News & Events

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Welcome to the Winter 2004 edition of atease. 

Avon Pensions Fund’s newsletter for pensioner members of the fund.

From Jean Hinks:

Welcome to the Winter 2004 edition of atease - Avon Pensions Fund’s newsletter for pensioner members of the fund. 

We are grateful again to the pensioners who send in articles for us, please do keep them coming. The newsletter is for you, and your input is always appreciated. This month we have some useful autumn gardening tips; and on the outdoor theme, we hear about one pensioner’s 
hobby of Wildlife Recording. 

You will find a short note on the National Fraud Institutive. Some of you may remember reading about this on your payslips. It’s nothing to worry about, we, as an authority, have to supply the Government with our pensioner database from time to time to make sure it is up to date. The newsletter also contains issues as diverse as health and starting a new career.

Please feel free to contact us on the usual freefone number 0800 0644155 or email Martin on Martin_Downes@bathnes.gov.uk. 

Jean Hinks
Resources Director
Bath & North East Somerset Council

Contents

Autumn Gold

John and Jenny Maycock created Brakenwood Nurseries 40 years ago. Brackenwood Plant & Garden Centre is situated on a 12-acre site on the Leigh court Estate at Abbots Leigh, just over a mile from the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

John is a retired Local Government Rent Officer, and is always delighted to meet up with colleagues from the past if they are anywhere near Brackenwood. 

Here, he shares his extensive knowledge to give some useful tips on how to cope with autumn in your garden: “Autumn seems to come around earlier every year -at least there is the consolation of the wonderful colours produced by sunlight on autumn leaves. It can be hard to be an enthusiastic gardener on a gloomy day in October or November, yet there are still many routine tasks you can carry out, many of them worthwhile as they may reduce the risk of pests and diseases and improve soil quality and productivity. 

Many herbaceous plants are well past their best by October, especially if the first frosts have damaged soft foliage - so it’s a good time to cut off most of the current season’s dead growth. If you need additional plants for yourself or friends, many perennial plants will easily divide at this time of year. Dead foliage may also harbour pests and diseases apart from their untidy look. Obviously, you can brighten up bare patches between the plants with the superb range of bulbs flowering in spring but available for planting now.

In the shrub or rose beds a good clean up is always beneficial and particularly with roses that may have suffered black spot or mildew problems. Clearing dropped leaves will help avoid the diseases restarting early in the next season. Waste leaves are usually best burnt and not used to form compost! Piles of fallen leaves will provide cover for slugs, snails and other unwelcome pests - clearing the leaves will also reduce the need for pest and diseases controls next year. 

Now is the time to brighten those tired-looking pots and baskets using winter flowering Pansies, Primroses, Cyclamen, Heather and Dwarf flowering bulbs.” 

You can contact John, or any of the other staff at Brackenwood by calling 01275 375292. 

Wildlife Recording

Pensioner Edgar Deadman talks to us about his hobby... 

The Wildlife Sound Recording Society (WSRS) is a body of 300 plus Wildlife Sound Recording enthusiasts. Most members are in the UK and find great enjoyment and satisfaction in recording the sounds of nature. 

Every year we have a programme of activities and meetings, and for ten years, I found myself organising two week recording expeditions for members. We visited most of the Hebridean Islands, the Pembrokeshire Island Nature Reserve in Stockholm, as well as the Orkneys. One of the most exciting weeks away was spent on the completely uninhabited Island of Coppingsay, Orkney, living for the week in the disused Lighthouse Keepers accommodation. Before handing over the reins to another member, I finished my stint as organiser with a trip, shared by fifteen members, recording in the Primeval Forests of East Poland. 

I’m often asked what we do with the recordings we make. Most of our members deposit copies of their recordings with the National Sound Archive (Wildlife Section) at the British Museum for the use of Research Scientists, Wildlife programme makers, etc. 

Many of our members make up slide/tape programmes and take them to a variety of community groups. 

Competitions also attract many WSRS members. Some years ago, I earned myself the title “Wildlife Sound Recordist of the Year” with a recording of a pair of Nightjars on Lavington Common, West Sussex. 

