PROTECT yourself from being bombarded with nuisance calls and texts.

Almost half of UK landline customers received a suspicious call in the first half of this year, according to Ofcom.

2

2

Advertisement

Mobile users are more likely to receive dodgy texts but 39 per cent of them also reported concerning calls.

LAURA MILLER explains how you can stop them.

NUISANCE calls and texts — often marketing or spam — are any unwanted communications promoting a product or service to you where you have not given permission to be contacted.

But scammers also use nuisance calls and messages to trick people into sharing personal information, handing over access to devices such as laptops and mobile phones, and sending money to fraudsters.

Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at comparison website Uswitch.com, says: “For many people, nuisance calls are a major concern.

“In most cases, they are an annoying interruption — however, for some, they can induce anxiety and distress.

“These unwanted calls are often phishing or scamming attempts, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to spot.”

A common tactic used by criminals to defraud victims is to imitate — or “spoof” — phone numbers from a trusted person or organisation, so their calls are more likely to be answered.

Twenty per cent of the UK’s 17.77 million nuisance call reports come from London area codes — beginning 020 — with 3.6million reports on call-tracking site who-called.co.uk, research by tech firm Back Market found.

Manchester ranks second, with more than 600,000 nuisance caller reports against 0161 area codes.

Blandford Forum, Dorset, is third, with its 01258 area code triggering more than 500,000 reports — despite the town having a population of less than 12,000.

Often, these familiar area codes are just another tactic used by scammers to get you to trust them.

Fraudsters based abroad spoof UK area codes knowing people are more likely to pick up these calls than if an unknown international number is displayed.

Ofcom has this year launched a crackdown on spoofing.

Phone companies will now have to identify and block calls coming from abroad that falsely display a UK telephone number, except in a limited number of legitimate cases.

But taking action yourself is usually the best way to guard against nuisance callers — and the scams they push.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS

HOW TO BLOCK SPAM CALLS ON MOBILES

ON iPhone, you can enable Silence Unknown Callers by going to Settings > Phone, scrolling down to Silence Unknown Callers, tapping the option, and turning on the feature.

This will block phone numbers that are not in your contacts or that you have not contacted previously.

It is disabled for 24 hours after an emergency call.

On Android, open the Phone app, tap the three dots for more options, tap Settings then turn on Caller ID and spam protection.

This uses a database of phone numbers to determine a caller’s ID and filter out spam calls.

Apps such as Truecaller and Hiya allow users to block nuisance numbers from their smartphones.

You can find these in the Apple App Store for iPhone or the Play Store for Android users.

HOW TO BLOCK SPAM CALLS ON LANDLINES

CONTACT the Telephone Preference Service to add your landline or mobile number to the UK’s official Do Not Call register and opt out of unsolicited communications.

You can register your phone number on the TPS website or by phoning 0345 070 0707.

It is free to register and takes up to 28 days to come into effect.

Mobile phone users can add their number to the TPS register by texting “TPS” and their email address to 85095.

They will receive a text from the TPS confirming their mobile number has been successfully added to its database.

CHECK IF PHONE FIRM HAS BLOCKING SERVICE

USWITCH’S Ernest Doku says certain phone providers offer their own blocking services, some free and some paid for.

Contact your provider to find out more.

Doku adds: “For example, you can protect yourself from nuisance calls by using BT’s Call Protect service, which offers free call-screening.

“EE has a Scam Guard service that flags spam calls. Their security costs from just £1 a month.”

BE CAREFUL ABOUT SHARING DETAILS

YOU may be asked for your phone number when you buy something or use a price comparison website.

Look carefully at the marketing “opt-in” or “opt-out” boxes in the small print — this can be the difference between giving your details to potential nuisance callers or not.

RETIREES’ INCOME TAX HIT

MANY thousands of retirees are set to pay tax on their state pension next year for the first time.

The tax is due to a combination of hefty state pension rises and frozen tax thresholds.

More than 300,000 pensioners will be told they need to pay tax when the state pension rises by £475 in 2025.

Figures released last week confirmed that the state pension is now expected to rise by 4.1 per cent, from £11,502.40 to £11,975 per year, under the triple lock next April.

With tax thresholds frozen until 2028, this increase will push more pensioners into the basic rate income tax bracket.

This is because when combined with private pension income, their annual earnings will exceed the personal annual allowance, which is set at £12,570.

