• Police Mutual and NARPO Working Together

    Police Mutual and NARPO Working Together

    This article was published on Wed 01 Aug 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    NARPO are one of our most trusted partners and we value being mutually supportive of each other’s members and organisations.

    “Improving the lives of members” is a simple thing to say, and it’s the reason Police Mutual exists. It’s something we’ve been doing for serving and retired Police Officers, Staff, Specials and their families, as well as the wider Police Service since 1866.

    In order to ensure we bring this purpose to life for retired Police Officers we are dedicated to supporting NARPO and its membership.

    We have worked closely with NARPO to tailor our products for their members.

    We provide services and support to NARPO that spans respite care, community support funding such as Force for Good, and Care Line, a nurse led counselling service.

    For those with financial questions and challenges we’ve team up with PayPlan who offer a debt advice service. We also make sure we recognise the great work carers do with our Act of Kindness scheme, offering a hamper of treats or a fresh bouquet of flowers as a humble “thank you”.

    To continue our support of NARPO and their three themes of ‘Life, Leisure and Work’, we are currently enhancing our Retirement Centre to incorporate more NARPO features. We’ve worked in collaboration with NARPO to curate knowledge and information we trust will be valued by our members.

    Check out our Retirement Centre here.

    Chris Morey

  • Force Awards 2018

    Force Awards 2018

    This article was published on Tue 08 May 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

    Innovation
    This award recognises the Force Authorised Officer who has helped raise awareness of our products and services in all kinds of special, unique and highly effective ways.
    Winner: Nick Wyer (Dorset Police)
    Runners-up: Martin Guest (Humberside Police), Neil Burns (Police Scotland)
    Raising awareness
    This award recognises the Force Authorised Officer who’s been magnificent at ‘spreading the word’! Helping us to get our improving lives story heard in their force and making sure we can access harder to reach groups.
    Winner: Kirsty Norman (Derbyshire Constabulary)
    Runners-up: Karen Todd (PSNI), Sarah Cook (Thames Valley Police)
    New membership (Smaller Forces)
    This award recognises increasing new membership by the largest amount.
    Winner: Gloucestershire Constabulary
    Runners-up: Bedfordshire Police, Cumbria Constabulary
    New membership (medium Forces)
    This award recognises increasing new membership by the largest amount.
    Winners: West Yorkshire Police
    Runners-up: MET Police Service, Police Scotland
    New membership (Larger Forces)
    This award recognises increasing new membership by the largest amount.
    Winners: West Yorkshire Police
    Runners-up: MET Police Service, Police Scotland
    Special recognition
    This award recognises the Force Authorised Officer who has gone the extra mile in creating excellent opportunities for Advocacy, Access and Awareness. Helping to effectively deliver the Police Mutual Improving Lives Story, this person has truly made a world of difference.
    Winner: Claire Batt (Ministry of Defence Police) and Mark Payne (West Midlands Police)

    Chris Morey

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  • The Police Mutual Group – Making a Difference to Police and Military Lives

    The Police Mutual Group – Making a Difference to Police and Military Lives

    This article was published on Thu 15 Mar 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Improving the lives of our members and customers in the Police and Military families is at the heart of everything we do and, with no shareholders, it means our focus is firmly on the people who protect us.

    Take a look at our latest Group report which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to making a difference to the financial, physical, mental and community wellbeing of those who work in the Police and Military and their family members.

    Get the report

    Please note that this file is 8MB

    Chris Morey

  • Police Mutual – Our Privacy Promise

    Police Mutual – Our Privacy Promise

    This article was published on Thu 01 Mar 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Everything we do is for the benefit of those we serve. This covers everything from our products and services to our wellbeing assistance programmes, free financial education talks, community sponsorship projects and even our prize draws and free giveaways.

    As you probably know, we like to keep in touch with our members. And we know that many of our members like to keep up-to-date with our latest exclusive offers and news.

    In a world where people and businesses share an increasing amount of information, we never take it for granted that our members place their trust in us.

    Data protection laws are changing this year

    From May 2018, new rules mean that we won’t be able to keep you up-to-date with all the great things that we do unless you give us specific permission to do so. Over the next few months, we’ll be getting in touch so we can continue sending you the updates you care about. This will give you the chance to tell us if you’re happy to hear from us via email, phone, letter or SMS (or all of these!).

