In 2007 Government presumably Labour, in Parliament agreed that a lass OR fellow living ALONE could have savings of £16000 , HOWEVER, if they go together,married in one householder. Then this total i.e £32,000 was reduced to just £16,000. Move on to 2016 and these figures have not been changed. Yes! the single person home still has enough permitted finance . BUT not the couple. Before anyone says,but surely the couple have enough! Costs have gone up dramatically, even if it is only funerals to consider. So if any of my readers have parents, now is the time to ensure they are aware of this ancient ceiling. Since, if they are now or could be on benefits of any kind - then going over the limit can be costly. Being unaware of the maximim savings you or your parents can hold will not stop severe penalities on discovery. Indeed the penalities can be thousands. Where the money came from is immaterial - even if it was from recovery after a crime! Burglarly card fraud for example. We hear of cases of relations discovering shoe boxes of cash when clearing out their deceased houses. Also parents being assisted by helpers, having cash stolen, then too proud to tell relatives. Perhaps rare but neither the less heartbreaking incidents. Personally I was below the permitted level, then repayment of stolen credit card money +the interest+ my monthly payments - sent me over the limit. Irronically I'd been warned that whilst a credit card company can repay the looted funds,SHOULD they later discover any of the items should not have been compensated -they do claw back these payments. If you have parents, or yourself, ensure you know the requirements,plus warn against squirreling away cash at home. Obviously 'hidden' cash in banks is not secret from Government though. Finally if you get a windfall, and are on Government support EVEN if it is just A COUPLE of QUID - Tell them least they may think you have other money stashed away. Readers query this last item - In my case it was £1.06 a month pension!!

Whilst helping out with the paperwork after my Brother-in-law's recent death we have come across a so-called Accidental Death Insurance policy taken out through Barclays Bank, we know he made 141 payments @ £8.50 per month. We've been in touch with Stonebridge asking for details of the policy and we're still waiting for the info to arrive but have reservations as to their selling techniques. We know he went to buy a policy that would specifically cover his funeral plan, he had already been long-term diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) with Emphasyma had fully explained this when buying the policy in Barclays Bank, his daughter was also present during this process. Does anyone please have any advice as to how we should proceed with this, if at all, or wether we have a case for misselling?

Hi a week before xmas 2012 my mom was diagnosed with cancer and within 12 weeks she had died,leading up to her death we had discussions and she told me she had left her house to be divided between myself,my brother and my sister. When we finally sold her house in December 2013 my share was £34,060,the money was put in an executors account,myself and my brother being executors. The money was never released to me by my brother as my mom had said in the family discussions that I had to do her and my dad proud (also deceased) and inprove my life and buy my house and get off benefits which I promised I would. At the time I was claiming housing benefit and council tax support and working 16 hours a week I never declared my inheritance as it was never released to me, August this year I bought my house for £34,030 from the council I would have bought it earlier but I had a serious problem with my roof(it was raining in my house ) it took the council a year to fix (cowboys) I have now received a letter telling me I have an interview under caution,it can be proven by bank statements that I have never had any money released to me but I now feel at a lose as I feel as though I am being accused of fraud by not declaring a change of circumstance but I didn't have one, worse still I feel as though I have let my mom down and I have relived my moms death all over again .Can anybody please give me some advice did go to cab,not much help. Paid a lawyer in London £245 turned out to be a [problem],just wanted more money,sacked them!! thanks kathy

Did I read that sign right? “TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.” In a Laundromat: AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT. In a London department store: BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS... In an office: WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN. In an office: AFTER TEA BREAK, STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD. Outside a second-hand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN? Notice in health food shop window: CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS... Spotted in a safari park: (I sure hope so.) ELEPHANTS, PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR. Seen during a conference: FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR. Notice in a farmer's field: THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES. Message on a leaflet: IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS. On a repair shop door: WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK.) Proofreading is a dying art, wouldn't you say? The following was found in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day. Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter ********************************************* Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says Really? Ya' think? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers Now that's taking things a bit far! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over What a guy! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Miners Refuse to Work after Death No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant See if that works better than a fair trial! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- War Dims Hope for Peace I can see where it might have that effect! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile Ya' think?! ------------------------------------------------------------- Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures Who would have thought! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide They may be on to something! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges You mean there's something stronger than duct tape? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge He probably IS the battery charge! ------------------------------------------------------------------ New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group Weren't they fat enough?! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft That's what he gets for eating those beans! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kids Make Nutritious Snacks Do they taste like chicken? ************************************************ Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half Chainsaw Massacre all over again! ************************************************ Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors Boy, are they tall! ************************************************* And the winner is... Typhoon Rips through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead Did I read that right?

My best friend is dying from the Anorexia, two specialists have told her she will be dead if she does not get help, followed by not my department have you tried A&E? She has been passed from piller to post and back again over 5 months now, she receives assessment after assesment, yet nothing gets done. Her GP says things like 'thats terrible sorry I can't help' have you tried A&E? Incidentally, A&E gave her protein shake and packed her off. The problem is her BMI is just slightly above the threshold she needs to be admitted. She is also in favour of receiving help which goes against her because she can't be sectioned. No one is doing anything. I don't know if I should get a xmas card or condolence card. please some one helpppppp