Mark Williams's Blog (104)

Ill health or injury can affect anybody at any time and state support is often insufficient to cover bills, mortgage repayments and maintain individual or family lifestyles.

In January the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released figures for those eligible for the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Only 22% of those assessed were deemed suitable for welfare…

Research has found that 22% of homeowners, amounting to 3.5m people, are unaware of how an increase in base rate would affect their monthly mortgage payments.

Despite increasing speculation that the base rate will soon rise, the survey showed that 16% of borrowers on their lender's standard variable rate and 13% of those on a tracker rate do not know what an increase would do to their mortgage…

The application fees charged by lenders for their mortgage products have risen by just over 15% in the last 18 months.

Data reveals the average application fee ( the fee that is paid by the applicant for a given interest rate) has increased by around £100 between September 2009 and March 2011.

Over the period, fixed product application fees rose by £97 on average, an…

The assumption is often made that when people reach retirement age, if they are to move home it will be to downsize to a smaller and typically lower value property.

For many homeowners in later life moving home is a lifestyle choice, for example moving nearer to relatives or to a bungalow near the sea. Often this involves moving to a more expensive property.

Many would…

Mortgage lenders are continuing to increase the set up fees that they charge for their fixed rate mortgage deals as consumers look to protect themselves from future base rate increases.

According to inflation data just published by the Office for National…

Recent research from Shelter has shown that an amazing one in four mortgage holders are unaware that interest rates are at an historic low of 0.5%.

In a survey of more than 1,500 UK homeowners, 25% believe current interest rates are either higher or the same than they have been in the past or simply don’t know.

Within the 25% who are…

Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) has forecast that the Bank of England will increase base rate to 1% by the summer, hitting nine out of ten mortgage borrowers.

Its research suggests that far more households are now exposed to rate hikes, estimating 90% of all mortgages in the UK are variable rates, up from 60% in 2007, and well beyond the FSA's estimate of 68%. LGIM warn that…

Mortgage applicants who take the life insurance deal offered to them by their mortgage lender could be paying 50% more than they need.



Research has found that life insurance and mortgage protection products being sold by the country’s biggest mortgage lenders do not always offer the best value. In some cases, the research definitely points the finger at branch based advisers of pushing customers towards taking even more expensive options.



Using one typical…

I was trying to think how our friends on the headline desks at the tabloids would have titled this story, and I hope I have done it justice?

A landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice means that insurance companies can not discriminate on the basis of sex when calculating premiums.

Insurance firms had an opt-out of a gender discrimination directive due to the wide use of sex in deciding premiums but the UK must now implement the policy into law by December 21…

Following on from my blog about what Winston Churchill had to say about people insuring themselves correctly, here is what Which? had to say - so again, don't take my word for it!

Which? has included life insurance and income protection (IP) on its list of the best financial products.

The consumer association previously listed IP as a preferred alternative to payment protection insurance when PPI made its worst financial products…

Women are increasing their earning power but less likely than men to have financial protection should they suddenly be unable to work, according to new research.

The Women and Protection report released by Bright Grey found that women were taking more control of household finances but neglecting to protect themselves.

It found over half (53%) of working…

With interest rates at their lowest level, it is perhaps easy to forget about the rate we pay on our mortgage.

We all know that the Base Rate is going to increase, and it is an easy stance to take to say....oh, i will look to change to a fixed rate when the rates change.....but that , i am afraid is far too late.

It is reported…