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03/11/2010

Consumer affairs with Winifred Robinson. Farmers are being urged to rent out fields for solar power. The Insurance industry faces key challenge from Europe's Court of Justice.

Consumer affairs with Winifred Robinson. Europe's top court is considering if it is illegal for insurance companies to factor gender into calculating insurance premiums; if the judges decide it is illegal women drivers can expect steep rises in the cost of motor insurance, while men will get less money from their pension plans.

Farmers are being offered thousands of pounds a year to rent their fields to enterprises who install solar panels. Generous subsidies for micro generation launched earlier this year, which were aimed at homes and small businesses, are attracting speculators because the returns are so high and tax free.

Trading Standards warn pensioners to beware of a winter fuel payment con. Fraudsters have been phoning up recipients ostensibly to check bank details explaining it is necessary to ensure the winter fuel payment reaches the right bank account. The only bank account they are really interested in is their own; it is a con trick.

It is National Stress Awareness Day. Life is tough for many but how soon we forget the privations of years gone by. Mark Stephenson is an optimist and says we should snap out of it, count our lucky stars and give thanks to those innovators over the centuries that have put themselves under stress to make life better.

Britain can't keep pushing its older generation into nursing homes and day centres if there's to be any hope of saving its creaking care system from collapse, so says the Local Government Association at the Association of Directors of Adult Services at their conference in Manchester today.

Available now

57 minutes

Last on

Wed 3 Nov 2010 12:00

Chapters

  • Insurance and gender discrimination

    Young women will pay more to drive while men will receive less in pensions if a European Court rules that it is illegal for an insurance company to take gender into account when calculating premiums.

    Duration: 08:06

  • Park 主播大秀 Dwellers

    People who live in mobile home parks want the law changed to prevent the park owners having a veto on who they can sell their homes to.

    Duration: 06:26

  • The Optimist

    It is National Stress Awareness Day - don't worry; be happy - it'll all probably turn out right in the end, says Mark Stephenson...

    Duration: 04:00

  • Care Conference

    Local Government is warning that pressures on adult care services budgets mean people will have to settle for care provided in their homes, rather than in nursing homes or day centres.

    Duration: 10:41

  • Sun Rush

    Generous subsidies paid to people who install micro generation is leading to more and more farmers seeking to turn unprofitable land over to solar power.

    Duration: 14:48

  • Winter Fuel Payments

    Fraudsters are trying to get their hands on pensioners fuel payments by pretending to check their bank details for quick payment. It's a scam; the only accounts they are interested in are their own.

    Duration: 07:28

Broadcasts

  • Wed 3 Nov 2010 12:00
  • Wed 3 Nov 2010 12:04

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