Roundabout Verwood - January 2023

Dear Residents,

A Very Happy New Year to you! 2023 here we are. We cannot say that the last three years have been uneventful, that is for sure. Here at Modern Magazines with your local Roundabout, we sincerely intend this year to be successful for all of us, despite anything the news may try and tell us. I hope you have made some good New Years’ resolutions and that you feel you can create and have some fun. Our local trades and businesses inside really want you to call them. Please use their services for the help you need in the home, for the car, your business or even for yourself. Do tell them that you have seen them here, as this makes all the difference. I just love to hear you found their details in “Roundabout”. The index at the back is a quick guide to find who you are looking for. There are local groups and societies that also wish to hear from you, so please give them a call too and join in with their activities. There is nothing better than getting together with like-minded people. It is very uplifting and may be the ‘therapy’ we all need to watch less TV. If you know of a club that needs more support, let them know of us. We can help spread the word.

In a number of recent editions we have carried a column that was associated with Martin Lewis. We have since found out that they were in fact not written by Martin Lewis himself. For the most up to date guidance and personal finance information, visit MoneySavingExpert.com.

Stephen, myself (Debbie), Mel, Julie, Steph, Tracey, Pippa, Beth and Jaidan, our new graphic designer, all wish you a fantastic 2023! May you expand in all areas of your life and laugh a lot. Best wishes, Debbie, Stephen & the Gang!

Volunteer recruitment at Dorset Wildlife

Trust’s coastal centres

Dorset Wildlife Trust is appealing for local people, aged 18 and over, to help with its wildlife conservation work in the Isle of Purbeck, Weymouth, and Portland areas. New recruits are needed to join a keen group of volunteers at both the Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre, Kimmeridge, and the Fine Foundation Wild Chesil Centre, Portland.

With the current climate and ecological crises and increasing pressures from human activities, wildlife on the land and in the sea is under threat, so our conservation work has never been more important. Local people who would like to do something valuable for nature and have time to offer on a regular basis, are invited to take part.

No expertise is required as all volunteers will be provided with free training to equip them with the basic knowledge and skills necessary. Our aim is to enable those visiting our centres to leave feeling empowered to make simple changes in their everyday lives that benefit the planet and help tackle the environmental issues of our day.

This is part of Dorset Wildlife Trust’s strategy to inspire and empower 1 in 4 people to take action for nature by 2030.

Julie Hatcher, Wild Seas Centre Officer, said:

“We have an amazing team of volunteers at Kimmeridge with a wide range of backgrounds and ages. What they all have in common is a passion for wildlife and a desire to help ensure its well-being. The Wild Seas Centre sits in a stunning location and offers a great opportunity to do something both enjoyable and worthwhile.”

Wild Chesil Centre Officer Sarah Hodgson said:

“By joining our volunteer team at Chesil, you have the opportunity to learn valuable new skills, help local wildlife and share your enthusiasm for the natural world with visitors to this special site”.

Open sessions at both the Wild Seas Centre and the Wild Chesil Centre will be held in January, when you can meet the staff and volunteers and find out more about what we do. A limited number of vacancies are available at both visitor centres, so if you think you’re suited to join our hardworking teams, please contact the relevant centre to register your interest. To find out more about the volunteering opportunities at the coastal visitor centres, visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org. uk/volunteering-opportunities

Photo: Dorset Wildlife Trust

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Pegg in Paradise

Not long ago, Simon Pegg was co-writing low-budget British comedy. Now he’s tasked with preserving the legacy of not one, not two, but three of cinema’s most beloved sci-fi franchises.

It’s a sizeable distance from the suburbs of North London to the final frontier of space, but Simon Pegg has made the journey without breaking sweat.