If you are looking for a satisfying, enjoyable, but often frustrating hobby, I can recommend Wildlife sound recording. You need to be able to get up and out early in the morning before the sounds of civilisation pollute the air and spoil your recording. 

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National Fraud Initiative 

Avon Pension Fund is administered by Bath & North East Somerset Council. The Council is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers. To this end from time to time, it may use information provided to it for the prevention and detection of fraud and share it with other bodies administering public funds solely for these purposes. 

The Council is currently participating in an anti-fraud initiative organised by the Audit Commission and being carried out under Section 6 of the Audit Commission Act 1998. Under this initiative, we are providing details of occupational pensioners to the Commission so that they can compare them with information provided by other public bodies to ensure that: 

• No pensions are being paid to persons who are deceased. 
• Occupational pension income is being declared by housing benefit claimants. 
• Re-entry to the scheme is disclosed. 

While the object of the exercise is the detection of fraud, previous exercises also uncovered underpayments to pensioners, which were rectified. These exercises therefore help to ensure the best use of public funds. 

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LEGAL ease 

Free 10 year passports

The government has agreed that free ten-year passports are to be offered to everyone over 75 to thank them for their efforts during the Second World War. The concession will apply to every British citizen, including those born abroad, who was alive on or before 2nd September 1929. It is hoped that this will become effective before the end of the year. Ring the Passport Adviceline on 0870 521 0410 for further details of the start date.

Capital limit changes for residential care charges 

The lower and upper capital limits for help with residential care charges have  increased to £12,250 and £20,000 respectively as from April 2004. 

Nursing care bands increased for care homes

Also from April 2004, the Department of Health has announced that the weekly rates for the three registered nursing care bands have increased to £40 low band, £77.50 medium band and £125 high band. Anyone resident in a nursing home should have the nursing care element of their fees assessed by a medical professional. The NHS then become responsible for paying this part. 

Check your tax code 

If you have recently received a tax coding notice, do ensure that if you reach 65 (men or women) at any time during this current tax year, you have been awarded the higher tax-free age allowance of £6,830. From the number of calls that I receive on this subject, it is quite common for the Inland Revenue to continue awarding the under 65 standard allowance which is currently £4,745. Only if your total income in this tax year exceeds £18,900 will this extra age allowance gradually start to be reduced but never below the standard level. The allowance for someone of 75 plus is £6,950 this year.

Payment of state benefits 

Months of campaigning by pensioner groups across Britain have forced the DWP to relax the rules governing those who are unable to have their state pension paid directly into a bank, building society or post office account. In a recent statement, the DWP minister Chris Pond announced that those individuals who do not respond to requests from the Pensions Service to open an account or who feel unable to cope with the new system of direct payment will instead be sent a weekly cheque which can be cashed at their local post office. Prior to this announcement, the government had made it clear that only those regarded as “vulnerable” would be able to receive their pension in this way. If you did not respond to the letter, you may well get a follow up telephone call from the DWP to persuade you to change, so stick to your guns if you don’t wish to open an account! 

For further information, you can ring the Pensions Service on 0845 60 60 265. 

Post Office savings stamps

The Post Office has released traditional savings stamps to help people with low incomes to spread the cost of paying for utility bills, council tax and other items. The £5 stamps are being especially marketed to young people with a tendency to overspend! As the stamps can only be redeemed for specific purposes, such as to pay utility bills or for other post office services, they remove the temptation to spend money that should be set aside for the gas bill! Something to tell the grandchildren? 

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Tea makes a comeback...

Tea makes a comeback...

Looking for a reason to make yet another cup of tea? We’ve got lots! 

The traditional cuppa is now considered to be one of a handful of ‘wonder foods’packed with health-giving ingredients.

The Chinese discovered tea 5,000 years ago when an emperor was drinking a cup of hot water sitting under a tea tree. A leaf dropped into the water, and the rest is history. Britons didn’t start drinking tea until the mid 17th century, but we soon made up for lost time. We quickly became one of the world’s biggest tea-drinking nations, making it our own with a dash of milk. 

