MARTIN Lewis has issued a message to all pensioners over winter fuel payments.

The MoneySavingExpert (MSE) founder is urging households to check if they could be entitled to Pension Credit and unlock the winter fuel payment.

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Pension Credit is a government benefit made up of two parts, with one designed to top up your weekly income to a minimum amount.

Ordinarily, you have to be earning under around £218 a week if you are single or roughly £333 a week if you are a couple to qualify.

However, you can still qualify if you earn over these amounts and meet certain other criteria like being on disability benefits, needing extra money to cover housing costs or having a certain amount of savings stashed away.

In the latest MSE newsletter, Martin is urging pensioners not to assume that they won’t qualify.

He said: “Pension Credit is a critically underclaimed top-up of the state pension for those on lower incomes that I’ve been urging people to check out for over a decade.

“On average it’s worth £3,900 a year. Yet over 800,000 eligible pensioners likely still miss out.”

Martin added that it’s more important than ever check your eligibility for pension credit because it qualifies you for the winter fuel payment.

This is because in July the Government announced that only those who claim Pension Credit will receive the Winter Fuel Allowance, which is worth up to £300 a year.

It comes after one Martin Lewis fan has revealed how a quick check helped her mother realise she was eligible for Pension Credit.

Those who claim are also entitled to a free TV licence, help with NHS dental treatment and glasses.

What is Pension Credit and who is eligible?

Pension Credit is a government benefit designed to top up your weekly income if you are a state pensioner and on a low income.

The current state pension age is 66.

There are two parts to the benefit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.

Savings Credit is extra money you can get if you have some savings or your income is above the basic state pension amount – £169.50.

Savings Credit is only available to people who reached state pension age before April 6, 2016.

Usually, you only qualify for Pension Credit if your income is below the £218.15 or £332.95 thresholds.

However, you can sometimes be eligible for Savings Credit or Guarantee Credit depending on your circumstances.

For example, if you are suffering from a severe disability and claiming Attendance Allowance, as well as other benefits, you can get an extra £81.50 a week.

Meanwhile, you can get either £66.29 a week or £76.79 a week for each child you’re responsible and caring for.

The rules behind who qualifies for Pension Credit can be complicated, so the best thing to do is just check.

You can do this by using the Government’s Pension Credit calculator on its website.

Or, you can call the Pension Service helpline on 0800 99 1234 from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Those in Northern Ireland have to call the Pension Centre on 0808 100 6165 from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

It might be worth a visit to your local Citizens Advice branch too – its staff should be able to offer you help for free.

What is the Winter Fuel Payment?

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Consumer reporter Sam Walker explains all you need to know about the payment.

The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help cover the cost of heating through the colder months.

Most who are eligible receive the payment automatically.

Those who qualify are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.

If you do meet the criteria but don’t automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment, you will have to apply on the government’s website.

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You’ll qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter if:

• you were born on or before September 23, 1958
• you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, known as the “qualifying week”
• you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit

If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:

• you live in Switzerland or a EEA country
• you have a “genuine and sufficient” link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK

But there are exclusions – you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.

This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.

You will also not qualify if you:

• are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
• need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you can not claim public funds
• were in prison for the whole “qualifying week”
• lived in a care home for the whole time between 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Payments are usually made between November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.

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

There’s no escaping the fact that the last two decades have represented a revolution in the way we manage our money. You don’t have to go back far to see transactions made primarily in cash for example, with bills paid via cheques sent through the post.

Technology has had an impact not just on our day-to-day finances, but on the bigger financial landscapes too, changing the way we save and invest, manage our pensions and buy and sell property. Let’s take a look at how technology can be used to streamline our experience of the housing market.

Budgeting and expense tracking

Before you can even think about buying a new home, you’ll need to get on top of your income and expenditure to see how much you can afford to spend and to prepare for any mortgage application you might need to make.

Gone are the days though when personal finance was managed solely with spreadsheets and notebooks. Digital budgeting and saving apps like WithPlum.com have revolutionised how people manage their day-to-day expenses, meaning you can now automatically categorise spending, set financial goals and manage your bills all from your phone.