In 1999, Pegg first made his way into the British public’s consciousness as slacker Tim Bisley in Spaced, the sitcom he both starred in and cowrote. The show not only set a precedent for much of Pegg’s early career, it also helped him catch the eye of Hollywood’s elite movers and shakers. In 2006, just five short years after wrapping up the low-budget British hit, and at a time when the writer feared he may have to pen a third series, Pegg was approached by one of Los Angeles’ leading directors, J.J. Abrams.

With Abrams in the director’s chair, Mission: Impossible III saw Pegg appear alongside cinema royalty in the form of Tom Cruise as the nerdy Benjamin ‘Benji’ Dunn.

“When J.J. Abrams asks you to be in one of his movies, you don’t think, ‘Will this pigeonhole my range’ – you say, ‘When do you need me?’” the 52-yearold laughs.

Pegg and Abrams teamed up again as part of Star Trek, the cinematic re-boot of the much-loved sci-fi story. Add in his cameo as Unkar Plutt in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and this largely unassuming creative comedian has strolled almost effortlessly into the A-list franchise elite.

“Being handed the keys to these universes has been such a privilege and an honour. They are daunting prospects and I’ve always appreciated the importance of doing them justice.

“You have to tread a fine line between the two different types of

people who watch franchise movies – on one hand you have the super fan, and on the other, the newbie who knows nothing about this world,” he explains. “You want to appeal to someone who says, ‘what’s this Mission: Impossible business?’, and then goes back and discovers 20 years’ worth.”

“Yet at the same time you don’t want to alienate old fans and move too far away from the core model,” he continues.

With two new Mission: Impossible movies in motion –Dead Reckoning Pts 1&2, for release in 2023 and 2024, the size of the task doesn’t get any smaller.

“I feel like I’ve had a really nice run of smaller films before all this – with Hector, Man Up, Absolutely Anything and others. I’ve had a run of blockbusters, then balanced back into movies such as Lost Translations, Inheritance and others. It’s a nice mix. It’s keeping me away from having to write another series of Spaced!”

A Design for Life… e Kevin McCloud Column

Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner returns to the subject of sustainability, both in terms of what we make our homes with, and what we place inside them.

To me, the relationship between making things and sustainability is essential, and I fear, as Western society, we’ve lost touch with the value of made things… with the value of raw materials, of the energy required. I don’t just mean fossil fuel energy, but also the human energy that goes into the process.

I’m very struck by seeing people producing lighting out of bits of recycled industrial stuff, or those who can put together and sell furniture they’ve handcrafted in small workshops all over the country.

A fabulous trend in the past couple of decades has been the

encouraging of home production creation –

everything from picture frames to jewellery – and how the internet has given these people a platform that is truly global.

When you meet someone who has made something in their workshop, you get the opportunity to sample their passion, influences, their own inspiration for doing what they do.

People talk a lot about sustainability using words like carbon and energy consumption – all that technical stuff – yet sustainability also comes in the form of the value of the objects we place inside our homes too.

After all, we are five times less likely to

throw away something we have made compared to something we have bought.

It’s also true that the longer we have something the less likely we are to bin itthere are records from the Seventies that I’ve still got; there’s a belt I’ve had all my life. We’ve all got stuff we love that we don’t want to let go of!

Sure enough, when we see our friends we talk about these things, we share the stories. I can bore people into infinity talking about my belt, or my old leather chair, and that’s the exciting thing: stuff as it gets older, gets better; it attracts more stories.

What I’m saying is we need to continue to keep creating homes that are rich in their fabric, but that are filed with things of value as well, so that we can share those stories with people, make friends, and embed ourselves into a community. That to me is actually a big part of what sustainability is about.

The Property Protection Trust Will package is based around how you hold the ownership of your home. All good estate planning nowadays considers the difference between owning your home as joint tenants or as tenants in common.

If you own your home as Joint Tenants; when one of you dies the ownership of the home passes by the Law of Survivorship and not by your Will. Therefore, the surviving partner will automatically own 100% of the property. This sounds right to most people. BUT should the surviving partner need care in the future, the Local Authority can take everything they own (including their home) to pay for the care fees, leaving just £14,250 to be inherited by children and grandchildren.

