A holiday with a difference – a visit to see the dentist!
Read more: A holiday with a difference – a visit to see the dentist! Dental tourism is an increasing trend with more and more Britons combining a holiday with a visit to the dentist. It sounds odd but for a growing number of Britons who cannot get treatment on the NHS and do not want - or cannot ...

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HSBC expands into Korean banking sector
Read more: HSBC expands into Korean banking sector HSBC has finally been successful in its aim to move into the Asian Markets. HSBC is to pay Lone Star, the investment group, $6.3 billion for its majority share in Korea Exchange Bank (KEB), Korea’s sixth largest bank. The acquisition is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including government ...

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RICS and TUC bemoan first-time buyer plight
Read more: RICS and TUC bemoan first-time buyer plight Both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) have issued reports highlighting the current financial pressures on home buyers. According to the TUC, house prices in England have increased four times as fast as average earnings, in the past ten years. That is to ...

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Price comparison site launched by Saga
Read more: Price comparison site launched by Saga Saga, which sells products to the over-50s, has launched ConfidentCover.com, a price comparison site for car insurance. ConfidentCover.com is custom-made for drivers over 50 who are interested in getting a better deal on their car insurance. Around 70% of over 50s have been online to compare car insurance and a spokesperson for ...

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Mortgage debt becomes profit centre
Read more: Mortgage debt becomes profit centre EveryInvestor, the financial news and comparison website, is urging homeowners to view their mortgage debt as a "profit centre". The website suggests that borrowers can make profits of up to £50,000 by opting for an interest only loan, thereby making only the minimum payments needed to service a mortgage. The advice is based on ...

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Australia, India see gains amid Asia-Pacific declines
Read more: Australia, India see gains amid Asia-Pacific declines Equities markets in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed Tuesday, but mostly lower than higher. India’s Sensex added 0.28 percent to 15,465.4, while in Australia the Sydney Ordinaries gained 0.39 percent to 6,297.1 and the ASX/S&P200; was up 0.41 percent to 6,293.3. Otherwise, markets were lower. The Hang Seng index ...

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As cost of living rises, Britons dip into savings
Read more: As cost of living rises, Britons dip into savings According to the research from Birmingham Midshires’ Saving Britain campaign, Britons are dipping into their savings accounts in order to compensate for overspending on other accounts. Following 5 interest rate increases in the last 12 months and rumours of further increases, Britons are raiding their savings accounts by ...

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PruHealth and Sainsbury’s joint venture to promote healthy eating
Read more: PruHealth and Sainsbury’s joint venture to promote healthy eating The private medical insurer, PruHealth, is to embark on a joint venture supermarket giant Sainsbury’s in a move that could see PruHealth PMI customers rewarded for buying fresh fruit and vegetables at Sainsbury’s. Both individual and corporate policyholders of PruHealth will earn PruHealth Vitality Points when they purchase fresh ...

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Beverley for affordable affluence
Read more: Beverley for affordable affluence Beverley, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, may be best known for its medieval Minster and racecourse but it is has also topped a Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) survey and been named the best value-for-money town in Britain. The survey's Affordable Affluence Index takes into account so called lifestyle indicators to produce ...

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Lloyds TSB offering the highest ever interest rate
Read more: Lloyds TSB offering the highest ever interest rate Lloyds TSB is offering the highest ever interest rate of 6.4% on its ‘Plus’ range of current accounts. The promotional offer will earn new customers, who open a Plus account with the bank, 50% extra interest on top of Lloyds TSB’s existing Plus account rate of 4.25%. Those who ...

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CAB campaigns on sale and rent-back
Read more: CAB campaigns on sale and rent-back Mortgage borrowers are anxiously awaiting the Bank of England's decision on interest rates this week and a much predicted rise to 6% is likely to lead to an increase in the level of home repossessions. These have risen by 30% over the past 12 months and are at their highest since 2000. ...

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House price growth second highest in Europe
Read more: House price growth second highest in Europe Figures from the Halifax and European Central Bank show that the UK is the second strongest performer in the Eurozone, when it comes to house price growth. The Eurozone comprises European Union member states that have adopted the Euro. According to the data, house prices for the region have increased 40% on ...

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Postcodes to define pension benefits
Read more: Postcodes to define pension benefits According to Legal & General (L&G;), using postcodes gives pensions providers the capability to measure more accurately the longevity risk for those signing up to pension products and the group has developed plans whereby postcodes will be used to help define pension benefits. The idea is on the basis of those who live ...

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Gadgetsafe launched by BDML
Read more: Gadgetsafe launched by BDML Gadgetsafe has been launched by The Capita Group’s BDML Insurance Solutions division. It is a new service that provides cover for personal electronic devices. According to BDML, a vast amount of people are in possession of gadgets that are valued at £1,000. A change in lifestyle has meant that many people depend on mobile ...

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Office of Fair Trading Warning
Read more: Office of Fair Trading Warning The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has been informed of a telephone scam. Consumers are being telephoned by people claiming to be from the OFT, they are asking for personal and financial details such as their bank account details in order for the OFT to reclaim bank charges on their behalf. ...

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Abbey is top in overcharging
Read more: Abbey is top in overcharging It has been declared that over the last 6 years, bank customers who have been charged fees have paid an average of £742 - this figure includes fees such as unpaid direct debits, bounced cheques and unauthorised overdrafts. The research comes from online interviews with more than 4,000 customers by polling company YouGov ...

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Down valuations increase as housing market slows
Read more: Down valuations increase as housing market slows Recent reports in the press suggest that professionals involved in valuing property are becoming more cautious in their valuations. The trend is related to fears that the UK could experience difficulties similar to those in the US, where the growth in sub-prime mortgage lending led to a crisis in the money ...

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Markets look to Bush, Bernanke comments
Read more: Markets look to Bush, Bernanke comments Global equities markets were higher on Friday in hopes that US President George W. Bush and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke would separately make remarks that would calm markets and shore up consumer confidence. Asia-Pacific markets were higher on the session. The Shanghai Composite added 0.99 percent to 5,218.82. In ...

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HSBC gives in to graduates
Read more: HSBC gives in to graduates In the past, the majority of High Street banks (including HSBC), have allowed students an interest-free overdraft of around £1,500 to £2,000 for the first 2 years after they graduate. However, last month, HSBC became the first High Street bank to commence charging interest on such an account, at 9.9%. This prompted ...

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Pay into Child Trust Funds urges Nationwide
Read more: Pay into Child Trust Funds urges Nationwide Nationwide has announced that 60% of parents have not made any additional payments into Child Trust Funds (CTFs) as the fifth anniversary since CTFs were introduced draws near. The Nationwide is disappointed that funds are not added to and is urging parents to make a monthly contribution – no ...

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