Category Archives: Retirement

Hampshire, Retirement

Retirement hotspots where renting can be a more affordable option in 2023

Retirement gives people the freedom to move somewhere they have always wanted to live and according to a new ‘best places to retire to’ list by Unbiased[i] – the counties of Suffolk and Essex top the list, followed by Sussex and the southwest counties of Dorset and Devon.

However, the list also highlights buying property in these hotspots can be expensive. For instance, retirees can expect to pay an average of £500,000 for a detached home in Essex because of its proximity to London and prices can be just as high in some of the other areas too.

A more affordable housing option is to rent in a retirement community according to Dominic Stead, Property Director at My Future Living, which can enable people to live in popular retirement hotspots without breaking the bank.

 

Dominic says, “Coastal locations in the south, and towns closer to the capital can mean high property prices. For people looking to relocate in retirement to such areas another option is to downsize and rent in a retirement community.

“Developments are often located in popular retirement areas and are usually right in the centre of all the action close to beaches, shops and restaurants. They are often near town centres and provide access to local amenities, allowing residents to make the most of their retirement years.

“Downsizing and renting in a retirement community is a growing in popularity as people realise the benefits including freeing up capital from the sale of a home, living in a sociable community where it’s easy to make friends and not having to worry about property maintenance.

“Factor in that most also come with assured ‘lifetime’ tenancies, which give the same security of tenure as property ownership as long as people stick to the terms of their agreement and it’s easy to see why people are choosing this housing option in later life.”

 

One couple who chose to rent in retirement are Robin and Valerie Greenfield. Retired actor Robin (67) and Valerie (64) have rented for six years and made the move to retirement community Waverley Court in Hampshire in March 2022. They couldn’t be happier.

 

Valerie says “It is everything we wanted. We were adamant we wanted to find a home which would enable us to grow old in, so we weren’t prisoners in a flat having to go up flights of stairs and we did not want to become a burden to our children. We are really happy to have found the perfect place which has ticked every box for us.”

 

Robin says: “Our apartment is cosy but still spacious and even though we have downsized from a two bedroom apartment to a one bedroom place, we did not need to get rid of lots of things. The apartment has lots of space and there’s a cupboard in the hallway which is like a tardis – it just never seems to get full.”

“We looked around a few properties but were immediately drawn to this one as it was ground floor with some outdoor space. We have a couple of chairs out and we enjoy sitting out on a summer’s evening in the lovely landscape gardens that surround us.”

 

Married for 37 years, Robin and Valerie they enjoy spending their free time together going to the theatre, doing quiz nights and attending murder mystery evenings.  They also enjoy the host of social activities on offer at the Waverley Court.

They both concluded that: “After 37 years of marriage, we couldn’t be happier together and we’ve now found the perfect place for the next 37 years of marriage.”

 

My Future Living currently has several properties available in retirement communities in Sussex and Essex, as well as on the south coast in Dorset and Devon.

There is a one bedroom apartment at Homeshore House in Seaford on the Sussex Downs close to shops and the seafront for £925 per calendar month.

In Essex there is a one bedroom apartment at East Haven, close to Clacton for £850 per calendar month or a one bedroom apartment in Homeweave House in Coggeshall, a small market town situated in the Essex countryside near Colchester for £895 per calendar month.

In Dorset there is a one bedroom apartment in Wellington Court in Westbourne, a bustling suburb of Bournemouth for £875 per calendar month or a one bedroom apartment in Homefarris House near the centre of Shaftesbury for £750 per calendar month.

And in Devon there is a one bedroom apartment in Homecourt House in Exeter a stone’s throw from all the amenities of the city for £795 per calendar month.

 

All these purpose built retirement developments have a 24-hour emergency call system in each apartment and an onsite manager on duty. They have shared lounges and gardens to socialise in, plus events and activities are organised that people can join in with if they wish.