For earnings between £12,570 to £50,270, the basic income tax rate of 20 per cent applies.

Alice Haine of Bestinvest said: “With frozen tax thresholds and the state pension gaining ground on the personal allowance, pensioners are edging closer to their state pension income becoming liable for tax.

“Retirees receiving a higher state pension may already be paying tax on the benefit, while those receiving a private pension income will see more of that swallowed up by tax.”

Next week, Rachel Reeves is expected to announce that the income tax threshold freeze will be extended beyond 2028.

Ellie Smitherman

BILLIONS IN LOST PENSIONS

MORE than three million savers have lost track of pension pots with £31 BILLION now left unclaimed.

The average unclaimed pension amounts to £13,620 for those aged between 55 and 75, according to data from the Pensions Policy Institute.

These savers are typically on the brink or in early stages of retirement.

Reuniting with cash could have a big impact on living standards in their later years.

Pensioners aged over 75 have a typical £6,540 in pots they don’t know about, the data showed.

So-called lost pensions have grown as workers today tend to change jobs more often than in the past.

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis, at savings platform Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “It’s easy to lose track of a pension.

“We move jobs and homes and contact details get lost along the way.

“It’s not a small problem either.

“That pension from the job you had ten years ago will have grown and you risk losing out on thousands of pounds that could be used for your retirement income.”

The Government’s Pension Tracing Service can be used to track down lost savings.

The service will not tell you how much is in the pension but can find contact details for a workplace or personal pension and you can find out from the scheme provider.

It is a good idea to first make a list of everywhere you have worked.

You can then enter details online at gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details or call 0800 731 0193 Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm.

SHOPPERS are racing to get a Home Bargains dupe of a Drunk Elephant dupe scanning at tills for £2.49.

A savvy shopper posted the dupe in the Extreme Bargains UK Facebook group, where bargain hunters regularly share new items they discover in shops.

2

2

Advertisement

Home Bargains’ Dizzy Panda Glow Drops are a dupe for the incredibly popular Drunk Elephant variety of drops.

The knock-off Blush, Brightening and Bronzing Drops are scanning at the popular discount chain’s tills for only £2.49.

This is an unbelievable £31.51 cheaper than the real version from Drunk Elephant.

This makes the Home Bargain’s version almost 93 per cent cheaper.

Drunk Elephant’s ‘D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops’ went viral on social media for being amazing, making the Home Bargains version great for those watching their spending.

The caption of the post road: “Dizzy Panda Glow Drops Available At Home Bargains!”

Home Bargains’ skincare brand Dizzy Panda has made it into the Facebook group before which sent fans of Drunk Elephant wild.

One user commented: “The next best thing instead of spending a fortune on Drunk Elephant!”

Another said: “Need to try this, we love a dupe” when tagging a friend.

And: “It’s a need not a want!”

It comes after Home Bargains shoppers rush to buy an “amazing” beauty gift set that’s scanning at tills for £8 instead of £31.

The “ideal stocking filler” features several L’Oreal products.

Home Bargains has slashed the cost of its L’Oreal Blemish Buster Gift Set from £38.99 to just £7.99.

That’s over 80 per cent off meaning customers save £31.00.

What’s in the set?

• 1x Smooth Sugars Clearing Scrub 50ml.
• 1x Pure Clay Blemish Rescue Mask 50ml.
• 1x Hydra Genius Aloe Water 70ml.

Essentially, customers looking to exfoliate, treat and hydrate their skin for a good price, need look no further.

A Home Bargain’s representative posted a photo of deal to Facebook and wrote: “An ideal stocking filler. Just look at that saving.

“Available in store & online.”

A VET who missed out on a whopping £50,000 in the People’s Postcode Lottery revealed that she was left shaking after realizing she secured the jackpot.

Kate Innes was left stunned after learning her street had shared a £1million cash prize.

1

The veterinary practice manager from Chesterfield bagged an eye-watering £50,000.

However, Kate was shocked to learn that she could’ve doubled her winnings had she purchased two tickets instead of one.

Several of her neighbours managed to secure a staggering £100,000 after buying two tickets.

Despite missing out on the extra £50,000, Kate revealed that she was over the moon to win the lotto prize.

After finding out that she had won, she exclaimed, “Oh my God, I’m shaking. Thank you so much!”: “Oh my God, I’m shaking. Thank you so much.