There is an alternative.

Nowadays many couples choose to own their home as Tenants in Common where each partner will own 50% of the family home. This provides for many benefits. Firstly, it allows you to legally leave your share of the property in your Will to whoever you wish. A properly written Will can ensure that your half of your house will eventually pass to your children even if your widow re-marries.

Unmarried cohabiting couples or relatives living together can also use this means of ownership as a way of minimising their Inheritance Tax exposure.

It can also help with long-term care costs. If one of you is still living in your home the Local Authority can’t include its value in the means test if one of you has to go in to long-term care. This also applies if the husband or wife still living at home dies while the other is in care as their share will go into the trust.

Dorset and Wight are your local experts in Property Protection Trust Wills.

Increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing to hold their properties as tenants in common to reduce inheritance tax and help protect their share from care fees

Understanding Investments: Business Owner’s Retirement Planning

As a business owner (self-employed or limited company) you have a greater degree of flexibility over how you are remunerated but also greater responsibilities for your staff, customers and the future success of the business. What can often be missed is the responsibility to focus on your own retirement planning.

The big picture: The first stage is to quantify what level of income you will need in retirement, and what other capital events you need to account for during your retirement (eg dream holidays, house renovations, financial support for children for house deposits & weddings etc). Once established, it’s possible to work backwards and identify how much you need to have saved to meet your retirement aspirations. We utilize marketleading cash-flow software to quantify this, taking into account inflation assumptions and projected investment returns.

It’s possible to model different scenarios; for example we can run one scenario to include a business sale, and another to assume the business continues under management to continue to generate revenue for the owner.

The role of pensions: Whilst we would all hope that the business thrives and provides the capital needed to retire, sadly this isn’t always the case. Like all things in life, it’s sensible to diversify your options and saving into a pension can be a very effective way to provide further flexible capital for retirement with many advantages.

1. Tax Efficient: Pension contributions are treated as a business expense so save corporation tax for limited companies. They are a very effective way to draw excess profits from the business without the need to pay corporation tax on those profits or income tax/dividend tax if drawn personally. The self-employed qualify for tax-relief so in effect pay no tax on contributions. There are annual allowances of £40,000 to consider but it’s possible to go back up to 3 years if full contributions haven’t been made and use “carryforward” to make higher contributions in the

current tax year.

2. Secure: Pension schemes are protected to varying degrees, with some insured schemes offering 100% protection in the event of provider default. In addition, money held in a pension is secure and separate from your business. In the event of the failure of your business, pension savings are secure.

Howard Goodship

3. Lower Charges: Since workplace pensions were introduced, competition has increased and charges have reduced. This is great for the consumer but sadly many existing pension schemes still charge the same as they always did. It is possible to consolidate and switch pension providers to save money after full analysis to ensure valuable benefits aren’t being lost.

4. Inheritance Tax exempt: Under current legislation, pension savings are not included in the value of your estate for IHT purposes. The pension fund can also be passed down to nominated beneficiaries on death in a tax efficient manner (tax-free pre age 75 and taxable at the nominated beneficiaries own income tax rate post age 75).

To summarise, with sensible planning it’s possible to pay less tax and keep more of your hard earned money to fund your financial future. Hopefully this means you may either retire sooner, or enjoy an improved lifestyle during retirement. If you’d like to learn more or discuss your personal situation, we would be delighted to meet for a free, no obligation initial chat.

Howard Goodship is an Independent Financial Adviser with Lonsdale Wealth Management, 5 Fridays Court, Ringwood. Tel: 01425 208490 www.lonsdaleservices.co.uk

The value of an investment and the income from it could go down as well as up. The return at the end of the investment period is not guaranteed and you may get back less than you originally invested. The contents of this article are for information purposes only and do not constitute individual advice.

HMRC catch you out on rental income

More and more individuals are being found out for not declaring taxable income from property they let out.