To find out more about renting a home in a retirement development in 2023 visit: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

 

[i] https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/other/best-uk-places-to-retire-in-2022-ranked-is-where-you-live-on-the-list/ar-AA14UR3r?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=816cb356f2d94069b8fea0352366c737

News, Property News, Retirement

Why downsizing and renting in a retirement community could improve your finances in 2023

As the cost of living continues to bite, more people are considering downsizing to meet rising costs. Recent research from Halifax[i] shows one in five (17%) of British homeowners say ‘downsizing’ was something they had considered to help with the financial squeeze. The reduced cost of living (72%) was most commonly named as a benefit of downsizing, with a third (33%) placing it as the number one benefit.

 

Dominic Stead, Property Director at My Future Living says downsizing and renting in a retirement community can make good financial sense for older people.

Dominic says, “Downsizing and renting in a retirement community has become popular in recent years, but the cost of living crisis, and rising utilities bills could prompt more retirees to decide this would be the right move. Financially it can be a great option, as the sale of a home can frees up capital and moving to a small place will reduce energy bills

“There are other benefits too such as living in a sociable community with options to meet new people, no longer worrying about maintenance and the upkeep of a property as they are taken care of and, living in a more manageable sized home can be easier for people as they get older. There is also a 24-hour emergency alarm system in each apartment and an onsite manager on duty.

“The financial and social benefits of downsizing could mean a happier retirement and the freedom to just enjoy life. With retirement properties located in some wonderful locations throughout the UK we expect a busy start to the New Year.”

 

Most retirement properties are available on assured ‘lifetime’ tenancies offering the same security of tenure as home ownership. People can stay as long as they wish without fear of being asked to leave by the landlord, as long as they stick to the terms of the lease.

 

One lady enjoying life living in retirement apartment in Norfolk House, a retirement development close to Portsmouth is 75 year old Susan Long who moved in after moving back from Spain where she had lived with her husband.

Originally from Marlborough in Wiltshire, Susan was a Civil Servant for 25 years and then retired to Spain with her husband, Peter where they spent 14 glorious years.  After Peter’s sudden death, life changed dramatically.

They had been married for 54 years and with two daughters and five grandchildren in the UK there was a strong pull to move back to England.  On one of her trips back to see her family, she was persuaded by her daughters to go and look at some retirement properties.

Susan said: “Even though it was a grey September day, the minute I walked into the first flat in Norfolk House, I just knew this was my new home. It just felt so right.”

 

Susan loves her one-bedroom flat and feels very at home. “It’s cosy and comfortable and I am so happy here. I just love going back home after being out for the day. Even though I miss my friends in Spain, I feel settled and happy with the life I have here.”

Susan has fallen more in love with her new life thanks to the supportive and friendly community of neighbours. From day one, they would knock on her door offering a coffee, friendly conversation and even curtains for the flat. Susan cherishes being around people who are sociable and good neighbours.

Even during the lockdowns, Susan wasn’t lonely as she would talk to her neighbours through her window or have a coffee in the corridor with their masks on. At the development, there are regular coffee mornings, garden parties in the summer months, birthday celebrations and an annual Christmas lunch.

 

Susan adds: “Moving back to the UK and renting in retirement was a big change for me, but I can honestly say I haven’t looked back and am so happy I made the decision. Even though I live on my own, I never feel alone here.”

 

Living in Portsmouth is ideal for those that want to live near the coast, and for people like Susan returning from a life in Spain where living by the sea was part of the appeal.

My Future Living currently has a one bedroom retirement apartment in Charles Dickens Court, a charming period property developed for retirement living in Portsmouth for £795 per calendar month which is perfect for those that want to be in the city centre with all its excellent facilities.

To find out more about renting a home in a retirement development in 2023 visit: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

 

[i] https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/press-releases/2022/halifax/downsizing-could-less-be-more.html

News, Property, Retirement

Making new friends is the number one benefit of retirement developments – new research from My Future Living

Making new friends and being socially active in later life is key to good mental wellbeing[i] and a new survey* from retirement rentals brand, My Future Living, has revealed that almost three-quarters of residents say making new friends is the number one benefit of living in a retirement development.

73% have made new friends and 46% are more socially active since they moved to a retirement community. Over half (54%) said living in a retirement community has made a positive difference to their mental health, and 45% said it has improved their physical health.

