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme boundaries save brokers from a repeat of the adverse financial impact of the payment protection insurance mis-selling scandal?
It is said that time heals all wounds, but an insurance broker only has to look at the effects of the payment protection insurance mis-selling scandal to quash that cliché.

It's been more than six years since the issue came to light and, despite the fact that they are not largely responsible for PPI mis-selling, insurance brokers continue to be burdened by the mistakes of other financial sector intermediaries.

Total PPI refunds have now topped £4bn and the Financial Ombudsman Service receives up to 1000 PPI-related complaints a day. And it's showing no sign of abating.

Rising demand
In response to demand, the FOS has already recruited 600 additional staff this year, bringing the total to 2000, with plans to employ a further 500 before the end of 2012.

Furthermore, in April it introduced a £350 supplementary case fee for businesses for each PPI mis-selling case referred to the service, chargeable to businesses involved in more than 25 PPI cases a year.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has also made changes to cope with the rising number of complaints. In2010/2011 it increased levies on businesses in the general insurance intermediation subclass by £52.9m, bringing the total to £61.4m.


Read more: http://www.postonline.co.uk/post/feature/2192541/payment-protection-insurance-ringing-the-changes#ixzz22m1L8JJ2

Money matters

I WAS very interested in an article I saw via Twitter earlier this week from one of our followers.
As we have been very vocal about in this column before , it's incredibly important that you have exhausted "every" single avenue first before taking out a payday loan. The loan must be for an amount of money you can pay back comfortably and ask yourself, is it absolutely necessary?
Payday loans should only be used for very small loans over very short periods of time. Increasingly, we are seeing more and more people getting in trouble with payday loan companies.

A payday loan company's typical client, according to leading consumer borrowing champion Zero-Credit, takes out six loans in 12 months. So you can see that the ease of access to cash can cause habitual, if not addictive, usage.

However, there is now the threat of an even bigger menace, with the emergence of the one-year, online, instant loan market, with online companies providing one-year loans up to 278% APR ! A £1,000 loan charged at 278% equates to a total charge of £2,028. A one-year loan of £1,000 through a mainstream bank with a fixed APR of 18.6% equates to a total of £1,104 repaid at the end of the term, leaving the client a staggering difference of £924 better off compared to the online instant loan.

Read more - http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Money-matters/story-16624949-detail/story.html

Graduate starting salaries begin to rise

A new survey shows that graduates can look forward to higher starting salaries this year, contradicting previous expectations of salary rises.

Employers surveyed in the Association of Graduate Recruiters’ (AGR) bi-annual report earlier this year said they expected a four percent increase in average starting salaries, taking them up to £26,000 per annum. However, the report released today shows that the average starting salary has actually gone up further than anticipated, to £26,500 a year.

Graduate starting salaries had been a source of concern as they have been fairly stagnant in recent years, remaining at around the same level since 2009.
The statistics in the report are encouraging, and suggest that the graduate jobs market is recovering and improving. Prospective students will be particularly pleased, as they will now be looking at taking on higher levels of debt - up to £9,000 per year - in order to go to university.

Article source - http://www.independent.co.uk/student/graduate-starting-salaries-begin-to-rise-7912438.html

Women's car cover bills to soar under EU sex equality law

British consumers are facing an estimated £500million increase in their insurance premiums later this year to comply with European sex equality legislation.
The new rules that men and women must pay the same for their cover takes effect on December 21, six months from now. Female drivers, especially younger ones, are likely to be the biggest losers.
Some are set to see premiums jump by as much as 25 per cent. Younger male drivers should see the biggest falls in premiums.

But overall, the Government and insurers expect everyone to lose out through less accurate pricing. In motor insurance alone, the cost to consumers is expected to be about £300million a year.
The change is being forced through after a ruling by the European Court of Justice last year, as Financial Mail has reported. This ends a special exemption for insurance from the laws on sex discrimination. It stops companies charging different prices for men and women, even where there is statistical evidence to justify price variations.


Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-2160334/Womens-car-cover-bills-soar-EU-sex-equality-law.html#ixzz1y8QWFscG

Recession-hit Britons 'need more savings to make them happy'

The amount of savings Britons need to make them happy has risen sharply in the past two years, new research suggests.

The rise has been put down to rising job insecurity and uncertainty surrounding the economy.

Two years ago, 82 per cent of people were happy with savings of £5,000 but according to research by investment company Skandia, only 64 per cent today are comfortable with a nest egg of that size.


It was confirmed last month that the UK had returned to recession, following contraction in the economy in the final months of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012.
Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-2141171/Recession-hit-Britons-need-savings-make-happy.html#ixzz1upx606BT

Saving money when moving house

Moving to a new flat or house can be one of the most stressful and time-consuming experiences we have to face in normal life, once you've considered all the things you'll need to pack, box up, wrap, account for and transport.
What's more, the actual expense of moving to a new place could shift some of that stress onto your budget too. Taking a few days off work, covering the cost of a removal company/van hire - the costs soon add up.
Yet, there are some practical ways you could keep your costs to a minimum when moving house. Let's take a look.