The Chinese have always regarded tea as a health drink but for us British it’s usually considered no more than a comforting pick-me-up. Despite a slight decline in recent years, around 168 million cups of tea are still drunk each day in the UK. Most of this is black tea from India, Africa, and Indonesia. Perhaps these recent health findings will provide the perfect incentive for us all to up our tea consumption again… 

Unlike many of the things we consume, tea is completely natural, just pure plant leaf. It has no additives, no preservatives and no flavour enhancers. 

Tea contains large amounts of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant.Antioxidants provide protection from damage caused to our cells byfree radicals which can lead to heart disease and cancer. There is eight times the amount of ‘anti-oxidantpower’ in three cups of tea than there is in one apple.

Tea contains smaller amounts of: 

• Carotene (similar to vitamin A)which is an antioxidant.
• Vitamins B1 and B2 which are essential in helping the release of energy from food. 
• Nicotenic acid and pathothenic acid which aid the release of energy from fat and carbohydrates.
• Vitamin C for a healthy immune system.
• Vitamin B6 for the metabolism of proteins.
• Folic acid which aids cell division.
• Manganese: essential for bone growth and health. 
• Potassium: helps maintain normal heartbeat; regulates fluid levels in cells and allows nerves and muscles to respond correctly.


Tea contains natural fluoride and it is thought that this may help to strengthen tooth enamel. A study in 1991 showed that tea drinking may be able to prevent tooth decay in children. Tea also appears to have anti-bacterial qualities, reducing plaque which is one of the main causes of tooth decay. 

So when you brew up your next cuppa, you can congratulate yourself on taking such good care of your health! 

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British successes in this year’s Olympics and Paralympics, plus the prospect of London’s bid for the 2012 games means ‘Olympic mania’ lives 
on… 

London is competing with Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid to stage the 2012 Games. 

The first ancient Olympic Games were held in 776 BC. The games ran for 12 centuries until Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 A.D. that all 
such ‘pagan cults’ be banned. 

The Games were revived in Athens in 1896 and attracted athletes from 14 nations. A Greek shepherd, Spyridon Louis, won the marathon. 

London has staged the Olympic Games twice before, both occasions were at short notice. 

In 1908 Rome had to pull out when Mount Vesuvius erupted and London stepped into the breach. London was chosen as the host for the 
1944 Games which were cancelled when war broke out. They took place in 1948 in London when hostilities ceased. 

In 1948 at the end of the war athletes had to stay in makeshift accommodation and, since food was still rationed, they had to bring their own 
meals. 

The greatest number of medals won by British athletes was 141, in the 1908 London Olympics. This included 56 gold medals. This level of 
achievement has since proved impossible to maintain! 

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Look after your back

Back pain? 
Don’t let it happen to you. 

The increasingly sedentary lives that we lead contribute greatly to the back pain epidemic now being experienced in the western world. Some simple precautions and exercises will help you avoid becoming a sufferer. 

The most common form of back pain is muscular. The muscles supporting the spinal structure go into spasm. This can be caused by over-exertion, too much bending or by staying in an awkward position for too long. This type of back pain doesn’t usually last longer than 48 hours. 

The best way to treat this type of everyday back pain is not by taking to your bed. It’s important to keep moving around gently, even if it hurts. Try to carry out your normal activities, without overdoing things. Only lie down during the day if the pain is unbearable. If it lasts more than two days you should see your doctor. 

More serious causes of back pain are disc prolapses (slipped disc) and diseases of the spine. These are usually accompanied by other symptoms such as numbness, pins and needles or pains down the leg. If you have these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately. 

Strengthen your back 

This is all about strengthening your back muscles and keeping fit. Walking is ideal, start slowly on flat ground, building up to longer walks and gentle slopes. Swimming is excellent exercise: back-crawl is preferable to breast stroke which can strain your neck. An exercise bike is a good way of getting fit. Keep the saddle high (to keep the natural curves in your spine), start gradually and build up. 

Whatever you are doing, try to imagine there is an invisible cord from the top of your head to the ceiling lifting you into a tall, relaxed posture rather than a short, hunched one. 

Back care ‘red flags’ 

Lifting: bend your knees not your back. Keep your feet wide apart for stability and use your leg power to lift. Carry the object against your body (so that its centre of gravity is close to yours). Bend at the knees to put the object down.

