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I won £100,000 lottery prize but had to BEG my boss for the day off to accept it – now I have to apologise to her

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I won £100,000 lottery prize but had to BEG my boss for the day off to accept it - now I have to apologise to her

A PEOPLE’S Postcode Lottery winner had told how he had to beg his boss for a day off to accept his £111,111 prize.

Michael Whitaker, from Keighley in West Yorkshire, skipped out on a vital meeting which left his colleagues fuming. 

The adrenaline junky joined others on his street in bagging £111,111

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The adrenaline junky joined others on his street in bagging £111,111
Melanie Granger a postwoman in the area, winning a share of the £1 million was particularly special

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Melanie Granger a postwoman in the area, winning a share of the £1 million was particularly special

Michael said he rang up his boss to tell her he wouldn’t be able to make his 11am design and compliance meeting because he had to accept his winnings.

His boss was forced to lie to others in the 11am design and compliance meeting, hiding the real reason for Michael’s absence.

He said: “I rang my boss and told her Postcode Lottery are here. But I had a design and compliance finance meeting at 11am and I had all the figures.

“Luckily, my boss was ecstatic for me and said she wouldn’t tell anyone in the meeting as to why I couldn’t make it.”

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Michael added that he would now have to apologise to his boss for the blunder.

He added: “I’m going to ring my boss up and apologise that I didn’t make the meeting, but look at this.”

The adrenaline junky joined others on his street in bagging £111,111, which he hopes to use towards a “once-in-a-lifetime” tour around the Norweigan Fjords.

Michael, who has scuba dived all around the country, said he was astounded when he received the cheque.

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“When I saw the cheque, I thought £11,000 and then… I processed it and there was six digits! It’s incredible,” he said.

When asked what he was going to do with all of the extra money he said he dreamt of taking his new motorbike, a Triumph Tiger 900, on a road trip.

“I want to go more adventuring. I want to get out there, I want to see places, I want to go places,” he said.

He added: “You have dreams but they’re not dreams anymore now. This brings them into reality.”

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The clerk landed the massive cash prize along with eight of his neighbours in Shann Crescent, Keighly, after their postcode BD21 2TN landed the weekly Millionaire Street prize on Monday.

Every cheque was worth £111,111.

I won £66,000 in the Postcode Lottery and will renovate my garage… but I will keep one treasured possession in there

Across the road, Sanna Babar, who also cashed in the six-figure sum, said she is now planning a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida for her two daughters.

She said: “We were thinking of going to Disneyland Paris in August next year, but it could be Florida now!”

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“I was trying to save up money, but I don’t need to do that now and I could bring my mum and dad too. It was a sort of fantasy before, but I’m going to do it,” she added.

For Melanie Granger a postwoman in the area, winning a share of the £1 million was particularly special as she had previously delivered these gold envelopes herself.

Melanie, who works out of Royal Mail’s Skipton Delivery Office, plans on exploring more of the Caribbean and buying a new iPad with the money.

But first the postie is kicking-off her spending-spree in style by booking a trip to Spain for her cousin’s wedding.

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She said: My cousin, who lives in London, is getting married to his Spanish fiancée in Granada and I’m going to the wedding. It’ll be a very good party, that’s for sure.”

“It’s definitely the best envelope I’ve ever had,” she said.

The postie had coincidentally taken the day off from work, which meant she was able to proudly accept the “big envelope with a huge cheque.”

How can you play Postcode Lottery?

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People’s Postcode Lottery is a subscription lottery which raises money for charities.

  • Players sign up with their postcode and they are automatically entered into every draw and prizes are announced every day of the month.
  • It costs £12 per month to play. You pay by Direct Debit, Debit Card or PayPal and can sign up here.
  • Sign up once and pay monthly in advance to play in all draws.
  • If you win, the money is paid into your bank account within 28 days.
  • Every day from Monday to Friday there are £1,000 prizes to be won.
  • On Saturdays players could win a share of £1 Million, and on Sundays players could each win £30,000.
  • Every month players in a postcode sector share £3.2 Million or more.

“Everything has come together. I’m normally working, and I’ve picked the right day for my day off,” she said.