The research also looked at the activities that residents rated as most important in their retirement with maintaining an active lifestyle coming out top (66%); followed by spending more time with family and friends; enjoying a slower pace of life and meeting people, socialising or having a sense of community.

 

Commenting on this research, Dominic Stead, Property Director at My Future Living said, “Living in a retirement development has many benefits but with many older people living alone, making friends and being sociable is a priority. Being surrounded by a community of similar aged people is a big attraction.

“Retirement developments are sociable places to live offering communal spaces and organised activities. With more people expected to be living alone in the future, retirement living could be an ideal option.”

 

The King’s Fund highlighted that by 2032 11.3 million people are expected to be living on their own, more than 40 per cent of all households, and the number of people over 85 living on their own is expected to grow from 573, 000 to 1.4 million[ii].

A third (33%) of My Future Living’s residents sold a property before deciding to move into a rented retirement home, the option to rent securely on an assured (lifetime) tenancy was what attracted them to rent rather than own. The security of an assured tenancy is very important to the majority (86%) of residents, whether they had rented or owned prior to moving in.

Other things that are important for those renting are less property maintenance and upkeep; location and the 24-hour emergency call system in each apartment.

 

Dominic adds, “Assured tenancies are a game changer as they offer the same security of tenure as home ownership which people want when they are older. We anticipate with growing awareness of the benefits of retirement living many more will choose this option in the future.”

 

One man who has discovered the benefits of retirement living is Dutch-born retired stockbroker, Diederik (Rik) Schmull, who rents a two-bedroom apartment at Homecove House, a retirement development in Westcliff-On-Sea in Essex.

Having previously owned a flat, Rik was attracted to renting in a retirement community because it’s flexible, so he could quickly move back to Amsterdam if he wanted. He also has an assured tenancy so he can remain for as long as he wants, providing he sticks to the terms of his agreement.

He says, “Having rented a few places on shorthold tenancies before moving here, I ended up having to move twice at short notice. I didn’t want that to happen again, especially as I’m getting older. Having the security of tenure that I can stay as long as I want is really reassuring.”

Rik enjoys being part of a community and has made friends with people in the development. He never feels isolated or alone, and highly recommends renting in a retirement community.

 

Rik says: “For me it’s worked out really well and I’m very happy. It’s all about independent living but with the reassurance there is help available should you need it,” he adds.

To find out more about renting a home in a retirement development visit: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

 

* My Future Living’s latest annual customer satisfaction survey was carried out in August 2022 with customers asked about their thoughts on retirement living and renting, as well as how they feel about the service from My Future Living. There were 251 responses.

[i] https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/mind-body/staying-sharp/looking-after-your-thinking-skills/social-connections-and-the-brain/

[ii] https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/time-think-differently/trends-demography#:~:text=More%20people%20are%20living%20alone,573%2C%20000%20to%201.4%20million.

News, Property, Property Rentals, Retirement

Retirement renting gives James Hall assurance and peace of mind he won’t be evicted

James Hall aged 66 years loves the quiet life at Homelake House retirement development in Poole, Dorset where he rents an apartment through My Future Living.

After being forced to leave his long-term rental home in June this year, James knows this won’t happen again as he is now on an assured tenancy agreement with My Future Living.

Originally from Glasgow, James has spent most of his life living in England as a London Underground station manager. Despite years in the profession, James took early retirement at the age of 55. In retirement, James moved from his home in Chesham, Buckinghamshire to Christchurch, Dorset where he lived for 10 years in a spacious apartment.

However, James was then given notice by his landlord and advised he had a month to move out which he describes as being a tough time. He said, “I didn’t want to leave my home of 10 years but knew I needed to find somewhere fast. The pressure was on, but I didn’t want to make a rush decision and end up having to go through it all again in a few years.”

After seeing an advert for retirement apartment offered for rent by My Future Living in nearby Poole – a place he had always wanted to live he immediately booked a visit.

He said, “When I first saw the development, I was struck by how well looked after it was, and it reminded me of being in a hotel lobby. The communal areas were clean, freshly painted and nicely decorated. I was even more impressed when I saw the apartment was also in the same immaculate condition.”