Housework: stand your washing up bowl on the draining board so that you don’t have to bend awkwardly over the sink; sit down when you prepare vegetables; make sure the ironing board is waist height; kneel down to tuck in bed sheets; vacuum with your upper body upright, the cleaner close to you and using short sweeping movements. 

Your bed: is your mattress a back breaker? Lie on your back and slide your hand (palm down) into the small of your back. If there is a large gap, the mattress is probably too hard. If you have to squeeze your hand in, then it is probably too soft. If your hand slides in fairly easily, the mattress is okay. 

Gardening: involves lots of bending and is potentially hazardous for the back. Try kneeling down on a cushion when doing low-down work. Make sure you are warmed up before you start any heavy digging. 

The office: make full use of the chair movement, especially when reaching behind you or for the phone. Try to alter your position when using the keyboard for long periods of time. Taking regular breaks from your desk will help keep your muscles working. Position your keyboard directly in front of you and have your monitor square on so you don’t have to turn your head to look at it. 

Visit www.backcare.org.uk 

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A new career starts here

A new career starts here

Do you have a hankering for some workplace banter and a bit of extra cash? Then maybe you should consider going back to work, even if it’s just part-time. 

There’s currently no upper age limit on employment and it’s possible to work and draw a state pension at the same time. 

Britain is now waking up to the fact that it needs older workers. Government figures show that we lose around £30bn a year from the ‘under-employment’ of people over 50 and demographic changes will see a million fewer adults under 50 by 2021. If older employees do not feel welcome in the workplace, the country’s economy will suffer. 

Some employers who have been targeting older workers, such as Nationwide, M&S, and B&Q, report far lower rates of absenteeism and far lower turnover of staff. What’s more, customers like dealing with staff of all ages, according to research by Tesco. Employees from all age groups said in the same research that they enjoy working in an ‘age diverse’ team. Many more companies are now coming on board and welcoming older employees, organisations ranging from Somerfield to Royal Bank of Scotland. 

What’s the tax situation?

Everyone who works has an age-related personal allowance. This allowance is the amount of income you can receive without having to pay tax. The good news is that when you reach 65, as long as your income is below a certain limit, your tax free allowance becomes more generous. What’s more, it increases again when you reach 75. 

You pay income tax on anything you earn over your personal allowance. You do not have to claim the personal allowance, you should get it automatically. Your tax office will know your date of birth if you have filled in a tax return or a claim form. If you have not done this and you are 65 or over, you should inform your tax office of your date of birth. 

If you’re married and either you or your spouse was born before 6 April 1935, you can claim Married Couple’s Allowance. This reduces the amount of income tax a married couple has to pay. If you or your spouse is not getting the allowance and you think you may be eligible, contact your tax office. 

For more about taxation over 65, visit www.thepensionservice.gov.uk 

What is counted as income?

The money you earn, plus your state pension, any occupational pension(s) and a Carer’s Allowance (if applicable). Other benefits are non-taxable. 

New deal 50-plus 

There’s government help and training available for those wishing to get back into employment. 

Find out all about it at: www.newdeal.gov.uk/newdeal.asp?dealid=50plu

Or you can telephone 0845 606 2626.

Choosing to put off retirement 

Over the last decade there has been an increase in employment among older people. The proportion of women in their fifties in employment increased from around 59 per cent in early 1993 to a high of 67 per cent in winter 2003/4. For men aged 50 to 64 the employment rate followed a similar pattern, increasing from 65 per cent to 72 per cent over the period. 

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Making Contact

If you have any queries, need advice on your pension, or wish to contact us for any other reason please write to:

Avon Pension Fund
Floor 3 South
Riverside , Temple Street
Keynsham
BS31 1LA

or call freephone: 0800 0644155

email: avon_pension@bathnes.gov.uk

at ease is published for Avon Pension Fund by Evolve.

Evolve 
91 - 97 High Road Ickenham 
Uxbridge 
Middlesex 
UB10 8LB 
email: richard.g@evolve-print.com 
website: www.evolve-print.com

Neither the publishers nor the Avon Pension Fund can accept responsibility for the views of this newsletter’s contributors and, although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, readers are advised to take appropriate professional advice before acting on the information or advice in these pages.

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