Some 33 per cent of tickets go to charity and good causes, says the People’s Postcode Lottery website.

This time round, Keighley Healthy Living, a charity which provides a variety of groups and services to locals in the community, was awarded £80,000 by the Postcode Community Trust.

Melanie Hey, CEO of Keighley Healthy Living, said: “When we received the call about the funding, we just couldn’t believe it. Not only because £80,000 is a phenomenal amount of money, but because it’s been granted to us at the perfect time.

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The winners told People’s Postcode Lottery that they were thrilled to have helped local organisation receive extra funding as a result of their win.

The postie had coincidentally taken the day off from work, which meant she was able to proudly accept the 'big envelope with a huge cheque'

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The postie had coincidentally taken the day off from work, which meant she was able to proudly accept the ‘big envelope with a huge cheque’
Sanna Babar also cashed in the six-figure sum and said she is now planning a trip to Walt Disney World

4

Sanna Babar also cashed in the six-figure sum and said she is now planning a trip to Walt Disney World

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SEGRO appoints former government official Corbridge as CIO

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SEGRO appoints former government official Corbridge as CIO

Corbridge will oversee the group’s digital and technology strategy, reporting to chief financial officer Soumen Das.

The post SEGRO appoints former government official Corbridge as CIO appeared first on Property Week.

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Transact teams up with Moneyinfo to enhance client document delivery

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Transact teams up with Moneyinfo to enhance client document delivery

Adviser investment platform Transact has announced a new integration with fintech provider Moneyinfo to help streamline adviser-client communication.

The collaboration is part of Transact’s plan to integrate with technology providers to enhance efficiency and client engagement for the 2,000 adviser firms using the platform.

The integration with Moneyinfo simplifies document delivery, which is often a time-consuming process.

Through the integrated Moneyinfo portal and app, advisers can automatically deliver key client communication, including valuation reports and statements.

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Removing this previously manual process will improve the operational efficiency of advisers, providing more time to focus on providing advice.

Plannr and Transact team up to ‘supercharge’ efficiency of advisers

Transact chief development officer Tom Dunbar said the platform’s overall strategy is to “make financial planning easier”.

“A key priority in doing this is to improve the technology ecosystem available to our adviser firms,” he added.

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“By integrating with client portals like Moneyinfo we help advisers operate more efficiently and improve the client experience.”

Moneyinfo managing director Tessa Lee said the firm is “passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology” to benefit the wealth-management industry.

“Our collaboration with Transact is a direct response to what advisers have been asking for – greater efficiency and peace of mind,” she added.

“Through simplifying document delivery, this integration allows advisers to focus on their core business, knowing the technology is working behind the scenes to support them.”

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In a statement, the companies said that, for adviser firms, the benefits of this integration go beyond time savings as the automation of documentation also provides a “seamless client experience”.

Advisers now have a choice in how they manage document distribution, with an option for Moneyinfo’s platform to handle everything from encrypted delivery to audit trails.

Chris Riley, MD at Seventy Financial Planning – a firm participating in the pilot – said: “It has transformed our processes and vastly improved the client experience. We no longer worry about chasing documents – it’s taken care of.”

Dunbar added: “We’re committed to empowering our clients with the tools they need to succeed in a competitive, fast-changing industry and working with like-minded firms like Moneyinfo helps us stay ahead of the curve, ensuring our adviser firms benefit from the latest innovations.”

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High street fashion chain launches closing down sale as shopping centre branch to shut for final time in weeks

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High street fashion chain launches closing down sale as shopping centre branch to shut for final time in weeks

HIGH street shoppers have been left at a loss as a major clothing store will close the doors of one of its stores for the final time.

The fashion chain with 345 branches across the UK has confirmed the closure in Kent.

The high street brand has announced a closing down sale offering shoppers 30 percent off everything

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The high street brand has announced a closing down sale offering shoppers 30 percent off everythingCredit: Getty
Fashion fanatics in Dorchester  will still be able to head to their local Dorset store

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Fashion fanatics in Dorchester will still be able to head to their local Dorset storeCredit: Alamy

Locals of Dockside Outlet Centre in Catham have already spotted huge yellow sale posters in the windows of the Peacocks store, reported by Kent Online.

