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Research shows that older people are more likely to be targeted by scammers, but why is this the case?

Age UK Research

Research for Age UK found that 43% of people aged 65 and over believe they have been targeted by scammers. This is a huge amount of people who have been exposed to scams, but age is not the only factor at play…

Of those aged 65+ who were targeted by scammers:

27% of those who were single responded compared to 9% of those who were married
16% of those who were single paid scammers money compared to 6% of those who were married
22% of those who were single provided personal information compared to 2% of those who were married

Why Are Older People More Likely to be Targeted?

“Age UK is warning that, although anyone can be scammed, the fact that many older people live alone and/or with cognitive impairment leaves them more at risk of being targeted” – Age UK

Elderly people can be disproportionately targeted by scammers due to being more likely to face social isolation and loneliness, making them more likely to fall for scammers’ advances.

Some people who are older may also suffer from things like dementia, which can make them more susceptible to various types of fraud and scams.

Protecting Yourself

Age UK’s Take Five to Stop Fraud Campaign urges older people to…

STOP – take time to stop and think before parting with your money or personal/financial information
CHALLENGE – question whether it could be fake. Don’t let anyone rush you to make decisions, and remember it’s okay to reject or ignore any requests that are made of you
PROTECT – contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud if you think you may have fallen victim to a scam

These steps are really important to take, as these could help to protect you from financial harm and to maintain that sense of safety that you have every right to feel in your own home.

Unfortunately, many who are impacted by scams don’t just suffer the financial impacts, but also take a knock to their mental and emotional wellbeing, experiencing shame, embarrassment and anxiety. This makes it all the more important to speak out and get help if you think you have been scammed, because you are not alone and it is not your fault.

Contact your bank, Action Fraud, your family, your friends, or any other person your trust.

When using your credit card to purchase goods or services, you could be covered by something called Section 75.

What is Section 75?

If you use your credit card to buy something over £100 but less than £30,000, you are covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act in England, Scotland and Wales.

Your credit card provider has equal liability with the retailer if there is an issue with something you have bought or if the company you have purchased from fails and cannot provide a refund.

It covers goods and services that you pay for but don’t receive, or receive in a different condition to what was described to you at the point of purchase.

Holidays

A popular use for credit cards is to pay for holidays. This is because Section 75 covers:

The cost of your flights if the airline goes bust
The cost of your holiday if the holiday company goes bust
Additional costs such as you having to buy more expensive flights to return home if the airline you originally booked with went bust

What if I Only Paid the Deposit with My Credit Card?

If you pay the deposit for something with your credit card, you are still protected for the whole cost of the goods or services you have paid for. You don’t need to pay the full price of an item by credit card to get the legal protection afforded to you under Section 75. It’s the price of the goods or services that matters, not the amount paid for on your card.

Example 1

You buy a sofa costing £1,000 but you only pay £50 of this on your credit card. When you receive the sofa it is badly damaged, despite you being told it was brand new in perfect condition. You are covered by Section 75 to claim the whole £1,000 back from the seller.

Example 2

You buy a pair of shoes that cost £60 and a coat that costs £80 from the same online retailer, spending £140 in total. You never receive these items in the post. In this instance, you are not covered by Section 75, because although your total bill is over £100, each of the items purchased is not.

Example 3

You buy a handbag from the retailer mentioned in Example 2 which costs £120, which you never receive in the post. You are covered by Section 75 because the cost of the individual good purchased is over £100.

Making a Claim

If you pay for something with your credit card that costs over £100 and there is an issue, the first step to take is to contact the person you bought it from. If they won’t reply or give you a refund, or if they have gone into liquidation and there is no point contacting them, you can then make a claim against your credit card company.

When making a claim you should go into as much detail as possible. You should:

Explain to your credit card company that you want to make a claim using Section 75, and that you would like them to refund the purchase price of what you paid for to your credit card account
Specify what you bought, where you bought it from, when you bought it and how much it cost
Include copies of any receipts or proof of purchase
Mention the efforts you have made to contact the company you purchased from and what the response has been, if any
Include evidence of any attempts you have made to get money back from the retailer

Did you get a shock when you renewed your car insurance this year or last? Then you’re not the only one!

