STRAIGHT TO THE POINT
A FRIGHTENING message was left on my answerphone, saying HM Revenue & Customs was going to take legal action against me and telling me to call a number to speak to my case officer. Should I be worried?
J. F., London. IgnORe this voicemail — it’s a scam. If you ring, you will be connected to an overseas call centre, where fraudsters will try to dupe you into handing over cash by claiming it is money you owe HMRc. I AM an 85-year-old widow and live in a care home. A couple of years ago, I bought a few Premium Bonds, and I have won £25 five times. I cashed these winnings into my bank account.
Does this have to go towards my care home fees, or can I spend it as I want?
E .K., Norfolk. YOuR local council will count your premium Bond winnings as part of your cash assets when considering how much you can afford to contribute towards your own care.
If it believes you have spent the money specifically to get rid of your assets and avoid paying for your care, it will bill you as if you still have the cash. For example, if you gifted an unusually large amount of money to a family member.
However, if the spending is deemed reasonable, then you should be free to spend it as you wish. Age uK can provide you with more guidance on this — call 0800 169 2081. I TREATED my daughter to tickets to see Simply Red at The O2 in London later this month. I paid £200 through a website called Viagogo. An email arrived, saying that my tickets had been delivered — but I don’t have them. No one listens when I call. A. V., Hull. tHe delivery firm seems to have lost your tickets, but you are covered by Viagogo’s guarantee. not only are replacement tickets in the post, but Viagogo has upgraded you and your daughter to seats with a better view as a goodwill gesture for the inconvenience. MY WIFE and I were delayed for nearly five hours on a flight from Canada to Manchester with Air Transat. I called Air Transat, who said we weren’t owed compensation. What can I do? J. M., Lancashire. AIR transat is a canadian airline, so it isn’t registered in the eu. that means you are not covered by european regulations that oblige airlines to pay you compensation for delays.
check with your travel insurer, which may offer something if you were left out of pocket.