HMRC can find out undeclared rental income through: • HM Land Registry searches • Stamp Duty tax returns • Reports from lettings agents and Tenancy Deposit Scheme providers

• Information from other members of the public

• Information from other government departments, such as the Electoral Register.

Not declaring rental income for tax purposes is a criminal offence - the longer you leave it, the bigger the tax bill and penalty you will need to pay. HMRC can go back 20 years. Landlords who receive enquiry letters from HMRC will pay substantially more in penalties compared to those who declare such income voluntarily.

For any help with Tax for Individuals or Businesses, please contact: Ian Keatley, FCA at KCI Accountancy, Verwood 01202 814764 / 07808 632163 • www.kci.accountancy.co.uk

Green ngers… the Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and allround horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses his move to incorporate horticulture into the National Curriculum, and a sidestep into novels.

I’ve written three autobiographies and people have expressed surprise that I do sometimes, even now, lack confidence in my work. I always wonder if it stems from my childhood and my parents who were very much realists. I wouldn’t swap them for the world, but in their very blunt Yorkshire way they would say ‘he’s not that bright,’ and I wasn’t then. I suppose it has been a bit of a curse and given my success I probably should have more confidence, but then

again it has made me who I am. When you’re not that good when you’re young, there is the fear that you won’t get better, and it came as a kind of revelation when I did.

Even in the 11 novels I’ve penned, I’ve never had faith in my prose; in secondary school I remember doing ‘when composition becomes essays’. I don’t think my English teacher was particularly convinced about my capabilities; I’ve still got my essay book and it’s got some very harsh comments at the bottom in red ink.

Yet my English teacher, bless her, I was in touch with her a few years ago and she said she felt she hadn’t been a particularly good teacher,

and I wrote back saying ‘well whatever it is you did, I’ve ended up doing the job I do now, writing pretty much for a living, so you can’t have got it all wrong’. I thought it was terribly generously spirited of her to admit that she was wrong.

I think my point here is that I was no more a gardener at school than I was a novelist, and I became both; but I did that through exposure and opportunity, and this is what we need to give our children.

And in my mind, there is no greater exposure to the world than you will find in the garden on a frosty Sunday morning, so get your kids and grandkids out there, and let’s really inspire the next generation!

Nurturing a garden can give you a real sense of achievement, and connection to the earth; I always say it is an escape to reality, or a different reality… and for our young people, that’s where real inspiration can emerge.

Looking to start exercising but not sure where to begin?

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Eco-Co ee

How to ensure your morning beverage isn’t brewing up an environmental storm.

When, in the mid-Nineties, the likes of Costa Coffee and Starbucks began opening on our high streets, so too did there begin a coffee bean revolution that has transformed our drinking habits.

However, such pleasure has come at a cost. With 95 million cups of coffee slurped down in the UK every single day the resulting waste and environmental impact has also increased significantly. A colossal 2.5 billion coffee cups are dumped every year (with only 0.25% currently recycled), while 30,000 coffee pods end up in landfill every single month. And that’s before you even consider the global resource and human costs of what has become the most traded commodity after crude oil.

Fortunately, there is much you can do to ensure your caffeine kick is not compromising the planet. As with most products, knowing the origin

of what you’re consuming is vital, and many supermarkets are keenly aware of their responsibility to offer ethically sourced coffee. Check for sustainability certifications that ensure things are being done to help make production better for both the environment and the farmers involved. Associations like Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance are great examples of this, so look out for beans that feature their logos.

Even fans of pod machines can also lower their coffee carbon footprint. Many appliances are now compatible with foil pods which can be recycled using a very simple and nifty pod recycling device that separates the used coffee grounds from their foil casing. The grounds go on your compost heap, while the accumulated foils

head for the recycling bin. You can also source pods that are compostable in their entirety.