    We also understand the importance of protecting all the personal details and information we hold for our members. That’s why we have pledged the below promises:

    1. We promise to be open and honest with you about how your data is used
    2. We promise never to sell your data
    3. We promise to make it easy for you to access and correct your data
    4. We promise only to contact you about the things we think will be of interest to you – if you’ve ever had enough, just tell us and we’ll stop
    5. We promise to have effective protection in place to keep your data safe and secure

    If you’d like to learn more about our Privacy Policy, just click here.

    Chris Morey

  • How to Avoid Being a Victim of Identity Theft

    How to Avoid Being a Victim of Identity Theft

    This article was published on Thu 01 Feb 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    This is commonly referred to as ‘identity theft’ and often leads to ‘identity fraud’, which is when criminals use stolen identities to obtain goods and services dishonestly.

    This can involve taking out loans, claiming state benefits, opening a new bank account, taking control of an active current account, registering for credit cards, and signing up to contracts for items such as mobile phones. They can even obtain a new passport or driving licence using a victim’s identity.

    Identity fraud victims can lose a lot of money and have their credit history negatively affected, which can also have an impact on their future finances. With this in mind, the best thing you can do to stop the fraudsters in their tracks is keep your personal details secure…

    Dos and don’ts – protecting your identity

    DO:

    1) Install the latest antivirus software on your devices and regularly check for updates (even when you have selected an ‘automatic update’ option).

    2) Shred any receipts, bills and delivery labels that display your personal information.

    3) Regularly check your credit report for entries you don’t recognise. You can get your credit report from one of the three credit reference agencies: Noddle, Equifax and Experian.

    4) Take action if you receive bills or receipts for purchases you haven’t made or any notifications relating to financial activity you haven’t authorised. Call your bank immediately if there is unusual activity you can’t account for on your statement.

    5) Cancel your debit/credit cards as soon as possible if they are lost or stolen. Keep your bank/credit card company emergency contact numbers stored in your phone and written down at home.

    6) Use different passwords for every online account you have. Strong, unique passwords increase your security by making it more difficult for a fraudster to guess a password in the first place. It’s also a good idea to change your passwords regularly. Use a combination of upper case and lower case letters, numbers and special characters, and make your password a minimum of 8 characters. Avoid easily guessable passwords – for example, single dictionary words or passwords based on something people can find out about you. Try using a sentence that is hard to guess but easy to remember. And remember, if you think someone may know your password, change it immediately.

    7) End any phone calls where you’re worried that the caller might not be who they say they are. If the call is allegedly from your bank and you want to check, wait for a few minutes and call a central number from a different phone. Make sure there is a dialling tone first.

    DON’T:

    1) Share your personal information (name, home address, bank details, email address or phone number) with any organisation or individual before you know if they’re trustworthy. Make sure you only enter credit or debit card details on secure websites – look out for the padlock symbol or a URL starting with https.

    2) Trust emails if you’re not sure of the sender or the email address it has come from. Phishing emails are designed to obtain your personal information and can look genuine, with many imitating bank and building society communications. Find the phone number for the company, bank or building society online or from an official letter you have on file and call them to check.

    3) Reveal full passwords, login details or account numbers for your bank account to anyone. If speaking to your bank or building society, an official representative will never ask for your PIN or for a whole security number or password. If someone does ask for this information, don’t give it to them!

    For more information about identity theft and fraud, and to get news on the latest scams you need to be aware of, visit Action Fraud.

    At Police Mutual, everything we do is for the benefit of our members and the Police Service. That’s why we promise to be open and honest with you about how your data is used, so that you know you can trust us with your personal information. We promise to never sell your information and will only ever use it to contact you about the products you hold with us, special offers, prize draws and important updates you have chosen to hear about from us.

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

  • Support After Life in the Police

    Support After Life in the Police

    This article was published on Mon 08 Jan 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Police Mutual has worked closely with the National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) of England and Wales for over 30 years, supporting retired Police Officers, Staff, Specials and their families through their lives after retirement.

    NARPO is a member organisation that believes life can continue to flourish after the Police.