Once you know where you stand, you can go online to search and compare mortgage deals and work out how much you’ll be able to borrow and where to get the best deal.

Different ways to buy and sell

Technology has created a whole host of new ways to buy and sell property, from online estate agents to cash home-buying services like Sold.co.uk. This platform offers a streamlined process for selling properties, leveraging technology to connect with sellers, and eliminating many of the traditional hurdles associated with property sales, such as lengthy paperwork and prolonged waiting periods.

Digital property marketplaces

Twenty years ago we’d never have imagined that it would be possible to take a tour of a house without even leaving your sofa, yet now we have access to all kinds of amazing tools plus real-time market data, meaning buyers can make much more informed decisions. Digital property marketplaces have simplified the process of buying and selling homes. With so many competing pressures on our time and money nowadays, being able to browse and shortlist potential new homes online is incredibly valuable.

Automating the homebuying process

Automation in property transactions is another way in which technology is helping to reduce the time and effort required to complete a sale. Features such as automated valuation models (AVMs) and electronic document management systems from ThomsonReuters.co.uk streamline the process, making it more transparent and less prone to errors.

Credit: Unsplash

Future trends

With the use of AI increasing exponentially, and the use of blockchain technology becoming more widely accepted, we’re sure to see all kinds of advances and innovations in the property market over the next few years. For instance, AI could provide even more personalised financial advice, while blockchain technology could enhance the security and transparency of property transactions.

The digital revolution is undeniably reshaping the landscape of personal finance and property transactions and as technology continues to advance, embracing these digital tools will be crucial for anyone looking to manage their finances more effectively and make the most of their assets.

A MUM pulled her son out of school when he was just 14 so he could pursue his business dream – and now the business has made £3.6million.

Noah Carlile-Swift was just a teenager when his mum Tara suggested they start a business together to help build his confidence after his secondary school education left him feeling “stupid”.

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When Noah was just 11, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia, effectively meaning, as Tara, 50, says, he was “bright, at the top end of learning ability, but not in the way that school teaches it. So he struggled with exams and with comprehension, which is mainly what school is about.”

So, with the support of Noah’s school, they started Freckleface, a fragrance company selling wax melts – scented pieces of wax that release an aroma into the room when heated on top of a burner – and soon after Noah left his school in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

Tara told The Times: “They [Noah’s school] agreed that he was doing stuff outside of school with the business – building the website, taking computers apart, designing logos – and was much better using his skills on something he got reward from, rather than feeling stupid every day.”

Starting as a kitchen table business, Freckleface now has its own factory in rural Lincolnshire and operates five shops in York, Cambridge, Lincoln and Stamford – with plans to open more outlets next year.

Last year, the company had sales of £3.6million and a pre-tax profit of £600,000.

Tara is the managing director while Noah runs the retail side of things with the long-term plan being that he takes over her role in 10 years’ time.

For Tara, it was certainly an unconventional route into being an entrepreneur as her “only qualification” is a Btec in sign writing.

When she was just six months old her dad died suddenly of a heart attack aged 46 and her mum went on to remarry when Tara was six.

Due to her stepdad’s job in HM Coastguard it meant the family “moved every few years”, including spells in the Isle of Wight and the Gower Peninsula in Wales.

Almost as soon as Tara gained her Btec, it was made virtually redundant due to the march of technology and “the whole signwriting world went digital”.

After she “bummed around for a couple of years” Tara did a course to become a personal assistant.

She chose a college in Nottingham after she met Simon, her husband, on a night out in the city.

Tara said: “I went for the weekend, met Simon, and we moved in together two weeks later. We’ve been together ever since.”

After her PA course she landed a job at Experian, the credit-checking firm, where she spent three years learning about business “through osmosis” as she sat in on meetings with the top team.

Tara added: “At the time, you don’t realise, but you’re absorbing it all, sitting with finance directors taking minutes of all the meetings.”

She and Simon were also trying for a baby, but after suffering a series of miscarriages, decided to take some time out from the corporate life and head to Australia for a year.

As they landed back in England Tara found out she was pregnant with Noah.

Tara then got a temping job with Boots, the high street chemist, which has its headquarters in Nottingham.