When it comes to drinking ‘on the go’, the obvious solution to limiting waste is to switch to a reusable coffee cup, and many cafes will offer a discount on your beverage when you proffer your own vessel. You can also upgrade to beans that are organic; and if your focus is on the imprint being made on the dairy industry, cow’s milk alternatives such as soy, almond, rice or oat have never felt closer to the real thing.

In other words, you don’t have to let your coffee consumption become a burden on your conscience.

With an abundance of options available in an industry that is positively booming, it’s actually very easy to make the right choices. It means if you still give in to the temptation of the odd instant coffee – and why should you not? – the assault will be only on your tastebuds, not the planet!

Going Green...

So much is being said about the need to protect the planet and use more eco-friendly material, but it is the small steps that each of us can do that will really make the difference.

Take the EcoEgg Laundry Egg... the innovative laundry solution. It replaces laundry detergent and fabric conditioner, reducing both harmful chemicals used and also single-use plastic packaging.

Dermatest has rated it excellent for use on sensitive skin, giving a kinder wash on both your skin and your pocket.

The mineral pellets in the egg, which are refillable (saving even more money!), work together in the water to effectively draw dirt from your clothes and softens them by changing the pH. Therefore leaving your laundry clean and fresh.

EcoEggs are available in Fresh Linen, Spring Blossom and Fragrance Free.

Recently, they have also released the EcoEgg Dryer Egg, which can be used when tumble drying. They reduce the drying time by up to 28%, saving you both time and money.

“I’ve been using mine for over a month now and I absolutely love it. It saves money, there’s no mess from washing powders and liquids. Also easy to use, and is better for the environment. Helps cut down on single use plastic and doesn’t use harmful chemicals.” KD

If you would like to know more about these products and many more, please feel free to visit my website at debbiegoesgreen.uk or email me at hello@debbiegoesgreen.uk as I would love to hear from you. Let’s look after ourselves and our environment!

Debbie Corney

Happy New Ears!

As we say goodbye to 2022, which was another challenging year for many, we welcome in 2023. It’s a great time to take stock and make plans for the year ahead.

Often at this time of year we are contacted by those who found that the family meetings, that they had been so looking forward to over Christmas, were spoiled by not being able to hear clearly. Communication is such an important part of our lives and it is very frustrating not being able to be fully involved in what is going on.

Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, hearing loss can be resolved with the help of an audiologist who understands your dif culties and who can recommend the right hearing

assistance to suit your needs.

At 2County Hearing we helped very many people last year to improve their hearing and often our clients comment that they should have taken action years ago.

So many scienti c and medical studies now express the importance of hearing well as being a key factor in our long term wellbeing. It is so important to remain ‘connected’ to the world and the people around us.

Why not make your New Year’s Resolution to seek help with your hearing loss? We are happy to assess your hearing free of charge and can even offer a ‘Try Before You Buy’ option in many cases.

Take the rst step to clearer hearing today and call us on 01202 985500.

The Adventures of Daichi

The Modern Magazines Camper Van

London! Daichi has never been to London. Many years ago I was at university there, so this was a real adventure for me. A trip down memory lane. The easiest and cheapest way to get there was to park Daichi in the car park at Richmond. A mere £8.50 for the day. The Richmond train station is just a ten minutes’ walk away and we were on our way into the Capital! It was 25th November and Hayden’s 19th Birthday so what a great excuse to book a show for the evening and wander around our wonderful city for the day. Hayden has never seen Buckingham Palace so that was a must. St James’s Park is one I remember well. Having spent three years at Goldsmiths College and regularly taking the train to Charing Cross then walking from there, it was a place I recall with fondness. We stopped in the park for a coffee and sandwich, looking at the ducks on the water and enjoying the sunshine – Yes, in November! The palace was surrounded by people taking photos. I heard one European sounding accent say, “Oh that is where he comes out on the balcony!” I smiled. Isn’t it incredible how well our late Queen passed over her duties so smoothly, after all that time on the throne, and how well we are recognised for the good work we do as a nation.

