1. Inheritance Tax Review - Office of Tax Simplification

The Chancellor has asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to conduct a review of Inheritance Tax (IHT). The purpose of the review is to explore simplification opportunities.
A survey has been published to gather data about individuals’ experience of IHT.
To find out more about the review click here
If you would like to participate in the survey please click here
(Closing date for the Survey is 8th June 2018)

2. On the move

Getting out and about is important for everyone's wellbeing but it can become more challenging as you get older. Independent Age offers advice on how to get about whether you want to carry on driving safely, whether you are eligible for a Blue Badge or how you can stay mobile if you don't drive.
To find out more information, follow this link to their website: www.independentage.org/information/personal-life/getting-out-and-about

3. Check what you could be eligible for

If you are on a low income, have a long-term illness or disability, if you need help with personal care tasks such as washing, dressing and eating or if you care for someone with a disability, you may be eligible for extra money every week.
Independent Age has a Benefit Checker which can help you find out what you could get. Even if you think you are getting everything you're entitled to, it might just be worth checking.
Just click on to this link to the Independent Age website to use the Benefit Checker www.independentage.org/information/money/benefits/benefit-checker

4. Scam email confirming bogus subscription for Netflix

Our CEO, Malcolm Booth, recently received an email claiming to be sent by the iTunes Store Team at Apple. The email was confirming the purchase of Netflix using an iTunes account as the payment method.
The email stated that the subscription would automatically be renewed unless it was 'turned off' via a link which was in the body of the email.
Although the name 'Apple' appeared to be where the email has been sent from, Malcolm could see when he hovered over the name 'Apple', that the email address bared no relation to Apple or iTunes.
Please be very wary of any email received where you are being instructed to follow links or open attachments, especially when you are being asked to pay money or cancel a payment that you have no recollection of setting up.
The following is advice from Action Fraud on what you should do if you have received a scam email

• Do not click on any links in the scam email.
• Do not reply to the email or contact the senders in any way.
• If you have clicked on a link in the email, do not supply any information on the website that may open.
• Do not open any attachments that arrive with the email.

If you think you may have compromised the safety of your bank details and/or have lost money due to fraudulent misuse of your cards, you should immediately contact your bank.
Fake emails often (but not always) display some of the following characteristics:

• The sender’s email address doesn’t tally with the trusted organisation’s website address.
• The email is sent from a completely different address or a free web mail address.
• The email does not use your proper name, but uses a non-specific greeting like “dear customer”.
• A sense of urgency; for example the threat that unless you act immediately your account may be closed.
• A prominent website link. These can be forged or seem very similar to the proper address, but even a single character’s difference means a different website.
• A request for personal information such as user name, password or bank details.
• The email contains spelling and grammatical errors.
• You weren't expecting to get an email from the company that appears to have sent it.
• The entire text of the email is contained within an image rather than the usual text format.
• The image contains an embedded hyperlink to a bogus site.

If you've been a victim of fraud, report it to https://actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud

5. Telephone calls from a Somalia telephone number

There have been reports of people receiving telephone calls to their mobiles from a Somalia telephone number which begins with +252 which rings briefly on the phone. This is to encourage you to return the call.
This is a scam and if you call the number back you are kept on hold and charged the equivalent of a premium rate number. If you see this number displayed on your mobile, do not answer it or try to ring it back.

JOIN US

If you would like to join NFOP as a Member, you can join online by following this link, Join Online. Alternatively you can email Headquarters at [email protected] for an application form or call 01582 721652 to speak to one of the team.
Membership fees are payable monthly or annually. You can join as a single or joint member with your spouse or partner.
You can also add family members to your membership and gift membership to someone else.