“That is legitimately crazy. I’ve been trying to remain as calm as possible.

“It just feels so surreal and incredible.”

The vet added: “I can’t believe it has happened. It’s an incredible amount of money just to even contemplate.

“I’m so incredibly happy for the neighbours. The level of the win is going to be able to make some people’s dreams absolutely come true.”

Kate and her fiancé Paul Rothwell have already made big plans for the future but said the cash prize has turbo-charged them.

The pair are planning a lavish hiking holiday in Austria next year and have plans to tour America in an RV.

Daredevil Paul has also scheduled a wing-walking experience to celebrate his birthday in January.

Kate said: “We’ll set ourselves up for the future. Probably a nice holiday.”

“We have got a longer plan to go touring around America in an RV,” Paul added.

“It might be eight weeks instead of four now.”

The scaffolder was shocked at the amount they won from the People’s Postcode Lottery.

“I thought it would be a £30,000 Street [Prize],” he added.

“Even if it was £1,000 it would be a bonus. This might liven up the street a bit.”

It comes after a dad received the life-changing news he’d won the lottery – only to be forced to split the £1 million winnings with four other people.

And a winning Postcode Lottery player bagged an eye-watering £200,000 and lost half a stone.

How to play the People’s Postcode Lottery?

Advertisement

For just £12 a month, players can sign up through the official website to have a chance of winning millions of pounds.

Once signed up, players are automatically entered into every draw and prizes are announced every day of each month.

Tickets play for the Daily Prize, worth £1000 and revealed every single day.

Tickets could also win a jackpot of £30,000 for Saturday and Sunday’s Street Prize draws.

People’s Postcode Lottery also offers a £3million Postcode Millions draw each month – where your ticket plays for a share of the cash prize fund.

Advertisement

Winners are notified by email, text, post, or phone call, depending on the prize they win.

Jackpot winners are visited by the lottery team in person.

How do I know which side I own?

A boundary feature can be a fence, wall, hedge, ditch, piece of wire, or sometimes even just the edge of a driveway.

The only way to know for certain who owns what side and to avoid any neighbour disputes, is to refer to the title plan or Land Registry. 

In this, the T mark is used to indicate who the boundary belongs to and therefore who is responsible for its upkeep, say pros at Jacksons Fencing.

Larger developments tend to have some indication provided by the builder, but there are no hard and fast rules

People often think they are responsible for the left (or right) hand boundary wherever they live, but there isn’t any legal basis for this.

You can check with HM Land Registry to see which boundary feature you are responsible for.

Often households can’t get hold of the paperwork but experts say they shouldn’t panic.

Homeowners can guess who owns the fence by checking where the rails are.

Pros say: “The fence is typically facing away from their property so that their neighbour gets the ‘good’ side. 

“This is the most secure way of facing fencing so there are no rails for anyone to use to climb into your garden. 

“This is then repeated with the neighbour on the other side to ensure that each home has both a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fence side.”

Walls and fences are often built on the land of the boundary’s owner with the edge of the wall marking the limit.

While professionals agree a glimpse at the fence can give you a hint, it’s not foolproof – so you can’t be certain.

Fines and punishment

It is recommended to always check legal documents before making changes to avoid hefty fines.

There is no law that the neighbour has to get the good side of the fence, so it’s completely up to whoever owns the fence. 

Fencing pros have suggested: “It may be worth selecting a double-sided panel with no ‘bad’ side as both sides look the same and rails are concealed within the fence panel.”

If one boundary backs onto a road or footpath you can install the panels with the rails on the inside

But if it’s installed on the outside, it can provide an “easy ladder for burglars to enter your garden”.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Property Litigation Association have created a mediation service to help neighbours resolve disputes over their property boundaries without resorting to court action. 

RICS also provides a list of surveyors who could assist in boundary disputes.

If a dispute continues, it is ultimately a court that makes decisions, but they do not like such disputes being put before them.

Changing a boundary

If you want to change an existing boundary, such as replacing an old fence with a new one, we always recommend discussing with your neighbour first and making sure it is all agreed.

The registered titles can help you to reach an agreement, but only if this information has been added.

In terms of decorations on a fence legal advisers recommended asking around over who actually first installed it.