CHANCE CONVERSATION

It was while at Boots a chance conversation lead to a dramatic change in her career.

Tara said: “I was sitting in the canteen eating my sandwich and the people next to me were talking about products they were developing for pregnant people and I chipped in and said, ‘I don’t think you should do it like that, I think you should think about this,’ and they offered me a job in the marketing department.”

After a couple of years at Boots, she left as part of a restructuring and retrained as a project manager, taking the Prince2 (Projects in Controlled Environments) project management qualification, before working as an administrator for Siemens on railway bids.

That job though meant long hours and frequent travel, with Tara often being away three night a week, which she and Simon juggled alongside his shifts as an IT worker.

To help Noah make his transition to secondary school, Tara quit her job as Siemens and needing an extra income, became a foster carer.

The couple fostered 23 children in three and a half years.

She decided to start her own business just as the fostering was coming to an end but describes the first few months as “absolute carnage”.

Tara said: “We had a baby who we had from birth and he had gastric problems so he didn’t sleep and was sick constantly, plus I had a teenager who was neurodiverse, all while I was doing the business.

“We were making the products all week and then I was putting them in the car, driving all over the country, sleeping in the car, doing whatever we needed to get the products out there.”

But while it was exhausting, they knew they were on to something.

‘SOMETHING SPECIAL’

She added: “It became obvious really quickly that we had something special.

“We would go to a fair, sell out, come home, make it all again. Go to another show, and sell out. And so on.”

The baby boy was then adopted permanently by “the most super family in the world” and the Carlile-Swifts still see him every six weeks but Tara said the initial separation was “awful” and she threw herself into the business.

Tara said: “We decided, ‘Let’s take the business really seriously’.

“We came up with a business plan that said we wanted to have stores on every UK high street and for the brand to be global within ten years.”

Freckleface moved into its first industrial unit in 2019, just a few months before Covid hit.

The pandemic could have derailed production but sales were boosted by people working from home and “everybody wanting their houses to smell great”.

FIRST SHOP

The firm was also helped by reduced rents and breaks on business rates during the pandemic which helped them open their first Freckleface store in Stamford, Lincolnshire, in July 2020.

Another shop in Cambridge opened the following year.

In order to save money Tara and Simone built the shop interiors for the first three stores, with Noah taking on the responsibility for the last two.

Along with its stores, Freckleface products are also stocked in more than 800 shops nationwide and the brand has run collaborations with the Royal Horticultural Society and Laura Ashley.

Freckleface now has a workforce of 60, including Tara’s husband, who joined in 2020 to run the manufacturing side.

Tara puts a lot of the company’s more recent success down to the initial slog at trade shows and local fairs.

She said: “The customer you meet at a show is a super-loyal customer. They will shop from you online and will seek out your high street stores.

“And our product is a consumable one, so they tend to come back every month or six weeks to stock up.

“So the hard work of schlepping around the country at shows is why the business built so quickly.”

The family has not raised or borrowed any money to finance the business.

At first, they struggled even to buy a kilo of wax, which would have cost “£10 or so”.

Even though working capital is “still the biggest stresser that keeps us awake at night and stops us from growing quicker”, Tara added she’s “not interested” in raising investment.

She said: “We want to be a heritage brand that’s still going to be on the high street in 50 years and we will hand down the generations of Frecklefaces.

“We’re not in it to make a quick buck.”

The company name is Tara’s nickname for Noah was he was tiny, because she had been taunted by playground bullies for being a “freckleface” and wanted to ensure Noah thought the name was a term of endearment.

She said: “We’re very freckly, we’re plastered. And we would call each other freckleface.

“So it was a natural decision when we were naming the business, but we never thought back then we were going to have all these shops.

“And now people shout Freckleface at us across the street, but in a nice way.”

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Becoming a financial adviser was not a lifelong career wish for me.

Indeed — unlike those who dreamed of growing up to be a doctor or a sports star — few of us, I expect, aspired to be a financial planner!

Perhaps this is to be expected, given the relative profile of advisers. But this observation got me thinking about the visibility of our profession to young people, from the perspective of both the next generation of recruits as well as prospective clients.