Rocketing Insurance Costs

Car insurance has increased by 43% over the last 12 months, with the average cost of a comprehensive car insurance policy now coming in at £941 (a £284 increase from last year).

However, it’s not all bad news, as the average price has fallen by 5% compared to the last quarter of 2023, acting as the first price fall seen in two and a half years.

Why is Car Insurance on the Rise?

Car insurance costs have gone up for two main reasons

More cars on the road, meaning more accidents and so more claims for insurers to pay out for
Inflationary pressure on costs of parts and labour, meaning a higher payout for insurers to pay to repair or replace vehicles

How Can I Reduce My Car Insurance?

Reduce your annual mileage. Your insurance provider will ask how many miles you drive on average, and whilst you need to be honest with this, there’s no need to massively overestimate. For example, if you’re putting your annual mileage at 10,000 miles but only drove 5,000 miles last year, it’s time to put down a lower number!
Choose a cheaper car to insure. The car you drive can have a big impact on your insurance, so when shopping for a new car, you should check what insurance group it’s in before purchasing
Shop around! Yes, we know, we say this for absolutely everything. But really, it is important to compare multiple quotes from a range of providers. Auto-renewal often leads to a higher quote than is offered to new customers, so making a switch can save you money!
Change how you describe your job. Whilst you cannot lie about your occupation, there are often a number of ways in which you can legitimately describe your job, as it may fit into a few different categories, and some job titles will reduce your premium! However, make sure that the option you pick still accurately describes your occupation, as you must not lie to your insurer
Add a named driver who has more experience on the road (and more years of no claims). This is a particularly good option for new drivers who don’t have years of driving history to support the fact that they’re a safe driver
Pay upfront rather than paying a monthly premium. By saving up and paying your insurance for the year all in one go, you avoid the addition of interest
Park your car off road, such as in a driveway. Bear in mind that parking in a garage may actually lead to a more expensive premium
Increase your voluntary excess. This is the money you agree to pay towards a claim if you get in an accident. Remember that you will have to pay your voluntary excess alongside the compulsory excess which is set by your insurance provider
Remove unnecessary optional extras, e.g, do you really need a courtesy car?
Consider installing a black box. This monitors your driving, and if you can demonstrate that you’re a safe driver, you may be offered cheaper premiums
Build up your no claims bonus. The more years you drive without making a claim on your insurance, the higher your no claims bonus will be, meaning a reduction to your premium
Avoid getting penalty points on your license. For example, if you’re caught speeding and are offered the opportunity to do a speed awareness course to avoid points on your license, this is worth doing; points on your license can lead to higher premiums

Did you know that ‘common law marriage’ is a myth?

The ‘Common Law’ Misconception

The Women and Equalities Committee in 2022 produced a report, ‘The Rights of Cohabiting Partners,’ which found that there is a common misconception that couples who are cohabiting are automatically afforded rights equal to marriage or civil partnership through ‘common law’. This is NOT the case.

The report found that 46% of people in England and Wales wrongly believed that couples living together formed a ‘common law marriage’. In actuality, unmarried couples who live together do not have the same protections and legal rights as those married or in civil partnerships.

If you are unmarried and break-up, you don’t have legal rights to your ex’s income, pensions, savings, investments or property. Of course, this only stands for things that are not jointly owned in both of your names.

“Legal provisions relating to cohabitation in England and Wales are context specific, meaning the level of protection varies considerably. In certain contexts, particularly in relation to children and domestic abuse, cohabitants have similar, and sometimes identical, protections to those of spouses or civil partners. More commonly, they may possess either inferior levels of protection or are treated as two unrelated individuals. As a result, cohabitants must resort to the general law which presents problems upon relationship breakdown, and to a lesser extent, upon death. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that many cohabitants incorrectly believe that they are protected.” – The Rights of Cohabiting Partners, 2022

Difference in Rights

There is a difference in the rights of those who are married or in civil partnerships, and those who are cohabiting. This includes:

Access to bank accounts
Automatically inheriting assets in the instance where no will exists
Right to stay in shared accommodation
Right to financial support (maintenance)
Next of kin in the case of medical emergency
Entitlement to money, possessions and pensions
Rights to claim Marriage Allowance
Inheritance rights
Parental responsibility
Cohabitation Agreements

Some unmarried couples who live together, particularly those in long-term relationships or with children, choose to get a cohabitation agreement drawn up by a solicitor.