With 30 percent off “absolutely everything”, those planning on making their way to the clothing chain may want to move quickly as the site is set to shut soon.

The closing down sale will end on October 26 when the shop shuts.

Fans of the fashion retailer can still head to their nearest store which is under a mile away in Gillingham followed by Walderslade Co-Op in Medway.

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Frequent visitors to Dockside Shopping Centre could turn to the neighbouring M&S Outlet, Roman Originals or Moss Bross that will continue to trade in the surrounding area.

Previously, the chain has been promoted by Louise Redknapp and Michael Owen acting as brand ambassadors.

Earlier this year, Peacocks announced it would close other high street stores in Hyde, Bury St Edmunds, Cornwall, Winchester amongst others.

The high street brand collapsed into administration in 2020.

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After a spate of closures, the chain was rescued in April 2021 saving the remaining stores and 2,000 jobs.

The latest closures are not thought to be a result of financial decline or a precursor for further trouble.

New Beginning for The Body Shop

Over the years, Catham buyers have taken to review the store on Google with many complementing the staff, service and product quality.

One user wrote: “Brought some good quality clothes for my daughter today at very good prices.

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“Had a really good experience all round.”

Another said: “Very good and a excellent selection of clothes.”

Someone else put: “Friendly staff. Got what I needed. Even used my blue light NHS card and received a discount.”

A fourth wrote: “Lovely staff and great purchase.”

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Why are retailers closing stores?

RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.

High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.

The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.

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The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.

Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.

It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.

The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.

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Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.

“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.

“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”

Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.

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The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.

However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.

The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.

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House prices just short of record high, Halifax finds

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House prices just short of record high, Halifax finds

The typical property value last month was £293,399, just £108 below a record high of £293,507 set in June 2022, Halifax said.

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Vitality expands IP product to cover more occupations

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Vitality expands IP product to cover more occupations

Vitality has announced several changes to its income protection product to cover more occupations.

The provider said that from today (7 October), it will expand its range of deferral periods for a further 280 occupations including manual occupations and skilled trades such as plumbers, mechanics and warehouse workers.

The changes will see even more individuals become eligible for shorter one and two-month deferred periods.

Additionally, it has extended the maximum retirement age to 70 for 22 occupations including teachers, nurses and care workers.

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This has been changed to reflect the different ways people are working, many retiring much later in life.

Vitality also announced that it will be moving 349 manual roles and skilled trade occupations to an Own Occupation definition of incapacity, replacing their Special Definition that was previously used.

This change means these occupations will now be assessed on an Own Occupation basis for the entirety of their claim.

These changes build on the provider’s previous enhancements made in 2023, which included the introduction of access to private healthcare for claimants through their Recovery Benefit and the Vitality Income Boost.

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The latter boosts claims by up to 20% for the first six monthswhen members engage with the Vitality programme.

It also introduced enhanced Guaranteed Insurability Options, allowing members to increase their term and shorten their deferred periods after a change in occupation.

Justin Taurog, managing director, Vitality Life said: “Income protection provides people with support during an incredibly difficult time, and we are pleased to be able to update our product in this way, and expand access to our cover.

“Vitality has a core purpose to make people healthier and to enhance and protect lives.

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“Today’s announcement is the latest in the evolution of our income protection product, and when combined with our unique access to our UK-wide network of physiotherapists and mental health support that help people get back to work as part of their cover, and the Vitality Programme, we can both protect our members and support them to live a healthier life for even longer.”

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First-time buyers must act NOW to save £15k on property purchase – cheapest places to get on the ladder

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First-time buyers must act NOW to save £15k on property purchase - cheapest places to get on the ladder

THOUSANDS of first-time buyers have been warned to act now to save up to £15,000 in Stamp Duty.

The amount you can spend on a property before incurring Stamp Duty will fall on March 31 2025, penalising thousands of would-be homeowners.

The average price of a first home can vary hugely depending on where you live

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The average price of a first home can vary hugely depending on where you live

Stamp Duty is a tax you may have to pay if you buy a home in England or Northern Ireland that is worth more than a certain price.

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For most homeowners this is above £250,000.