I really enjoyed being there. The King was there too – the flag was up! I would have gone in to say ‘Hello’… but we were a little short on time.

Next was a trip to Camden Market. You see, owning a Waffle place, it is good to get ideas and we set off there all determined to see what we could do, to lift “Wafflicious” in Weymouth even further. Lindsey, a friend, came with us as she is a chef and is full of great ideas of her own. Camden Market is not a place I frequented much at all when I was living there. It is an amazing place. We immediately saw lots of street food vendors and lo and behold there were two very colourful and popular I have to say, waffle sellers! Wow. They looked amazing. Of course, we all had to try one. They tasted as good as they looked. So… if you are ever in Weymouth this coming spring or summer you can come and see our own version of the delights that we relished. Let’s see how we do! After dessert, we had lunch (obviously) outside, under the canopy, of a bar overlooking the Lock. Fabulous! Smoked salmon salad this time, so healthier, but not nearly as much fun. A barge even floated by for us to watch.

Hayden has joined a ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ group recently. This is a fantasy tabletop

First stop... Buckingham Palace!

role-playing game where you create your own character and can enact it while you play. How exciting! We found a wonderful leather book at a bargain price, with a dragon on the front. All ready for him to take notes and plan his manoeuvres. This world famous and iconic market really does live up to its reputation. We spent a few well–spent hours there, looking at clothes, games, toiletries, food stalls galore, paintings, decorations, in fact anything you could think of to buy. Daichi would have loved it, if he wasn’t too expensive to drive into London itself!

Then it was time to make our way to the well anticipated West End Show! We had tickets to see the renowned musical, “Back to the Future”. Seats in the upper circle, second row from the front, and we were ready. It is such a long time since I have taken in the full atmosphere of a truly professional setting like this. It was glorious. The whole show was spectacular. The special effects of lighting and scenery were remarkable. The singing and dancing were outstanding. Ben Joyce who played Marty McFly was brilliant and he only graduated in summer 2021. His list of

Night lights of London across the Thames

already acclaimed credits was much shorter than Cory English who played ‘Doc Brown’. What a fantastic start to his career. All of the performers were perfectly cast, and I have to say that Oliver Nicholas who played the father, George Mc Fly, as his debut West End performance, was excellent. To be able to dance ‘wrongly and awkwardly’ deliberately is a skill in itself! Bravo I say. The finale was totally unexpected and incredible to watch. Having a seat in the circle I do believe was a bonus as we had all the full effects of the lighting, sound and visuals. I will not spoil it for you as you must see it for yourself! All in all, a day trip to London was a real hit. We walked to the Thames before leaving. I looked at the Charing Cross Bridge I used to cross all those years ago and remembered times when I was much younger. Fortunately, I was not sad. I feel I have been leading a full life and those days set me on my path. The lights of all the towering buildings that night seemed particularly bright and were shimmering Thames water. Then there were the opulent boats carrying well dressed passengers for a luxury 4 course meal. Not quite the street food we had been drooling over earlier. London of course is full of diversity and that is why we love it… or maybe you don’t. I love to visit but am happy where we live. I think a day trip to London will be on the cards again soon. It was a great success and Daichi was as happy as Larry to take us home and Hayden was all smiles after his Birthday treat. Where will Daichi take us next I wonder…

By Debbie Corney

Yes, I have heard all of these comments when discussing Equity Release, and many ‘armchair experts’ tell my clients “don’t do it”!

‘Equity Release’ is a generic term for people who wish to release funds from the Equity/ value in their property and this can be done by various methods such as, a remortgage, a capital & interest or interest only mortgage, a Retirement Interest Only mortgage, a Later life mortgage, a home reversion scheme or a lifetime mortgage. A truly ‘Unbiased’ independent broker will research all the options and advise you on the most suitable to match your requirement, Yes, in the 1980’s these ‘Equity Release’ schemes caused difficulties, when it was assumed that property values would rise each year and that property price inflation would consistently be higher than mortgage interest rates. In the 1980s thousands of retired people were encouraged to take out variable rate mortgages and put their money into stock market-related investment bonds. The income from these bonds was expected to be sufficient to pay the interest on the mortgage and provide additional income. But the market produced poor returns on the bonds as recession arrived, and at the same time interest rates rose and property values fell.

