Category Archives: ELDERLY UK POLICY

“Heartfelt thanks for neighbours”

Posted on October 28, 2014 by john graham

A study in the USA by a research team at the University of Michigan looked at how people perceived their neighbourhoods in terms of safety and friendliness.  They consulted over 5,000 healthy people with an average age of 70, over … Continue reading →

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“It Pays to Die”

Posted on September 4, 2014 by john graham

Inheritance tax is your final tax bill, easy to put out of your mind because it is only paid after you are dead.    At one time it was only paid by the very wealthy, but as home ownership has become … Continue reading →

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“Pensions Deception”

Posted on August 7, 2014 by john graham

This follows on from the previous blog “Illusion turns to Deception”.  They are part of a thread I have been writing about ever since the current Government announced its radical move to a £140 ooops! £155 state pension.  All the posts … Continue reading →

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“Illusion turns to Deception”

Posted on August 5, 2014 by john graham

I’ve been writing about pensions since I started this blog four years ago.  It has always been a fairly unfathomable subject.  But in 2010 the Coalition Government promised, not only to radically simplify the state pension, but also to significantly increase … Continue reading →

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“Dolly Mixture”

Posted on July 10, 2014 by john graham

It’s the end of June, all is well, the sun is shining and pensioners are headlining a Glastonbury pop festival. The Times gives over a full-page 3 to 68-year-old Dolly Parton. Nearly 100,000 people came to watch. This only a year after an … Continue reading →

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“Hayley Safe in NHS Hands?”

Posted on January 30, 2014 by john graham

(Continued from “Hayley Home Alone”). What if Hayley went into hospital? Terminally ill plus a fall or a call and you’re back in hospital – i.e. any accident or call to your GP at an inconvenient hour like night-time or … Continue reading →

Posted in ELDERLY UK POLICY, HEALTH | Tagged , | 7 Comments

“Hayley Home Alone”

Posted on January 28, 2014 by john graham

(Continued from “Hayley Comes a Cropper”). What if Hayley Cropper had lived at home alone? Sent home with a diagnosis of terminal cancer, only headlines and TV to turn to.  No time or motivation for bucket lists and happy endings. … Continue reading →

Posted in Assisted Suicide, ELDERLY UK POLICY, HEALTH | Tagged , | 1 Comment

“Hayley Comes a Cropper”

Posted on January 26, 2014 by john graham

For the past few months Britain’s most popular TV soap has been running the storyline that a key, long-serving character – Hayley Cropper – has terminal cancer.   Three nights a week “Coronation Street” took us through the emotional roller coaster … Continue reading →

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“Double Triple Talk”

Posted on January 21, 2014 by john graham

Continued from two previous posts. In making his New Year announcement on maintaining the pension triplelock until 2020, the Prime Minister said it was a choice based on his values – “I want people, when they reach retirement, to know … Continue reading →

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“Triplelock Triple Take”

Posted on January 19, 2014 by john graham

The “Triplelock” was introduced in 2010 and intended to give reassurance to pensioners about their income from the State.  It links annual state pension increases to the highest of inflation, average wage increases or 2.5%. Sounds simple enough, but everything … Continue reading →

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