    With branches up and down the country, NARPO offer advice and support to their members on life and wellbeing issues, provide new work opportunities and help make the most of new-found leisure time. They strive to help their members enjoy life to the fullest after the Police.

    Membership of NARPO offers the following benefits:

    Life

    • Up to date advice and support on police pensions and state benefits
    • Access to NARPO’s travel and healthcare insurance
    • NARPO tailored car insurance from Police Mutual
    • Campaigning on the issues that impact NARPO members

    Work

    • A wide range of full and part-time positions available on NARPO’s website
    • Roles that are perfectly suited to ex-officers

    Leisure

    • Exclusive member discounts on holidays
    • Discounts on products and services
    • Networking and connecting members

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

  • How to Improve Your Credit Worthiness

    How to Improve Your Credit Worthiness

    This article was published on Mon 01 Jan 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Looking for ways to improve your credit worthiness can increase your chances of success, below are some do’s and don’ts which could help:

    Do – check your credit file: you can check your credit file at all of the three main credit agencies – Equifax, Trans Union & Experian. You have the right to access your report for a small charge of £2. It’s a good idea to check your report with all three agencies, because one might be giving different information to lenders. If you spot any mistakes, contact the relevant agency as soon as possible and ask for them to be corrected.

    Do – Get yourself on the electoral role: this is the one of the easiest ways for lenders to identify you, if you’re not on the electoral role, you could find it difficult to get credit. You can register online at any time through the Register to Vote website.

    Do – close old credit card accounts: if you have credit cards which you no longer use, contact the providers and close them. If an account is still open, lenders may think you already have access to more credit than you need.

    Do – build a positive credit history: to help you get credit in the future, you can start to build a good credit history now. Showing that you can repay your credit on time and stay within your credit limit will help show lenders that you are financially responsible. If you have never borrowed money before and have no credit history, you will have limited access to loans and credit cards. Try approaching your own bank in the first instance and ensure that you make repayments on time and in full.

    Don’t – make multiple applications for credit: making an application for credit leaves a ‘footprint’ on your credit file that other lenders will be able to see. If you’re refused credit, don’t be tempted to make multiple applications at once as this may be seen as a sign you are in financial difficulty. This could make lenders reluctant to lend to you, instead, work to improve your credit rating before you apply again.

    Don’t – let other people’s score affect yours: if you have previously held joint financial products with someone you no longer have a relationship with, write to the credit reference agencies and ask for a notice of disassociation. This will prevent their credit history affecting yours in the future. However, you can’t do this if the account is still open, so it will need to be closed or transferred into one name first.

    Don’t – be late on any credit repayment: doing this even once or twice may affect your ability to get credit for a number of years. If it is a simple case of not being organised and forgetting the payment due dates, the easiest way to tackle this is to pay everything by direct debit to ensure you are never late.

    Personal loans

    If you are in financial difficulties contact your lender and ask for help to discuss your options as soon as possible, do not wait until you have started to miss your repayments.

    If you’re already in debt and struggling to make ends meet it can have an impact on your mental and physical health as well as work and relationships. There’s no need to suffer alone! We’ve teamed up with PayPlan – an independent, FREE, debt management company – to offer you the support you need to regain control of your finances. Just call 0800 197 8433.

    If you owe money on more than one credit card or loan then a debt consolidation loan could come in handy. You can access our debt calculator to add up how much you owe and see if a personal loan could reduce your monthly outgoings.

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

  • Don’t ‘Budge it’ – BUDGET!

    Don’t ‘Budge it’ – BUDGET!

    This article was published on Mon 01 Jan 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    It can be all too easy to think that budgeting is a bore. And if you’ve heard the same ‘top tips’ time and time again then we feel your pain. But don’t underestimate the power of a considered budget – if you’re able to stick to it, it can help you save for life goals and make you feel a little bit smugger for being at one with your finances.

    That’s why Police Mutual has written our quick guide to budgeting. Call us financial feng shui masters, if you like…

    What budgeting achieves

    When done properly, a budget tells you what money you’ll have left at the end of each month and what you can afford to spend. If you currently spend more than your income a budget will flag this, so it could also act as a financial warning system to stop you from getting into the trap of spiralling debt.

    Budgeting 101

    Financial feng shui lessons:
    1. Take a deep breath in, then exhale. Clear your mind of everything other than your finances. Ignore the mountain of clothes in the washing basket. Kiss that binge-watching-Netflix session goodbye for now.