As a single man, James enjoys all the social aspects of life at Homelake House as there is so much going on. He told us, “I have a calendar of activities on my wall which range from exercise classes, fish and chip and film evenings to bingo. You can’t ever be bored or lonely here.”

James moved into his new one-bedroom flat in July before his hip operation and said: “My Future Living was really accommodating as they knew my predicament. I needed to be out of my flat, re-settled and unpacked before my hip operation. They made the whole procedure painless and easy – unlike my hip operation!” The entire process, from viewing the flat and getting the keys, James was moved in and unpacked in four weeks.

Moving house can be unsettling and time consuming and James is relieved to know he won’t ever have to do it again. On an assured tenancy, he has protection from eviction and can stay for as long as he wishes yet may give the required notice and leave at any time if he wants to.

James also talks about the benefits of renting in a retirement development opposed to general renting, saying, “Here you do not have to worry about loud music, inconsiderate neighbours, car parking issues, or noise. It is very quiet and in the evening after 9pm, you can hear a pin drop.” Also, with the 24 hour emergency system you have constant peace of mind that you could get help at any time.

James concludes: “I won’t ever be moving from here and being evicted from my last home was the best thing that could have happened to me. I know now I am here for good, and I could not be happier about that.”

To find out more about renting a home in a retirement development visit: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

 

 

Job Opportunities, Jobs, News, Retirement

Why home and pet sitting could be the ideal job choice for those ‘unretiring’ due to the cost-of-living crisis

A growing number of retired people are expected to be seeking new types of employment in a bid to make ends meet as the cost-of-living crisis impacts people’s pockets, with home and pet sitting a possibility for some looking to boost income.

A recent survey by My Pension Expert[i] showed that 12% of those currently in retirement said that the cost-of-living crisis had upended their retirement plans and 6% said they think they will need to ‘unretire’ in the coming months to bolster their retirement finances.

According to Ben Irvine, Director of Operations at Homesitters Ltd becoming a home and pet sitter can give people a way to earn extra money in retirement, as well as make savings on their utility bills which can be a tremendous help for some at this worrying time.

Ben said: “Home and pet sitting is a flexible form of employment that is suited to retired people who enjoy spending time with pets and staying in new places. The role involves staying in people’s home and taking care of people’s pets when they go on holiday.

“It’s a great way to make some extra money as well as save on bills, especially during the winter, as they are staying in other people’s homes. The biggest attraction of the job for most is looking after pets, most commonly dogs and cats, and seeing different parts of the UK.

“People also welcome the money they make, often saving it up for treats such a lunches out or holidays. At this time of national crisis when everyone is feeling a little bit poorer it’s an enjoyable role that those in retirement can easily do to boost their finances that won’t feel much like work at all.”

 

Home and pet sitters employed by Homesitters Ltd typically earn around £170 as a couple for a two-week homesit, plus they get reimbursed for mileage at 45p per mile and get a daily food allowance while on assignment. With the average household energy bills expected to hit £2,500 per year[ii], spending weeks on homesitting assignments could also help to reduce this.

One couple who started homesitting after retirement are Martin and Kristine Bell from Collingham, near Newark in Nottinghamshire. Martin retired at the age of 60 from a career in industry and legal secretary, Kristine decided to retire at the same time so they could spend more time together.

The couple didn’t want to sit around doing nothing during their retirement and were keen to get out and meet new people and visit new places. Home and pet sitting seemed a good way of doing this.  Also after losing their beloved West Highland Terrier they decided not to get another dog so becoming homesitters seemed like a good compromise. They would get to spend time with animals without the commitment involved in being a dog owner.

 

Martin says, “The best way of spending the evening is having a dog on your knee or by your feet to stroke while you’re reading, it gives us a great feeling of contentment – and the dog too! We’re just ordinary people doing ordinary things and getting the maximum benefit from our retirement.

“You’d be surprised how many people aren’t aware that home and pet sitting is a job and we’d recommend it to anyone who’s retired. Where else would you get the opportunity to stay in different homes in new places and experience other people’s pets and lifestyles and not have to pay lots of money to do it?”

