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Please see inside for this week’s Staines Informer
Thursday August 15th 2013
When is it right to give a child more freedom? Back to school
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IT’S always hard for parents to ‘let go’ of their children but is there a ‘right’ age when kids should be allowed to do things independently, such as walk to school? Judging when children are old enough to do things on their own is often a tough call for parents. They worry about what could happen to their youngsters if they let them do something independently, be that walking to school, making a cup of tea or simply staying home alone. All too often, modern parents err on the side of caution and supervise kids who, in reality, are more than capable of acting responsibly on their own. Now, a new survey suggests that more than half (54%) of British parents consider their child to be ‘independent’ at the age of 12.
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The study of 1,355 parents, by discount website MyVoucherCodes, asked what the main things were that parents would let their kids do on their own after the age of 12 that they wouldn’t let them do before, and 36% said walking or getting to school was one of them. The other top answers were: stay at home alone – 58%; look after younger siblings – 53%; cook – 45%; go to the shop – 29%. The findings echo those of a Netmums survey earlier this year, which found 71% of parents felt their child was no longer childlike by the age of 12. Cathy Ranson, Netmums editor-in-chief, stresses there is no appropriate age for children to do things independently, as every child is different. “Parents are in the best place
to decide what’s right for them and their child, and when they feel ready for a little more independence. “Children enjoy the independence and trust you show as they start to do things for the first time, such as a walk to school, making toast or a meal or running an errand – and you can build up to each milestone in small steps.” She suggests it’s a good idea to try to get a friend to accompany a child the first time they run an errand or walk to school without an adult, pointing out: “It’s lovely for your child to share the experience and it will set your mind at rest that they’re not alone.” However, Cathy says looking after siblings alone aged just 12 is putting too much pressure on youngsters.
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Advice from mum: When is right to allow your children to walk to school on their own? “You’re effectively asking a child to look after other children,” she says.
“Although there’s no law against it, most parents prefer to wait until their child is 16 and
more mature before giving them such a big responsibility.” Lisa Salmon.
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Why you should university when
WITH the costs of a university degree surging and expensive gap year travels seen as the norm, it makes sense to start saving on behalf of children from the moment they are born. That was possibly the thinking that led the coalition government to launch Junior Isa (Jisa) saving accounts just over a year ago, replacing the Child Trust Funds (CTFs). CTF accounts offer less choice and are more expensive to run than Jisas. Unlike CTFs, which were automatically opened for all newborns with a voucher from the state to be topped up by friends and relations during the next 18 years, the Jisa is a voluntary scheme.
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The individual fund, as with adult Isas, is invested in cash, stocks and shares or funds. Although returns from these investments are tax-free, money cannot be accessed until the child celebrates their 18th birthday – and the new adult then becomes the legal owner of the account, so it converts into an adult Isa. The Jisa limit for each child is £3,600 per annum, or up to to £300 a month. If the current maximum amount is maintained and is saved in each tax year from the year the child is born, when the child reaches 18 years-old, there would be at least £64,800 in the pot. A return of 6% per
annum could turn that into a lump sum of around £114,844. “Sounds a lot, doesn’t it?”, says Jason Hollands, a financial adviser at Bestinvest. “But never forget that the average cost of a degree at a good university is estimated to be around £50,000 for those starting courses in 2012. Then kids have other costs to face as they enter adulthood, such as getting a deposit together for their first home.” Jisas are available to children born on or after January 3 2011, to under-18s born on or before August 31 2002 and to children born on or between September 1, 2002 and January 2, 2011 who did not qualify for a CTF. But family finances are under acute strain – and with bills soaring, few parents have the spare cash to pay into Jisas for possibly two or three children. Andrew Hagger, founder of Moneycomms. co.uk, says the best-paying Jisas currently include Nationwide Building Society (Smart Jisa) at 3.25% and Coventry Building Society, also 3.25%. Halifax offers 6% in a cash Jisa when a parent or guardian also holds an adult Isa with Halifax. However, are 18-year-olds mature enough to handle a four-figure sum landing in their lap? Jason says: “Many parents are nervous about their kids getting their hands on a big pot of money at 18. Perhaps these parents should consider using their own Isa allowances instead, if they want to keep control over when cash is handed over.” Kevin Mountford, head of banking at MoneySupermarket.com, says: “The principle of Jisas is a good one; encouraging parents and grandparents to save on behalf of their children or grandchildren. “With the increased cost of living and rises in university tuition fees, the earlier parents or grandparents begin saving, the better start they can give to their children. “Unfortunately, however, we are not a generation of savers and this needs to change. Rather than giving children presents for a special occasion, it may be more beneficial in the long term to put some money into a savings account.”
