The AnswerBank Articles

Over 50 And Still Fighting Fit

The older people become, the younger they feel and the more likely they are to see “old age” as a time occurring later in life, according to a national survey on aging. It seems, that with the average age of the population ever increasing, we are seeing more and more older people still living as if they wer...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Record Number Of First-Time Buyers Forced To Ask For Family Help

With the house buying market still turbulent it has been increasingly difficult for first-time buyers to get their foot on the property ladder. However, it seems that more and more young people are turning to their nearest and dearest for financial assistance. Government figures have revealed first time buyers are ask...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Homeowners Out Of Pocket On Fuel Bills

When the weather is cold we automatically turn up the heating and don’t think about the bill until it arrives. However it seems that we can do something about the bill before it becomes too much of a burden. As homeowners face another threatened rise in gas and electricity rates, Which , the consumer watchdog, h...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Metrosexual Types Underinsured

It used to be that only women carried around large quantities of ‘stuff’ in their handbags, nowadays however, increasing numbers of men are taking to the country’s streets with more gadgets than an electrical retailer. And what a lot of choice of gadgets there are out there. Starting with your simple...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Millions Planning Equity Relief To Avoid Inheritance Tax

Despite being persistently portrayed in the popular press as the generation that loves to 'Ski' and ‘Spend the Kids Inheritance’ two million retired people are finding other ways to avoid inheritance tax. One in five say they plan to avoid heavy death duties from eating into their property and savings by d...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Scotland Launches Fire Awareness Campaign

Scotland is launching a major campaign on fire awareness amid fears that increasing numbers of people will be drinking and smoking at home now that smoking is banned in public places. A recent report by the Scottish fire services revealed that matches and cigarettes started 46 per cent of all house fires in the countr...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Sisters DIYing It For Themselves

In any normal UK home there are always a few DIY jobs that need to be done. It may be that a wall needs painting, or a shelf needs to be put up or maybe a light-fitting has to be changed. DIY, like barbequing, has traditionally been seen to be in the domain of the man of the house. However, now it seems that women want...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

UK Throwing Away Billions On Tax

The UK is gifting the chancellor a collective £7.6 billion in tax revenue that they could be squirreling away in duty-free saving products, a company specialising in independent financial advice has claimed. Four fifths of adults are throwing away money that could be theirs to keep if they picked the right savin...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Security Warning Over Untrimmed Gardens

For most of us the summer months mean endless mowing the lawn and weeding and never seeming to get time to just sit in the garden and enjoy it. However, for many people in the UK their garden is where they spend most of their time, forever trimming and pruning and planting to create the perfect green space. With an in...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Basic Bank Accounts Provide Financial Confidence

With many of us feeling the pinch and struggling to make ends meet it may be good news that we can now get a simpler bank account to help with our finances. The Basic Bank Account is easy to use and is designed for people who want to ensure that they cannot overdraw their account or who might not meet the banks' criter...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Home Insurance Costs UK Billions On Direct Debit

Those of us who have a car dread the yearly renewal of our insurance policy. It's endless checking and rechecking of details and working out which is right for us. However, it is worth doing as it could be saving us pounds every year. Unfortunately we spend all that time getting the right policy for the right price the...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

The Cost Of Running A Home Is Rising

As every homeowner knows the cost of running a household can be almost as much as paying the mortgage. Whether it is a bijou studio apartment or a rambling 60 bedroom mansion the same bills come through the door every month. The cost of maintaining a home over the course of a year has risen, new figures from recent re...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Same-Sex Couples Affected By New Tax Rules

Before December 2005 same sex couples were categorised as individuals for benefit purposes. After this date, however, with the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act those living together as a couple would be seen as such for tax credits and benefits. Despite this being a victory for homophiles it could make them wo...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

School Holiday Breaks Can Cost Up To Two Thirds More

We all look forward to our annual two weeks away with the family. However, many of us rankle at the thought that we are penalised on price because we have children of school age and have to take our breaks during the school holidays. It seems we are right to be annoyed by the price hike. Family holidays taken while sc...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

The Blessing Of Busybody Neighbours

For those of us who live in suburban streets it is a familiar site when we drive down the road, the ‘curtain twitch’. We have all done it and it is usually driven by curiosity to see who is coming. However, it seems that having busybody neighbours may not be at the top of everybody's wish-list but while awa...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Barbeque Impatience Costs Millions

It happens every year, as soon as the first sunny weekend in spring approaches husbands and father all over the country announce that the family is to have the first barbeque of the year. Many men are now sharing kitchen duties in the home with their working wives, but strangely even the most incapable of men will imme...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

UK Puts Pension's Faith In Celebrity Relics

With many of us now realising that perhaps we may not have enough to live on when we retire especially as the state pension may not be around in 10 or 20 years, we are finding other ways to invest our hard earned money. A growing number of people in the UK are considering funding their pensions with celebrity memorabi...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Busting Credit Rating Myths

Credit blacklists, popularly believed to dictate your chance of securing loans and credit, are actually a myth claims a new report from a leading credit rating agency. Lenders do use credit rating information to decide whether an individual is liable to be a safe investment, however. The company also sought to punctu...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Long Summer Holiday Spells £2bn Clean-Up Bill

New market research has revealed that parents will be left with a £2 billion clean-up and repair bill after dealing with their little darlings through the long summer holiday. Home accident claims, ranging from broken windows to trashed furniture, leap up almost 25 per cent over the school summer holidays. More...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Market For Adverse Credit Mortgages Expands

With an increasing number of consumers in the UK experiencing difficulties with money the market for “non-conforming” mortgages is also on the rise. The number of mortgages tailored for people with credit rating problems has grown six times faster than the mainstream market in recent years say new figures. ...16:36 Mon 24th May 2010