Research from SunLife’s 2016 Cost of Dying report cites the cost of funerals have more than doubled in price in little over a decade With continued speculation on inflationary pressure post Brexit and the continuing squeeze on wages, investment's and pensions funerals have now emerged as one of Britain's fastest rising costs. In-fact SunLife’s annual Cost of Dying research shows that the cost of dying is the fastest rising (of any fixed) cost in the UK – rising at a...Read more

What the over 50s get up to (while they wait for their partners retirement) • One in three retired over 50s wait more than five years for their partner to retire • Gardening, DIY and babysitting are top ways they spend their time Volunteering on a chicken farm, restoring old cars, and keeping a paddle steamer running are just some of the things that retired over 50s have got up to while they wait for their partner to give up...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

The New Fiver is cleaner, safer and stronger than paper notes. The introduction of polymer banknotes allows for a new generation of security features which make it even harder to counterfeit. The note is also resistant to dirt and moisture and so remains in much better condition for longer. The strength of the polymer material means that The New Fiver is expected to last at least 2.5 times longer - around 5 years - even after being folded into wallets...Read more

How to you compare to the average UK 70-something? Nationwide has published some interesting research into ‘Today’s 70-something’ The generation born just after the end of the war into a far different Britain from the one we know today in what they describe as ‘the original austerity Britain’. The report focuses on managing finances and how spare time is utilised. According to our research, those aged 65-74 are twice as likely to use a smartphone compared with 2012, according to...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

A third of over-55 year olds have considered downsizing in the last five years The issue of selling the family home is often fraught with emotion, so often the home we live in is a vessel for memories and parting has far more than financial gain as a consideration. RICS is calling on Government to expand the nation’s housing supply across all sectors – from owner occupied, social housing and private rented sectors – through their new Residential Policy Paper....Read more

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Over half of all over 50s to use their property to fund their retirement The number of working over-50s planning to use their property as their pension has doubled in the last year - half (52%) now set to use cash in property to fund retirement 75% of over-50s own their property outright Average homeowner over-65 has lived in their property for 25 years The HIPpies ‘home is pension’ generation has doubled in the last year, according to retirement specialist...Read more

2.4 million grandparents raid pension to help grandkids A quarter of grandparents who have helped out grandchildren financially took the money from their pension The average grandparent has already given away £1,633, and plans to give away £2,938 more in future House deposits, university fees and cars are common reasons to gift Forget the Lamborghini, 2.4 million UK grandparents1 have either raided their pension to support their grandchildren, or plan to in the future. According to new research from retirement...Read more