Equity Release type mortgages were relaunched in 2007 and a new rules and regulations were brought into force by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) now the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Since then any Adviser who gives advice on ‘Equity Release’ type mortgages must be qualified and hold 2 important qualifications. They are the qualifications CeMAP and CeRER.

CeMAP – Chartered Institute of Bankers Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice.

CeRER – Independent School of Finance Certificate in Regulated Equity Release and Home Reversion Schemes

All Equity Release Plans have to follow the

standards set by the Equity Release Council.

Firstly the NO Negative Equity Guarantee, this means that you CANNOT owe more in capital and interest than your home is worth. You can stay in your home until the last survivor passes on or moves into long-term care and no debt is carried forward to your family.

You MUST receive Independent Legal Advice, this is at the end of the application process when you receive your copy of the Offer, the solicitor will discuss with you the details of the offer and ensure you are under no pressure from anyone and ensure that you understand the fees, charges and features of the mortgage, It is vital to use a solicitor who understands ‘Equity Release ‘as many do not. We can recommend Solicitors that do.

So why are we seeing a major increase in the arrangement of ‘Equity Release’ schemes?

With interest rates at an all time low, returns on savings and investments are very poor and people who are retiring are finding that their pension schemes are not going to give them the income they were hoping for! Add to those the Covid 19 issue such as furlough, redundancies and early retirement. YET the one thing that has increased in value will be their home. Hence the saying ‘Property Rich, Cash Poor’ so why struggle financially when you may be sitting on hundreds of thousands of pounds in property value.

So what is an Equity Release Lifetime mortgage?

It is simply a mortgage, which you do NOT have to make repayments on. The Interest is added to the mortgage amount and when the

“It’s a scam, you will lose your home, you will get ripped off!”

Bob Ducker

last surviving owner of the home ‘passes on’ then the executor/beneficiaries have up to 12 months to sell the property at full market value. The mortgage and interest is then repaid. You can repay interest if you wish, either as a fixed monthly interest only repayment or opt for a plan where you can repay lump sums per annum on an ad hoc basis.

Equity release lifetime mortgages are based on your age/s, the value of your home and whether your home is Freehold or Leasehold. You can also get enhanced release amounts if you suffer from ill health.

Equity Release mortgage Interest is on a fixed for life basis. The funds released can be taken as a Lump Sum Only or a Lump sum with a Cash Reserve Drawdown account, which works like an overdraft facility, you have access to the reserve and can take amounts from that facility at any time different lenders have different minimum amounts.

There are NO restrictions on what you spend the release funds on, holidays, cars, home improvements, debt consolidation, helping family, redeeming existing mortgages.

The Equity Release Lifetime Mortgage is very flexible and offers the opportunity to transfer the equity to a new property, you can downsize, repay all or part of the mortgage and also release more funds later on as both you and your property get older!

Another important issue is that some people believe that by releasing Equity that the compound interest that ‘Rolls up’ will erode all the remaining Equity in your home. I always complete a Property Growth Projection Versus the Interest Roll up so that my clients can see that this is NOT the case. You need to be very aware of fees. There are fees with any Equity Release product.

Valuation Fee, as I am an Elite member of the Answers in Retirement Club I can usually arrange that my clients receive a FREE valuation.

Lenders arrangement fee, (some lenders charge a fee, usually from £5 to £995 and this can be added to the mortgage)

Legal Fee you can use your own solicitors or we can recommend an Equity Release legal specialist, their role is to redeem any existing mortgage or secured loans, add the new mortgage details on to the Land Registry, arrange funds release, set the completion date and the Independent Legal Advice meeting at your home.

