It may only be October, but winter is coming. And while we can't do much about the weather, we can at least make sure we're prepared for it. So, how ready are you for the great British winter? Grab a cup of tea and give yourself a point for every question you can [...]
Winter is coming – is your healthcare plan ready? October is usually the month when we start accepting that summer really is over. The heating goes back on, the jumpers come out and, inevitably, someone in the household starts coughing. As we head into the colder months, it's also a good time to [...]
When your Buildings & Contents insurance renewal arrives, it can be tempting to simply accept the new premium and move on. After all, who has time to spend hours comparing insurance policies? But giving us a little notice before your renewal date can be well worth it. Ideally, get in touch around a [...]
There’s a little-known option in the mortgage market that could help some people aged 55 and over buy a new property – and surprisingly, many people, including some estate agents, aren’t aware that it exists. Lifetime mortgages can potentially be used to purchase a property, rather than simply releasing money from an existing [...]
As a mortgage broker, I spend a lot of time helping clients make sure their mortgage is affordable, but it’s also important to think about what could happen if life doesn’t go quite to plan. A recent report from MetLife UK highlights how quickly a child’s illness or injury can affect the whole [...]
There’s something about October that makes us suddenly notice all the jobs around the house we’ve been successfully ignoring since spring. The boiler gets switched back on. The heating goes up a notch. We discover that one window has apparently never been completely draught-proof. And somewhere in the back of our minds is [...]
Fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in England and Wales, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, with millions of incidents reported each year. And as scammers turn to AI and increasingly convincing impersonation techniques, spotting a scam isn't always as easy as looking for a suspicious spelling mistake. The good news [...]
Flooding is something you should think about when taking out home insurance. And we are seeing major changes to home insurance. If you live in an area at risk of flooding or are thinking about buying a property with flood history, have you heard of Flood Re? (Source: Flood Re) It’s a government-backed [...]
Borrowing in later life is becoming increasingly relevant as people live and work for longer, retirement plans change, and more homeowners look to the wealth tied up in their property. Now, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is taking a closer look at the later-life mortgage market. (Source: FCA) In March, the FCA launched [...]
If you couldn't work because of illness or injury, how long could you keep paying your mortgage and household bills? It's a question that's easy to put off. But with the rules around Statutory Sick Pay changing this year, it's a good time to think about what financial support you would have if [...]
