POUND NOTES
Dogs must be
microchipped by law or owners risk a £500 fine
More than a million dog owners are unaware it’s a legal requirement to have their pet microchipped or risk a £500 fine, according to Quotezone. co.uk.
Owners must ensure their pooch is microchipped by eight weeks old. It will soon be made mandatory for cats too.
Dogs are also legally required to wear a collar with the owner’s contact details when out in public.
Microchipping means missing dogs can be identified and returned to their owners. It will also help decrease the growing number of strays. You can’t get pet insurance without it.
It can be done for free in Blue Cross and Battersea rescue centres, or for around £20 at a vet or local council.
Getting on the property ladder can
It’s becoming difficult for everyone to get a foot on the property ladder but new research shows it will take women almost four years longer on average than men to make the move.
The average British male earns £38,061, which means he will need 7.3 times his annual salary to afford a home worth £279,120.
However, the average female salary is just £25,154 and would require 11.1 times her salary to buy the same property, according to a study by iPlace Global.
Half of UK adults find information around pensions and retirement overwhelming.
More than 20% say they have no idea what to do next after receiving correspondence about pensions.
Jenny Holt, managing director for customer savings and investments at Standard Life, which carried out the research, said: “Making it easy for people to understand what they have, what it’s worth and what it might provide in retirement will be key to helping people make better financial decisions.”