Broker Fee, All Equity Release MUST be arranged through a Qualified ‘Equity Release’ Adviser. Broker fees can vary considerably. For example you will have seen on their TV adverts that Age Solutions and Age Partnership charge 2.25% and Responsible Equity Release £1690. So for example a £100,000 release would mean a broker fee of: Age Solutions/ Age Partnership = £2250.00, Responsible Equity Release = £1690

Lifetime Mortgage Market = a Fixed fee of £995.00

If you are interested to learn more and see how an Equity Release product may help you, then please contact Bob on 0800 197 8838 or email me at bob@lifetimemortgagemarket.co.uk or visit our website at: www.lifetimemortgagemarket.co.uk

All research and advice at this stage is at NO cost or obligation to you.

Direct Line: 01202 872778

Mobile: 07971 376782

This is a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks, please ask for a personalised illustration.

Lifetime Mortgage Market is a trading style of One Stop 4 Equity Release Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA No 952887

One Stop 4 Equity Release Limited is a registered company in England and Wales, registration No: 13452621. Registered Address: The Stable Yard, Vicarage Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK11 1BN.

Lorraine Pascale’s Soda Bread

Bread, on its own, is always enough! There is a warmth and simplicity that no other type of food can rival.

Sure, add some butter, some oil, and maybe a dusting of salt, and jam of course; but bread, no matter how you dress it up, comes equipped with such perfection that I don’t feel it will ever let me down!

This recipe is probably the easiest route for baking bread. It’s also quick – and the bread won’t keep for long, so you get the pleasure of scoffing it all on day one!

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 370g/13oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 130g/4½oz wholemeal flour

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 40g/1½oz butter, melted

• 1 tbsp black treacle

• 300–340ml/11–12fl oz buttermilk (or alternatively use warm milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6 and ensure the top shelf in the oven is in position. Now place the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and stir together. Make a large hole in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the melted butter and treacle, plus enough of the buttermilk to make a loose sticky dough.

2. Tip the dough onto a lightly dusted work surface. The dough will be quite sticky. Knead the dough for one minute, then shape it into a large ball with a taut, smooth top. Place the dough on a baking tray and flatten it a bitI find the easiest way to do this is with a rolling pin.

3. Take a wooden spoon, put some flour over the whole handle, then hold it horizontally over the bread. Put the wooden spoon handle on top of the bread then push it down until you feel the baking tray at the bottom. This mark is the first half of the trademark soda bread cross. Repeat with a line at right angles to this.

4. Dust with some flour then bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the bread is brown, has risen nicely and the dough inside where the cross was made is not damp.

5. Serve fresh from the oven with butter and jam. Enjoy!

Top Tips

- This recipe calls for buttermilk, which is available from bigger supermarkets. However a homemade version can be made by putting lemon juice in regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.

- Also, the best way to remove treacle from the tin is to run a tablespoon under a really hot tap for 10 seconds before dipping it into the treacle. This ensures the treacle runs easily off the spoon.

Puzzle Page Answers

Quick Crossword Solution #023

Answers:

Across: 5. Ambiguous, 8. Anti, 9. Upgraded, 10. Auberge, 11. Other, 13. Bilge, 15. Bewitch, 18. Illation, 19. Sept, 20. Lowliness.

Down: 1. Umpire, 2. Divulge, 3. Fudge, 4. Mutant, 6. Inaudible, 7. Telescope, 12. Remnant, 14. Geason, 16. Insist, 17. Aisle.

1. Christ the Redeemer (3m) 2. Leaning Tower of Pisa (55.86m) 3. Statue of Liberty (92.99m) 4. Statue of Unity (182m) 5. The Shard (306m)

6. Eiffel Tower (330m) 7. Empire State Building (443m) 8. Shanghai Tower (632m) 9. Merdeka 118 (678.9m) 10. Burj Khalifa (828m)

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