Make a fresh start

One of the exciting things about moving house is starting anew - and ditching old clutter and unused items that you've amassed in your old home could not only help you increase your storage space, but reduce the overall cost of the move too. So it's important to plan in advance, to make sure you're not spending time and money on things you don't use anyway.
Removal companies will often charge according to the weight and number of items that have to be moved, so getting rid of anything you no longer use could leave your purse or wallet feeling less squeezed.
Furthermore, having a good rummage through the attic, basement or at the backs of cupboards could even make you a bit of money - which could be handy when it comes to covering the cost of decorating your new place. If you have any old clothes, CD/DVD collections, sets of books or antiques that you don't want, why not sell them online?

Read more - http://www.thinkmoney.com/money/saving-money-when-moving-house-0-5388.htm

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Switching Household Bills can Save Over £1,000, but Switching Main Financial Products Such as Mortgage and Current Accounts Could Save Over £3,500*

Households are set to be over £1,000 worse off in 2012**, but analysis from MoneySupermarket shows consumers can fight back and pocket significant savings by switching from average deals to the market leading option on a range of financial products.

The analysis from the UK's number one comparison site shows that spending time reviewing all of your personal finances could save over £3,500 over twelve months.

Clare Francis, site editor at MoneySupermarket, said: "The combination of rising living costs, lack of pay increases, and taxation and benefit changes has really put pressure on household budgets. Now, more than ever, every penny counts. As well as watching everyday spending, households should make sure they get the best value from all their financial products, ensure they're not paying over the odds, whilst also maximising the benefits these products can bring. For example, the current average UK savings rate is just 0.31 per cent, while the market leading easy access deal pays ten times that amount.

"Sitting on average rates in the current climate doesn't make sense - those who take control of their finances and make their money work harder will see a real benefit from their actions.

"The area where often the biggest saving can be made is your mortgage, but remortgaging this won't be relevant for everyone. However, there are still ways to free up a sizeable amount of money. Switching to a cheaper credit card or personal loan and making sure you are getting the best deal on your home and car insurance can result in a significant saving over the course of a year."

Mortgages - Saving £1,974.98

A recent MoneySupermarket poll found one in four (26 per cent) consumers had benefited from lower mortgage repayments due to a record low base rate. Despite indications that base rate will remain low for the foreseeable future, many consumers can take advantage of record low mortgage rates now. For example, someone with a £150,000 mortgage on the market average standard variable rate (SVR) of 4.83 per cent could save themselves £1,974.98 a year switching to a two year tracker mortgage from First Direct (£1,499 fee) at 1.99 per cent.

Credit cards - Saving £269.46

Those unable to pay off their credit card debt quickly and looking to spread the repayment costs over a period of time should ensure they move their outstanding debt to a zero per cent balance transfer card, to save hundreds of pounds in interest. Moving the average credit card balance of £2,047*** from the current average rate of 18.4 per cent APR to the market leading 22 month Barclaycard Platinum card would save £269.46 (taking into account the balance transfer fee). MoneySupermarket has aSmartSearch credit profiling tool which matches applicants against the products they are most likely to be accepted for without leaving a mark on their credit file.

Read More - http://www.virtualpressoffice.com/publicsiteContentFileAccess?fileContentId=745403&fromOtherPageToDisableHistory=Y&menuName=News&sId=&sInfo=

Life cover alert for under 50s

Scottish Provident figures are 'stark warning' of need for protection at all life stages

Half (50%) of life cover payouts at Scottish Provident last year were were made to policyholders under the age of 55.

The provider said today that nearly one in five claims paid out (18%) were for policyholders aged just 44 or under, with a further third (32%) aged between 45-54 years old.

The figures released today are broadly in line with other data from around the industry. At LV=, the average age of a claimant for critical illness (CI) cover last year was 47, while at Bright Grey, a sister brand of Scottish Provident, nearly half (47%) of CI claims in 2011 were made by people who were 40 or under.

In total during 2011, Scottish Provident paid out £41,863,503 in life cover claims with the average claim being £84,744.

Read more - http://www.hi-mag.com/health-insurance/product-area/life-critical-illness/article392514.ece

Ofcom could intervene to protect consumers from high bills

Ofcom could impose measures to protect consumers from unexpectedly high phone bills, if operators do not move to educate consumers about so-called 'bill shock'.

The regulator said it is working on an action plan with the industry to introduce measures to help consumers that have been hit with high bills. The most common cases of bill shock are through exceeding tariffs, downloading data or having their phones stolen. The regulator said consumers have low levels of awareness about how to protect themselves from high bills.

It said operators should do more to help customers avoid bill shock and warned: 'If these [measures] do not sufficiently reduce consumer harm, Ofcom may consider mandatory options to tackle the problem.'

Read More - http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/News/14191/ofcom_bill_shock.aspx