But they also urged caution before getting to work on amending the fence without getting more certainty yourself – since there is a danger of actually being prosecuted for criminal damage.

How high can a garden fence be?

The height of the fence is measured from your ground level, this can have an impact when, due to slopes in the ground, your garden may be at a higher level than your neighbours‘.

A garden fence can be as high as 100m but you need to get planning permission if it’s over than 2m.

However, there are some complications to this.

If you are thinking about front garden fences, restrictions state that fences alongside a driveway can be a maximum of 1m or 3ft.

You would need to get planning permission for putting a trellis on a fence of 2m.

But, if any plant that you grow on that trellis exceeds 2m, you do not need to obtain a permit for the growing plant.

Fabulous’ Fashion Director, Tracey Lea Sayer shares her thoughts.

I WAS 10 when I first discovered the utter joy of high street shopping for clothes with my mum and nan.

Going into town on Saturday became a family tradition – a girls’ day out we would look forward to all week.

My mum’s favourite shop was M&S, where she would gaze at jackets with big shoulder pads and floral sundresses, while my nan would make a beeline for John Lewis and their classic coats and elegant court shoes.

I was all over Tammy Girl – Etam’s little sister – and Chelsea Girl, which was later rebranded to high street fave River Island.

I would spend hours in the changing rooms, watched keenly by my two cheerleaders, who gave the thumbs up – or thumbs down – on what I was trying on.

Frilly Ra-Ra skirts, duster coats, polka dot leggings, puff balls, boob tubes… I tried them all, often making my nan howl with laughter.

Fashion wasn’t so fast back in the 1980s and every item was cherished and worn until it fell apart – literally – at the seams.

At 18, I went to art college and my tastes became more refined.

Extra cash from a part-time job in a bar meant I could move on to slightly more expensive stores, like Warehouse, Miss Selfridge and the mecca that was Topshop.

I knew at this point I wanted to work in fashion because the high street had totally seduced me.

One day, I wrote an article for a competition in a glossy mag about my love of retail therapy and my favourite LBD – and I won!

That led me to where I am today – Fashion Director of Fabulous.

It’s not just me that loves the high street – big-name designers are fans, too. When ‘Cool Britannia’ hit in the Nineties, they all turned up in one big store.

‘Designers at Debenhams’ was a stroke of genius by Debenhams CEO Belinda Earl, designer Ben de Lisi and fashion director Spencer Hawken, who introduced diffusion ranges from John Rocha, Matthew Williamson and Betty Jackson to name a few.

This meant we could all afford a bit of luxury and wear a well-known designer’s signature style.

Years later I hosted a night with Debenhams and Fabulous for 250 readers, who were in awe meeting all the designers. It was a real career highlight for me.

In 2004, H&M started rolling out their international designer collabs.

Karl Lagerfeld was first, followed by Roberto Cavalli, Marni, Stella McCartney, Maison Martin Margiela, Sonia Rykiel, Comme des Garçons, Balmain, Versace and many, many more. I could barely contain myself!

Then in 2007, Kate Moss launched her first collection with Topshop, with thousands queuing along London’s Oxford Street.

I remember sitting behind Ms Moss and Topshop boss Philip Green at a London Fashion Week Topshop Unique catwalk show.

I had my three-year-old daughter, Frankie, in tow and we both made the news the next day after we were papped behind Kate, my supermodel girl crush.

At the time, the high street was on fire. Who needed designer buys when Mango stocked tin foil trousers just like the designer Isabel Marant ones and you could buy a bit of Barbara Hulanicki’s legendary brand Biba from Topshop?

High street stores even started to storm London Fashion week.

Although Topshop Unique had shown collections since 2001, in 2013 River Island showed its first collection in collaboration with global superstar Rihanna, who was flown in by a friend of mine on a private jet. KER-CHING!

A whole new generation of high profile high street collabs followed.

Beyoncé created Ivy Park with Topshop’s Philip Green and I even flew to LA for Fabulous to shoot the Kardashian sisters in their bodycon “Kollection” for Dorothy Perkins.

I am pleased to say they were the absolute dream cover stars.

Fast forward to 2024 and while the high street doesn’t look exactly like it did pre-Covid, it has made a gallant comeback.

Stores like M&S, Reserved and Zara, and designer collabs like Victoria Beckham X Mango and Rochelle Humes for Next are giving me all the feels.