 

Homesitters Ltd are different to many other pet sitting agencies in that all their homesitters are employed by them, are fully vetted and insured, plus they provide 24/7 back up support for homesitters on assignment. Homesitters also meet clients and their pets beforehand to be briefed on the home and the pets’ routine to ensure the assignment goes smoothly.

 

For more information on Homesitters Ltd and to apply to become a homesitter visit: www.homesitters.co.uk

[i] https://mypensionexpert.com/2022/08/26/the-true-impact-of-the-cost-of-living-crisis-on-pension-plans-revealed/

[ii] https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9491/

Pensions, Retail, Retirement

Five easy steps for people to track down pensions on National Pension Tracing Day

Finding a lost or forgotten pension could be an unexpected bonus during this cost of living crisis, and Punter Southall Aspire, the firm behind National Pension Tracing Day, is urging people to find their pensions in five easy steps.

National Pension Tracing Day is on Sunday 30 October – the day the clocks go back. The campaign invites people to use that extra hour to join in a ‘Great Pension Treasure Hunt’ and search for their pensions. Experts estimate there could be 1.6 million lost pensions in the UK. That could equate to around 1 in 30 people finding a pension.

Last year, one person found three pensions worth a total of £55,000, another managed to retire seven years earlier than planned and another found two pensions, worth over £80,000.

 

Step 1 – Retrace career steps – People can start by heading down memory lane and making a list of places they’ve worked in the past and roughly how long they worked there. Looking through old CVs, payslips, P45s or P60s can help.

 

Step 2 – Check old papers – Search through paperwork and emails for old pension statements. Have a good hunt for a pension statement for each place worked. People should also think back to whether they ever had a separate personal pension and if they ever ‘contracted out’ of part of the State Pension[i]. It could mean they had a personal pension.

 

Step 3 – Sense check – Look through the paperwork to check if contact details are up to date for each pension pot. If they are not, get in touch with the provider or administrator to update them.  At the same time ask for an up- to-date statement. It could offer a welcome surprise.

 

Step 4 – Mind the gap – If people spot any gaps in their pension history it’s time for some detective work.  For jobs where they don’t have a pension statement, try to find contact details for the pension provider or administrator. They could contact the employer’s HR department directly or use the government’s Pension Tracing Service.

 

If old employers can’t be found, they may have changed their name or merged with another organisation. Try searching Companies House – it lists companies’ previous names with their current registered office address. Or, people that worked for a charity could search the Charities Register.

Employers may have used a personal pension (possibly called a ‘group personal pension’) or a group stakeholder plan as their workplace pension. Find the name of the pension provider, perhaps by contacting an old employer, speaking to ex-work colleagues or finding old paperwork.

 

Step 5 – Get in touch – Get in touch with the provider or administrator and check if they’ve got any record of a pension. People will need to prove who they are so will need their National Insurance number and possibly other details. It’s also worth asking them to check if they did have a pension with them but transferred it elsewhere.

 

Not everyone will find a pension, but for those that do the final part of the treasure hunt is:

  • find out how much is in the pot and ask for an up-to-date statement
  • give them up-to-date contact details so the provider can keep in touch in future
  • ask if they can be registered to access the pension information online
  • Celebrate! They have found lost treasure they had forgotten all about

Alan Morahan, Chief Commercial Officer, says, “Finding an old pension is like paying yourself money you didn’t know you had, so we urge everyone who thinks they might have lost or forgotten a pension to spend some time going through these steps.  It’s very straightforward and could really change someone’s life as it has done for the people who followed the campaign last year.”

Johanna Nelson, Communications Director, Punter Southall Aspire, added, “There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by spending the extra hour searching for money. We encourage everyone to join the Great Pension Treasure Hunt.”

National Pension Tracing Day won the Pensions Age Thought Leadership Award and the UK Pensions Awards Educational and Thought Leadership Initiative of the Year.

Find out more at www.nationalpensiontracingday.co.uk.

 

[i] Contracting out was popular in the late 1980s and 1990s. You stopped building up part of the State Pension. In return you either paid lower National Insurance contributions, or some of your National Insurance contributions went into a pension for you. This could have been a workplace or personal pension – so there could be a missing personal pension for you.

