Paul Lewis: October money news
The latest money news from our expert including mis-sold car finance, firefighters’ pensions and the retirement age rise.
Image credit: GettyImages/Zhanna Danilova
The latest money news from our expert including mis-sold car finance, firefighters’ pensions and the retirement age rise.
An estimated 10,000 former retained firefighters have pensions they do not know about, which they can now claim.
These part-time, on-call firefighters were previously not allowed to join the normal fire officer's pension scheme but changes in the law mean they now can.
If they worked in the UK for at least one shift between 7 April 2000 and 5 April 2006, they can get a pension covering their whole firefighting career if they pay the back contributions into the scheme.
They will get a lump sum often in five figures and a monthly pension for life. No money is needed up front as the contributions are taken from the lump sum due.
They should contact their former employer, and the Fire & Rescue Services Association (FRSA) can help with claims.
People who bought a car on finance arranged by the dealer from 2007 to as recently as October 2024 may be able to get compensation next year if the finance was mis-sold to them, as much of it was.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting this month on how the compensation will be worked out and paid.
Its figures show that millions could be entitled to a payout of around £950. The FCA will set up a free scheme to enable people to claim it and may even make the lenders pay up without claims if they can find those affected.
The authority advises people to complain directly to the dealer where the finance was arranged and warns against signing up with claims firms which are advertising widely but will take a big chunk of their money. More details are on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) website.
People currently aged 64 will have to wait until they are 67 before they get their state pension.
From April, people born 6 April 1960 to 5 May 1960 will not reach pension age until they are 66 and one month.
It will then rise every month until in March 2028 people born 6 March 1961 and later, currently 64 or less, will not receive their pension until they are 67.
The government has launched a review into state pension age, which may recommend changing the next scheduled rise to 68, which is due to begin in 2044.
Saga Money has more details of what you need to know about your state pension as well as whether you’ll need to pay tax on your state pension.
If you give online to charities through one of the agencies used by fundraising events, you may be asked for a donation towards the agency costs on top of your gift to the charity.
However, you can usually set this donation to zero, so you can afford to give a bit more to the charity!
Thinking of leaving money to charity? Saga Money has information about how it can help to cut an inheritance tax bill.
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With the start of the new financial year on 6 April, our money expert explains the changes to your pension, benefits and taxes.