This is a legal document which establishes arrangements for finances, property and children while you are living together, and in the instance that you split up or if one of you becomes ill or passes away.

Cohabitation agreements allow you to set up things like next of kin rights, access to your partner’s state pension, and sharing of assets.

It’s important to make sure you keep your driving license and other driving-related documents up to date, or you could be faced with fines.

Expired Driving Licenses

We must renew our photocard license every 10 years, and will receive a reminder to do so before our current license expires. You can renew your driving license online or by post.

Once you reach 70, you have to renew your license and will then have to continue to do so every three years. You will receive a license renewal application 90 days before your 70^th birthday.

A study conducted last year by ComparetheMarket found that over 1 in 10 British motorists were unaware that their driving licenses expire.

“Continuing to drive with an expired license – knowingly or unknowingly – could land you with a £1,000 fine. To avoid serious consequences and avoid having a fraudulent driving license, it’s vital to renew your license as soon as it expires.” – Julie Daniels from ComparetheMarket

As stated by Daniels, failing to renew your license when it expires could land you with a £1,000 fine. You can also be fined up to this amount if any details like your name and address are wrong if you get stopped by traffic police, hire a car, or commit a driving offence abroad.

Fees for Changing Driving License

You must also tell the DVLA if you need to change your name, address or gender on your driving license in order to get a new one. It does not cost anything to do this, and you can still drive while waiting for your new license to arrive.

If you’re getting your license back after having it taken away, you may also have to pay a fee; the amount will depend on why it was taken away.

If applying for a new license due to any of the five reasons listed above, you will have to do so by post.

Who to Tell if You Change Addresses

As well as applying for a new driving license, you should change the address on your V5C log book. This is usually free to be done and can be completed online. Failing to update your log book could result in a fine up to £1,000.

Additionally, you should update your address details with your car insurer. Location is a factor which affects your car insurance premium, so moving to a new area may make the cost of your insurance go up or down. If you fail to tell your insurer about a change in address, your insurance may become invalid.

If you have breakdown cover, you should let your provider know about the move, particularly if your provider charges different rates based on area.

This guide is intended as a guide for drivers but there are also other people you need to tell if you change address, like HMRC and your bank, so make sure you update any relevant people about a move!

When it comes to getting work done on your home, you should always check whether you need to be given any permission or approval before making any changes.

Buildings Regulation Approval

You may need to be granted buildings regulation approval for changes to your home, even just for things like installing heating or extra radiators, or replacing any windows or doors.

You don’t need to get approval for all projects, as some things are exempt, such as the majority of repair work.

If you’re unsure whether you need approval for any projects you have planned, you can check with a building control body who can give you more information.

Alternatively, you can hire a contractor who is registered with a competent person scheme to carry out the work needed. In this instance, you won’t have to apply for buildings regulation approval as the tradesperson will self-certify that their work complies with building standards and will let your local authority know about any work they are doing on your behalf where needed. You can find a Competent Person by clicking here.

Planning Permission

If you are carrying out a bigger project where you are building something new or adding an extension to your property, you will usually need planning permission. To apply for planning permission you should contact your Local Planning Authority (LPA) via your local council.

Although this may feel like an inconvenience, if you decide to ignore these rules and go ahead with any changes without the required planning permission, you may be served an enforcement notice. This orders you to undo any unauthorised changes you have already made, which can end up both time-consuming and costly.

Not all changes will require planning permission, such as most conservatories and loft conversions. If you’re unsure whether your changes will need planning permission, you can check with your LPA.

You may wish to contact your LPA in any case before getting started on the planning permission application process; they can give you an indication as to whether your application is likely to be accepted and advise any changes you can make before sending your application which make it more likely to be approved.

Your local authority may ask for different types of surveys in order to grant you with planning permission (such as tree surveys, ecological surveys and arboricultural surveys). Therefore, you may also wish to hire a surveyor to help you apply for planning permission.

To find out more about planning permission in your area and what developments you may be able to carry out to your home, you can use the Planning Portal’s free guide.