Property, Retirement

How to beat the cost-of-living crisis and future proof retirement by downsizing and renting

As inflation hits a 40 year high[i] many of Britain’s retirees are seeing their pension income shrink as the cost of food and goods rises. With winter approaching and the prospect of high energy bills looms retirees may be considering ways to beat the cost-of-living crisis.

 

Dominic Stead, Property Director at My Future Living says one solution that could help people reduce costs is by downsizing and renting a smaller property in a retirement community where they can make savings on bills, plus release capital if they own a home.

Dominic says, “Renting in a retirement community can enable people to move to a more manageable sized property which can reduce their utility bills. Apartments tend to be one and two bedrooms, and the rent covers maintenance and sometimes their water bills, which can make budgeting easier.

“For those choosing to sell, renting in a retirement community can free up capital in a home, rather than having it tied up in bricks and mortar which could also help them through the cost-of-living crisis and take advantage of rising bank interest rates if they invest their capital.

“Whilst renting isn’t for everyone, it can be a good financial option and enable people to move to age-appropriate housing that may better suit their needs. As most retirement properties come with assured tenancies, people can rest easy too knowing they can stay for as long as they wish providing the stick to the terms of their tenancy agreement.”

 

One Retiree who took the lunge was Fred Lawrence who is now enjoying all the benefits of the Cornish air and his proximity to the sea. Fred comments: “Moving house and renting in retirement was a big change for me, but I can honestly say I haven’t looked back and am so happy I finally decided to make the move to the seaside and be closer to my son.”

Only retired for four years, Fred enjoys the social side of living in the Trafalgar Court retirement development. He comments: “I look forward to our regular Wednesday coffee mornings where we all get a chance to chat and socialise – as I live on my own I appreciate these socials even more.”

To find out more about renting a home in a retirement development visit: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

 

[i] https://www.ft.com/content/2fb6f361-a7bb-4b98-8100-6847b5df79b4

For media enquiries contact:

 

Kathryn Hughes, Kayak PR

Kathryn@kayakpr.co.uk

Tel: 07801 823 839

 

About My Future Living:

My Future Living, is the leading UK retirement rentals brand, which is part of ReSI Property Management Ltd.

My Future Living specialises in good quality, age-exclusive, assured tenancy rental properties in safe and friendly later living communities throughout the UK.

We make renting in retirement easy and affordable, so people can really enjoy the next chapter of your life.

With 2190 apartments designed exclusively for the over 55s in modern purpose-built retirement developments by the coast, in thriving cities or pretty market towns – we have homes to suit everyone. With so many options, people can choose where and how they want to live in retirement.

For more information: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

 

 

 

News, Retirement, Talent Management

Half of organisations face brain drain challenges and key skills loss as employees retire

  • 82% of employers offering pre-retirement support agree that it successfully aids knowledge transfer to others to help avoid brain drain
  • 22% of employees facing retirement would consider delaying retirement if they had better access to retraining/skills development
  • 22% wish they’d received access to later-stage career planning earlier in their careers
  • However, just over 11% of those facing retirement have received later-stage career development opportunities

49% of organisations say they face challenges around brain drain and the loss of key skills as employees retire, according to a new study by Renovo, specialists in supporting employers and employees through redundancy and retirement planning.

The research highlighted a major issue within organisations – not offering pre-retirement support and reskilling opportunities to employees. Even though 22% of employees facing retirement would consider delaying it if they had better access to retraining, less than four in 10 (37%) employers are upskilling employees later in their career and just over a third (35%) of employers offer late-stage skills development as part of their pre-retirement support.

This issue occurs in spite of the fact that employee retirement habits are changing, with 54% of employers agreeing that more employees are delaying retirement, while 55% agree that more employees are opting for gradual retirement.

Initial survey questions were completed by 629 HR professionals and company directors. Of those surveyed, 253 respondents currently provide pre-retirement support to employees. Of 986 employees surveyed, 256 have utilised pre-retirement support from their employer within the last 5 years.

 

Chris Parker, Managing Director of Renovo, explains:

“It is evident that employee habits are changing, which in many ways should have reduced the impact of brain drain. However, many employers are still facing those issues, yet are not proactively helping mitigate the risks nor retaining key talent. While 22% of employees wish they’d received access to later-stage career planning earlier in their career, just over 11% have received that kind of career development opportunity.”