On the recruitment side, we could do more to raise our profile within the wider sector. My first exposure to financial advice was through making some adviser contacts while on a ski season, which led me to pursue a career via some work experience. However, I get the sense there is a lack of visibility of what our industry is and does among people of my generation.

Younger clients respond well to having a peer at a similar life stage involved in their advice. We will need a new generation of young advisers to serve them

Maybe this low profile among younger adults is not surprising, given the lack of routes into wealth management. But, with the average adviser age pushing close to 60, it poses an existential challenge for our profession.

The requirement of further professional qualifications may be one deterrent, but the lack of opportunities for entry, via mentorship or training programmes, is significant. Here at Finura we are fortunate to offer apprentice and non-graduate roles, which are proving successful.

The traditional pathway can be overly complex and may limit opportunities for keen graduates to gain early client-facing experience. When I was seeking a graduate role, most recruiters advised that prior industry experience was required; the age-old conundrum.

To attract and retain top talent, we must create more effective avenues for early client exposure and career progression. Otherwise we risk losing talent to more visible industries, compounding the problems of an ageing cohort.

I get the sense there is a lack of visibility of what our industry is and does among people of my generation

Employers may fear that young advisers may not be taken seriously by clients, but this has not been my experience. Instead, firms should look at the future of financial advice and the types of client we are likely to serve. With the largest ever intergenerational wealth transfer on the horizon, and the alarming statistic that 92% of heirs change adviser once they receive an inheritance, advice firms should look to youth recruitment to capitalise on an advice proposition for the Millennial generation.

Younger clients tend to be more tech savvy and have often had exposure to DIY investing; they may feel they don’t need financial advice. But they respond well to having a peer at a similar life stage involved in their advice.

We will need a new generation of young advisers to serve them.

Samuel Allen is a chartered paraplanner at Finura

This article featured in the September 2024 edition of Money Marketing. 

If you would like to subscribe to the monthly magazine, please click here.

THOUSANDS of people have just days left to apply for up to £400 free cash ahead of the winter.

The latest round of the Household Support Fund (HSF) is due to close on September 30, so if you’re eligible for help you need to make your application now.

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The HSF provides financial help to struggling households, and has been extended several times since it was first introduced by the Government in 2021.

The latest round saw £421million given to local councils to distribute to those most in need in their area.

The current round of funding is due to end on September 30 – but applications are still being accepted by some local authorities, so if you’re quick you can still get in.

Earlier this month, it was announced that funding would be extended for the sixth time.

The news means that thousands more will be able to access support when schemes reopen in October, with the new round of funding in place until April 2025. 

The support available through the HSF varies across the country and what you can access depends on where you live.

But funds could be paid out as a direct cash transfer or shopping vouchers.

The amount you receive is usually based on your financial circumstances and what benefits you receive.

For example, East Devon District Council is offering a one-off payment of £100 to households receiving full Housing Benefit or a full Council Tax reduction, with less than £3,000 in capital and someone living in the household who is disabled or a carer.

The cash is also available to care leavers in receipt of Council Tax relief or other benefits including discretionary Housing Benefit.

Meanwhile, Shropshire Council provided a one-off payment of £400 to households in receipt of Council Tax support with a dependant child.

Those eligible who have missed August’s payment run can still apply to have the funds added to their Council Tax account.

And Blackpool Council has already announced its support scheme will be extended until April 2025.

Households struggling with living costs could be able to access a £200 payment if there are one or two people living in their property, or £300 if three or more are resident.

To be eligible, applicants will need to be over the age of 16, experiencing financial hardship and responsible for paying energy bills.

Many councils have warned that funds many close early if all of the cash is allocated, and some have already stopped accepting new applicants.

But it’s always worth checking your local council and, if schemes are still open, it’s best to apply sooner rather than later before all the funding is gone.

Every council will receive funding from the HSF in the next round of support, so if you’re worried about making ends meet, keep checking your local council’s website for further details.

To find your local council, use the Government’s council locator tool.

What is the Household Support Fund?

The HSF was first set up in October 2021 and has now been extended six times.