But the amount that a first-time buyer could spend was increased to £425,000 in the September 2022 mini-budget.

First-time buyers also benefit from a further discounted rate on property purchases of up to £625,000.

From April these thresholds will plummet.

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Properties with a value of up to £300,000 will not incur a Stamp Duty charge, while the reduced rate will only apply to homes worth up to £500,000.

The changes will mean that someone buying a property worth £425,000 would currently pay no Stamp Duty but from April will owe the taxman £6,250.

But in some areas of London first-time buyers could be slapped with tax bills which are £15,000 higher than before once the thresholds are slashed.

Should I act now?

It usually takes around 25 weeks from listing a property to completing a sale, according to property website Zoopla, which means buyers have limited time to beat the deadline.

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David Hollingworth, of mortgage broker L&C, said first-time buyers should act now to avoid being penalised.

Unveiling the Hidden Costs of New Home Mortgages

“First time buyers wanting to be sure that they can take advantage of the elevated Stamp Duty relief before it reverts to the lower levels in March will want to be in the process as soon as possible.”

Although a first-time buyer may be able to move quickly, the person they are buying the property from may be in a transaction chain, he explains.

This is when you want to buy a house but need to wait until your seller buys their next property.

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How to get the best deal on your mortgage

IF you’re looking for a traditional type of mortgage, getting the best rates depends entirely on what’s available at any given time.

There are several ways to land the best deal.

Usually the larger the deposit you have the lower the rate you can get.

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If you’re remortgaging and your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) has changed, you’ll get access to better rates than before.

Your LTV will go down if your outstanding mortgage is lower and/or your home’s value is higher.

A change to your credit score or a better salary could also help you access better rates.

And if you’re nearing the end of a fixed deal soon it’s worth looking for new deals now.

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You can lock in current deals sometimes up to six months before your current deal ends.

Leaving a fixed deal early will usually come with an early exit fee, so you want to avoid this extra cost.

But depending on the cost and how much you could save by switching versus sticking, it could be worth paying to leave the deal – but compare the costs first.

To find the best deal use a mortgage comparison tool to see what’s available.

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You can also go to a mortgage broker who can compare a much larger range of deals for you.

Some will charge an extra fee but there are plenty who give advice for free and get paid only on commission from the lender.

You’ll also need to factor in fees for the mortgage, though some have no fees at all.

You can add the fee – sometimes more than £1,000 – to the cost of the mortgage, but be aware that means you’ll pay interest on it and so will cost more in the long term.

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You can use a mortgage calculator to see how much you could borrow.

Remember you’ll have to pass the lender’s strict eligibility criteria too, which will include affordability checks and looking at your credit file.

You may also need to provide documents such as utility bills, proof of benefits, your last three month’s payslips, passports and bank statements.

Buying a property can also take longer than people think as it may take time for an offer to be accepted because of practical issues or completing legal paperwork.

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He adds: “Having as long as possible to keep things on track for a March deadline will be important, especially with Christmas on the horizon.”

The festive season frequently brings the property market to a standstill which can slow the process of buying a house and push completion dates into the New Year.

Incentives such as Stamp Duty “holidays” can also create a cliff edge deadline, which can create a busier period in the property market as buyers rush to complete their purchases.

But there may be hope for buyers who have not yet started the process.

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The Chancellor could unveil plans to extend the policy in the Budget on October 31, which would give buyers more chance to complete their purchase.

The last Stamp Duty holiday was extended for three months in order to allow buyers to complete on their purchase if they were stuck in a housing chain.

The holiday had been introduced to help keep the property market afloat during the pandemic after thousands of property transactions fell through.

It was extended after calls from home buyers and experts to allow more time to finalise property sales.

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Where are the cheapest areas to buy?

The average price of a first-time buyer property can vary substantially depending on where you live.

Hull is the cheapest area in the UK to purchase a home for the first-time.

A typical first property in the area is worth £114,300, more than half of the average sold price of a home in the UK, which is £328,457 according to Zoopla.

Sunderland comes in second place at £122,600 for an average first home.

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Meanwhile, Burnley and Dundee were also ranked as affordable areas, coming in third and fourth place respectively at £128,800 and £131,700.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

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