The research also shows that employees would consider delaying retirement if offered further incentives – 54% wished to have access to more flexible working options, 39% wished they had the opportunity to work remotely, 12% wished they had increased promotional opportunities, while 17% wished they had an ability to mentor and support others. Encouragingly, over half (52%) of employers agree that more employees approaching retirement are mentoring other employees.

 

Parker concludes:

“Providing pre-retirement support and reskilling opportunities earlier in people’s careers offers huge benefits both for the organisation and for the employee. Employers can benefit from employees that have a clear plan for the later stages of their careers and are motivated around those plans. That, in turn, can lead to much more visibility in regard to succession planning with employees able to be much more transparent with their employer about their intentions and enable open dialogue between them. It’s encouraging to see that 82% of employers offering pre-retirement support agree that it successfully supports knowledge transfer to others to help avoid brain drain.

“For the employee, this kind of support enables them to take control of the later stages of their careers, really think about their options as they approach retirement and make plans to sustain a happy and healthy phased end to their working life.”

Animals, Job Opportunities, Jobs, News, Retirement

Five things you never knew about homesitting

Savings on energy bills

There are many benefits of becoming a homesitter, from exploring new parts of the UK to taking care of pets. What most people may not have considered it’s also a great way to make savings on energy bills.

Homesitters stay in someone else’s home, so those that take on assignments during the colder months could make sizeable savings. With household bills set to rise to eye watering levels next January this could be quite a bonus!

One of our retired homesitting couples, Brian and Barbara Kennedy do about 200 days of homesitting each year on around 20 assignments, ranging from two days to their longest of seven weeks.  They enjoy the role for many reasons including making savings!

Brian says, “We’ve visited more parts of the Home Counties in the past 18 years than we did in the previous 40 years. Homesitting is like having lots of small holidays and we regularly pack our bags, load the car and set off on a new adventure.

“The payment we receive isn’t a strong motivation but it’s nice to have. It means we can enjoy occasional pub lunches during our stays without putting a strain on the budget and we have significantly reduced our home heating bill too.”

Staying in stately homes

Homesitting is also an opportunity to stay in a wide variety of homes from farm houses to penthouse flats, stately homes and historic castles – all for free.

Janet and Steve Groom from Kent thoroughly enjoy the home and pet sitting lifestyle, staying in gorgeous properties and looking after pets. The couple have a regular assignment in Barnes in London where they enjoy taking the dogs for walks in Richmond Park which is close by, plus there is a heated outdoor swimming pool they can use.

Janet says, “We often have to pinch ourselves to believe some of the homes we stay in. How else would you get to experience living in such gorgeous houses with swimming pools and beautiful gardens? Home and pet sitting is an amazing experience and we get so much out of it.”

Looking after unusual animals

Our clients have many different types of pets, from different breeds of dogs and cats to llamas, sheep, spiders and snakes and we have homesitters we can call upon no matter what the pet is. For example, we have a couple who are now fondly known as the Piggy-Banks as their surname is Banks and they regularly looked after a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig for a London-based client.

Pigs tend to be sensitive and temperamental animals and they also don’t like to be moved so the family needed someone to live in their house and look after him. The family called upon Homesitters and we found them this great couple who were happy to look after a pig, as well as all the other family pets including a terrier, a corn snake, a gecko and a tortoise!

Mileage and food costs covered

Home and pet sitters employed by Homesitters Ltd typically earn around £170 as a couple for a two-week homesit, plus they get reimbursed for mileage at 45p per mile and get a food allowance which often people don’t realise. This means they can eat for free whilst on assignment and travel costs can add up if the assignment is a long way from home.

As the role is flexible homesitters can take on as many assignments as they want during the year and some people may spend half of the year on assignment. Most of our homesitters are retirees on fixed incomes. Although the money they can earn isn’t usually the main motivation for taking on the role, it definitely comes in handy and can boost pension income.

