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Public Service Announcements
The first is about LiveJournal changing its default site scheme. You can continue to use Lynx, XColibur and Dystopia if you don't want to use the new one, but you will need to explicitly set your preferences to do this. Go and have a look at the post in LJ_Support (but don't comment there!) and at the post in LJ_Biz. I've not used Horizon. I expect it's worth a try, but probably not for a month or so until they've ironed out all the initial problems with it.
The next is about the utility companies in the UK. They are obliged to keep a Priority Service Register of customers who for reason of age, disability or ill health need particular assistance. [The water companies are also so obliged, as is BT.] Some of the particular services they provide may not be of particular relevance, but AFAICS, the important issue is priority for help in an emergency loss of $utility situation. If you are housebound or unable to lift anything heavy (think collecting water from a bouser in the street) etc then you ought to be eligible for priority repair/provision of alternative facilities. If this isn't relevant to you it may well be relevant to some of your (older) relatives.
And now for Council Tax . If you live on your own, you are entitled to a 25% single person's discount. You will be also be eligible for this if the other people you live with are children, full-time students, on means tested benefits or exempt from Council Tax due to their mental health/learning disabilities.
Finally Pension Forecasts . The Pension Service provide a way to forecast how much State Pension + State Second Pension you will be entited to on your retirement. It's useful to get one of these every couple of years to check that they've recorded your NI Contributions accurately.
The next is about the utility companies in the UK. They are obliged to keep a Priority Service Register of customers who for reason of age, disability or ill health need particular assistance. [The water companies are also so obliged, as is BT.] Some of the particular services they provide may not be of particular relevance, but AFAICS, the important issue is priority for help in an emergency loss of $utility situation. If you are housebound or unable to lift anything heavy (think collecting water from a bouser in the street) etc then you ought to be eligible for priority repair/provision of alternative facilities. If this isn't relevant to you it may well be relevant to some of your (older) relatives.
And now for Council Tax . If you live on your own, you are entitled to a 25% single person's discount. You will be also be eligible for this if the other people you live with are children, full-time students, on means tested benefits or exempt from Council Tax due to their mental health/learning disabilities.
Finally Pension Forecasts . The Pension Service provide a way to forecast how much State Pension + State Second Pension you will be entited to on your retirement. It's useful to get one of these every couple of years to check that they've recorded your NI Contributions accurately.