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start saving for you have a baby When equities deliver bumpy returns, as we have seen since 2008, management expenses become more significant. Over 18 years, they have a big impact on lump sums paid on maturity. Alliance Trust Savings, which requires minimum lump sums of only £50, makes a Jisa charge of £10 per quarter. On the Bestinvest Jisa, there are no initial charges on funds, saving up to £198 on a £3,600 investment, and many funds are boosted by annual loyalty bonuses. Financial adviser Hargreaves Lansdown runs a Vantage Jisa of stocks and shares that keeps a tight grip on charges. There are also strong demands for Jisas and CTFs to be lumped together – to widen the choice for savers and to equalise benefits being paid. Jason says: “We urge the government to revisit the rules around CTFs and allow these investments to be transferred to Jisas to ensure a generation of children are not locked into defunct products that no provider is prepared to invest in.” Jeremy Gates
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BACK TO SCHOOL
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Don’t get caught out by the real cost of a degree IF your teenager is hoping to go on to university, it is time to consider the costs. The annual living cost for students starting university this year could reach almost £11,000, says Family Investments, a children’s savings provider. Add in tuition fees and some students could rack up debts at the rate of £20,000 a year. Family Investments reckons food bills alone for students are up 77% since 2004, from £44 to £78 a month. Kate Moore, head of savings and investments at Family Investments, says: “Figures indicated there were 15,000 fewer university applications for places starting this year. “The impact of significantly increased tuition fees is clearly being felt and this is acting as a disincentive for many young people who would otherwise apply. For many parents, the big question is how to finance such a cost at a time when they need to take into account not just tuition fees but very significant living costs, too.” Family Investments says pain for students might be eased if parents start saving early in their lives. Kate says: “Our research suggests that parents need to be
Only the beginning: Getting into university is just half the battle, with mounting costs.
saving around the equivalent of their child benefit each month in order to cover the student’s living costs through university. Smaller contributions will, however, go a long way, particularly if parents start at an early stage and allow for the potential impacts of compound interest or stock market growth.” On an equity-based investment product with an annual growth
rate of 7% and monthly savings of £50, a constant savings plan over 18 years could generate a £29,300 lump sum, says Family Investments. When it comes to day-to-day living costs, students are on their own – perhaps for the first time in their lives. Without a careful budget, they could soon be deep in the red. As the financial burdens of a
degree course increase, some frills have been trimmed from student accounts available from high street banks. At MoneyVista, an online financial planning service, Teresa Fritz says: “The key to choosing the right student account is not to be sidetracked by special offers. “As borrowing is a fact of life for most students, the most valuable feature is the interest-free and fee-
free overdraft facility. Students should concentrate on this when choosing an account. “The main source of lending for students is obviously the student loan system but most students need further help, and the cheapest way forward is with an interest-free overdraft.” Credit cards are another option – if treated carefully. Moneyfacts spokesman Sylvia
Waycot says: “Although credit limits offered to students are small, if you have no regular income to repay the debt, then even a few hundred pounds can soon escalate as interest charges mount up. “Many students will receive their grants as a lump sum at the start of each semester. It is worth setting yourself a weekly budget to ensure that you continue to have money to live on throughout the term.” Always check what fees and interest you’ll pay if you exceed your interest-free and fee-free overdraft. Students should compare account services and look for alerts as an overdraft limit approaches, budgeting tools, optional student credit cards and mobile banking apps. Most banks demand you use your account as your main account and some require a minimum number of transactions. Others have rules on how much you should pay into your account and how often. However, the gap between the cost of graduation for would-be students and potential overdrafts limits is huge. Most students will have to find a job – and, from time to time, tap the ‘bank of mum and dad’ to balance their books. Jeremy Gates
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