It suits adventurous people

Sharon Payne

When people retire most don’t just want to sit at home twiddling their thumbs. Homesitting can satisfy this desire for adventure as it’s a great opportunity to visit new parts of the UK and step into the life of someone else for a short while. Homesitters live in a client’s home, taking care of their pets and can experience what it’s like to live somewhere different.

For homesitter, Sharon Payne from Milton Keynes this is just what she wanted. After taking early retirement from a busy career she has been home and pet sitting for over four years.  Sharon wanted to keep busy in retirement but was unwilling to take another 9 to 5 office job.

Sharon enjoys travelling, spending time with pets and meeting interesting people. Talking about one of her most memorable assignments she says, “I stayed in a beautiful old house in a small village where I looked after two dogs – and 35 tortoises!

“I really enjoyed looking after them, although I had to keep going to the local shop for more salad as they eat a kilo of salad every day between them. They are quite low maintenance and mostly put themselves to bed at night although I did have to check they were all in their beds and look for any stragglers.”

A keen golfer, Sharon always takes her golf clubs with her to play a few holes if there’s a golf course nearby. She is also enjoys photography and always takes her camera out on walks with the dogs. She says the day just flies by while she’s on assignment – and she certainly doesn’t find her retirement boring!

If homesitting sounds appealing, why not apply to become one? We are currently recruiting and would love to hear from anyone that thinks they would make a great homesitter. Please click here to find out more about the role, the type of people we are looking for and to apply.

News, Pensions, Retirement

Four more pension and investment giants join growing campaign to highlight Punter Southall Aspire’s National Pension Tracing Day

  •  Aviva, Royal London, Hargreaves Lansdown and Smart Pension become latest backers, joining  Scottish Widows, Legal and General, Aegon and Standard Life in annual campaign.

  • Industry unites to help people track down an estimated £19bn in overlooked or mislaid pensions.

  • Cost-of-living crisis forms the background to this year’s campaign, urging people to use the extra hour when the clocks go back to search for their pensions, potentially worth thousands of pounds.

 

Punter Southall Aspire has brought on board more of the UK’s biggest pension and investment companies to drive forward with National Pension Tracing Day (NPTD) on Sunday, 30th October.

Aviva, Royal London, Hargreaves Lansdown and Smart Pensions have signed up alongside existing backers, Scottish Widows, Aegon, Legal and General, Standard Life to encourage people to check pensions they may have overlooked, worth an estimated £19bn.

Just these companies alone manage or administer pensions, savings and investments for more than 20 million people and their scale and influence helps spread the pension-tracing message far and wide.

Created and launched by Punter Southall Aspire last year, 2022 sees further momentum building for NPTD to make sure savers know the steps they can take to check if they’re entitled to one of the possible 1.6 million pots left unclaimed.

It launched the NPTD website, to help to track down money which could make a real difference, particularly during the acute cost-of-living crisis affecting millions of Britons.

The campaign urges people to use the extra hour when the clocks go back to try the government’s free Pension Tracing Service and find out if they are among an estimated one in thirty people entitled to an average £13,000.

A big factor is thought to be people changing jobs – on average 11 times – and moving house, typically eight times, but forgetting to tell their pension company about their new details.

 

Punter Southall Aspire’s director of communications, Johanna Nelson, said:

“With the cost-of-living soaring, this campaign is about reminding people that this money is safe, but it has been forgotten. We are really proud of the waves we made in our first year and, together with our original sponsors, we are delighted we can carry on this year with four of the largest pension and investment companies joining. It’s great to see industry colleagues unite behind us and add their powerful voices to this campaign.

“This campaign is as much about individuals as it is employers. Last year, someone who worked at a client of ours found £80,000 – a life changing amount. We urge employers and trustees to promote the NPTD website to help their people. We’ll also be releasing a communications toolkit. Both are free to use.”

 

Punter Southall Aspire’s Chief Commercial Officer, Alan Morahan, said:

“This is an issue long acknowledged by the regulator and industry alike.  As we are finding out, it can happen to anyone. Set aside an hour to check, you have everything to gain.

“Pensions have a reputation for being boring and complex but it doesn’t have to be this way. Styling it as a treasure hunt means we have turned humdrum form-filling into what could be X marks the spot.”