The supermarkets have really come into their own, too, smashing it with gorgeous collections that look expensive, but at prices that still allow us to afford the weekly shop.

The last 30 years of high street fashion have been one big adventure for me. Bring on the next 30!

THOUSANDS on state pension could be eligible for a cost of living payment worth up to £200.

Pensioners missing out on the Winter Fuel Payment this year are set to receive a cash boost to help cover energy costs.

1

Residents in Middlesbrough who are aged 80 and over, receive Council Tax Reduction, and are not eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment may be entitled to receive £200.

Those aged between 66 and 79 who meet the same criteria could also be eligible for a cash payment of £150.

An estimated 1,500 households are expected to benefit from one of the two payments.

Pensioners receiving Attendance Allowance, who are not on other benefits and have incomes less than £20,000 for a single person or £26,000 for a couple, can also apply for a £100 payment to help with the cost of living.

Middlesbrough Council also announced that they would issue automatic payments of £60 per child for families eligible for free school meals.

However, it will only be available if the council’s £1.65million scheme is approved.

Cllr Nicky Walker, Executive member for Finance, said: “When this phase of the Household Support Fund was announced, I made it clear where I thought we should prioritise our efforts to help pensioners of Middlesbrough on low incomes who will just miss out on getting the Winter Fuel Payment this year.

“The proposal strikes a balance between universal payments for families in receipt of certain benefits and targeting help at other groups, including pensioners.

“Given the national changes around the Winter Fuel Payment, it’s pleasing we’re able to propose something locally to support those pensioners this winter who may have worked hard all their lives but just miss out due to, for example, having a small works pension.”

Middlesborough Council have distributed a total of £1.5million Household Support Payments since April.

The proposed scheme will allow families who are not eligible for free school meals but are receiving Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit, or Housing Benefit to receive £60 per child.

Middlesborough residents claiming Council Tax Reduction benefits will also be able to apply based on their income.

A single person will be entitled to £35, couples will receive £45, and households with children will get £60 per child under the proposed scheme.

Other details of the scheme include:

• Pensioners not receiving Council Tax Reduction or other benefits can apply for £100 per household if income is below £20,000 for single people and £26,000 for a couple
• Residents receiving Attendance Allowance who aren’t entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment or other aspects of the Household Support Funding can apply for £100 per household.

It comes after millions of households eligible for this year’s £300 winter fuel payment will receive another cash bonus from the DWP this winter.

And thousands of households not claiming pension credit will still get a winter fuel payment due to a little-known loophole.

The government recently announced that thousands of pensioners will get a £200 one-off payment for energy bills after the winter fuel allowance cut.

It is part of the latest phase of its Household Support Fund, which offers vouchers to struggling Brits.

The funding is available across England, but the amount up for grabs depends on your local council.

More than 32,000 eligible households in Nottinghamshire will get the help to cover food and energy costs in the run-up to Christmas.

They include families with children eligible for Free School Meals and people receiving Pension Credit.

Social workers have identified other households which need financial support.

The council will contact eligible households next month, so residents do not need to take any action.

Those eligible can expect to get a one-off payment of around £100 per household.

The help comes via the latest round of the Household Support Fund which is worth £421million.

The fund is designed to help hard-up households cover the cost of living, mostly through cash grants, supermarket and energy vouchers.

Each council across England has been allocated a share of the £421million pot and decides who to distribute money to.

Other help on offer

If you’re not eligible for the Household Support Fund, you might be able to get a grant from your energy firm to cover energy debt.

British Gas is handing out grants worth £1,700 to struggling households through its Individual and Families Fund.

The fund is available to British Gas and non-British Gas customers living in England, Scotland or Wales.

You won’t be eligible if you received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last two years.

And you must be seeking a grant to clear outstanding debt on a current or open gas, electricity or dual fuel energy account.

Crucially, you also need to have received help from a money advice agency within the last six months.

If you don’t qualify for help with British Gas, a number of other energy firms offer help to customers struggling with energy bill debt.

This includes OVO, Boost, E.On, E.On Next, EDF, Scottish Power, Octopus, Shell Energy, SSE and Utilita.

How has the Household Support Fund evolved?

The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.

Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £421million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.

It was then extended in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a second time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.

The DWP then confirmed a third extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.

Advertisement

Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fourth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.

In September 2024, the Government announced a fifth extension.