Councils in England are now able to benefit from the latest round of funding which amounts to £421million.

Nationwide councils have received a portion of the cash to distribute to households in need.

But there is a postcode lottery to determine who qualifies and each local authority can set its own eligibility criteria.

Yet, if you have a limited amount of money or savings in the bank, or are deemed to be vulnerable or on benefits, you will probably qualify for help.

The HSF’s fifth round of funding will close on September 30, but the government has extended the scheme until April 2025 with the injection of a further £421million.

Applications may still be being accepted for the fifth round of funding, so it’s still worth checking with your local authority.

Councils will determine how the cash is distributed. For example, households in Leicestershire have been able to apply for a financial award of £300 per household, which was paid in the form of vouchers to support with gas, electricity and food.

The payment could be delivered as a Post Office voucher, which can be redeemed for cash to help with gas, electricity or water, or an e-voucher to help with food costs that can be converted to a gift card for major supermarkets.

Meanwhile, residents of Leeds could receive council tax support with those with dependent children able to claim up to £100, while those without children could receive £25.

You should get in touch with your local council to see if you might be eligible for help.

You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.

The help you can get varies, depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.

You may be able to receive free cash or vouchers to cover the cost of heating your home, or the weekly food grocery shop.

If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.

Additionally, you do not need to be getting benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.

Check with your local council to find out what support is available and the eligibility criteria.

How do you apply?

To get the help, you’ll need to look it up with your council because local authorities are the ones responsible for distributing the funding.

To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.

Once you’ve identified your local council, there should be information on how to apply for the funding online.

Every council has a separate application process, meaning specific details regarding how to apply depend on where you live.

The eligibility requirements to access the fund might vary in addition so it’s best to check with your local council for further details.

Some councils won’t need you to apply for help and will get in touch instead if you qualify.

If you can’t find any information on your council’s website, it’ s a good idea to call them and ask for further information.

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

Around 1.1million people in the UK living with a disability are missing out on £5,644 extra a year in benefit payments.

Attendance Allowance is a payment handed out by the Government to help those above State Pension age living with physical and mental illnesses.

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How much you receive depends on the severity of your disability, with the maximum payment working out as £434.20 a month.

However, a recent report by Policy in Practice found that 1.1million people may be missing out on the cash boost.

If there is a chance you or someone you know could claim the benefit then it is important to check your eligibility.

To qualify for the benefit, you must be aged 66 or over and live with either a mental or physical disability, or you require help looking after yourself.

You also must have been experiencing these issues for at least six months.

If you live in a care home, you can only claim Attendance Allowance if you pay for all your care home costs yourself.

If you do need an assessment, you’ll get a letter saying why and where you must go.

During the assessment, a medical professional will need to examine you.

If you are confused about your eligibility, it is worth getting in touch with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to ask for their guidance.

You are still entitled to your state pension even if you claim this benefit.

How much can you get?

Those living with less severe disabilities can get up to £72.65 a week, which works out at £290 a month.

You may be eligible for this if you require help or constant supervision during the day or at night.

The higher rate of £108.55 a week is given to those who require supervision throughout both day and night, or if a medical professional has said you’re nearing the end of life.

This works out as £434.20 a month or £5,644 a year.

If your circumstances change, you could get a different rate, so it is important to report any changes to the DWP.

You could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get Attendance Allowance – check with the helpline or office dealing with your benefit to see if you quality.

How do I claim attendance allowance?

To apply, you’ll need to download the attendance allowance form on the gov.uk website and then send it by post.

It should be sent to the following address: Attendance Allowance Unit, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton WV98 2AD.

If you’re unable to print the form yourself, you can call the attendance allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 and ask for a copy to be sent to you.

It’s worth applying, as you may get extra pension credit, housing benefit or a council tax reduction if you receive attendance allowance.

The application form is very long and asks for a lot of personal information.

If you think you’ll need help filling in the form, you should get a friend, relative or adviser to help you complete it if possible.

Entitled to has a full list of organisations that can help with claiming disability benefits on its website.

If you want to know if you are receiving the right amount of benefits, you can use a number of online calculators including on the EntitledTo and Turn2us websites.