    2. You’re ready to start drafting your budget. Create a budget sheet, including a monthly forecast of your spending for the year, using bills and receipts from 2017 to help you. Use Excel or a similar table format as this can make things easier.

    Remember to include amounts for any upcoming family events you know about (like weddings or birthdays) or any special occasions, and how much you think they’ll cost. It’s also good to include a contingency fund each month to help you cover any unexpected emergencies like a boiler repair.

    If you’re self-employed, don’t forget to save amounts ready to cover your NI, VAT and other tax commitments for the year.

    3. Don’t use simple categories like Shopping or Home.
    Do break them down into specifics. For example, under Shopping you might have: ‘groceries’, ‘clothes’, ‘presents’. Under Home you could have ‘electricity bill’, ‘water bill’, ‘phone bill’ and ‘TV licence’ etc. This will help you get a real understanding of where your money goes.

    4. If you spend different amounts each month on something – like your grocery shopping – take an average over three months to get a more accurate view. Just add up three months’ receipts and divide by three then use that amount for each month.

    5. Spend a few hours adding costs to your budget, making sure it’s realistic. Put it to one side, sleep on it (not literally!), and then read through it a few days later to see if you’ve thought of anything to add. Alternatively, if you’re so inclined, try meditating while thinking it through, to see if you get further inspiration. It can’t hurt and we won’t judge.

    6. When you can see how much you’re likely to spend each month, you can compare that figure to your income. Will you be in the red? Will you have to tighten the purse strings a bit? Or will you be sipping champagne in the Seychelles?

    If the outlook isn’t great, there are steps you can take. Is your electricity bill looking a bit steep? Think about changing provider and getting a better deal. The same applies for your internet, phone contracts and, well, the list is endless. Not watching films as part of your TV package? Cancel or reduce parts of it to pocket some more money.

    It can also be helpful to concentrate on budget categories for ‘Needs’ and ‘Wants’, to focus on your priorities and think differently. Could you walk to work or use public transport that would be cheaper than having a car? Are you getting a good deal on your mortgage or could you get a better deal?

    Even if your budget looks comfortable, it’s never a bad idea to save money if you can. Then you can invest for the long-term or save it as a financial safety net.

    7. Finally, most budgets don’t work! Controversial but true. To give your budget the best possible chance of being accurate you need to be honest. Do you buy a coffee every other day but don’t think it’s worth counting? Each of those coffees adds up. Do you get through yoga mats like there’s no tomorrow (while meditating about your budget perhaps)? Put it in. Only then can you see what you’re able to live without.

    Dealing with debts

    If after doing your budget you’re lucky enough to have money left at the end of every month then it’s worthwhile considering any debts you may have and create a plan to pay them off or put a little extra aside into your savings.

    If you still owe money on more than one credit card or loan then a debt consolidation loan could come in handy. You can access our debt calculator to add up how much you owe and see if a personal loan could reduce your monthly outgoings.

    If you’re already in debt and struggling to make ends meet it can have an impact on your mental and physical health as well as work and relationships. There’s no need to suffer alone! We’ve teamed up with PayPlan – an independent, FREE, debt management company – to offer you the support you need to regain control of your finances. Just call 0800 197 8433.

    Maintaining financial peace of mind

    Start January 2018 as you mean to go on! Don’t ‘budge’ the budget – become a financial feng shui pro by:

    • Staying on top of your budget – stick to what you’ve calculated and keep an emergency fund

    • Managing any debts you may have

    • Reviewing your budget and updating your plan accordingly if your circumstances change (like a job move, new house, or a new addition to the family)

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

  • Smarter Spending

    Smarter Spending

    This article was published on Mon 01 Jan 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    The truth is, those everyday essentials aren’t getting any cheaper and you may need to do more to stretch your cash to cover rising costs.

    Taking a little time to manage your money more effectively can really pay off. Well if you shop smarter, you can. Here’s how…

    Cashback websites 

    Register for free with one of the big cashback websites like TopCashback and Quidco, and you can earn between 2% and 12% cashback on all kinds of online purchases – from trainers to takeaways. And if you’re searching for a new TV and broadband deal, or a mobile phone contract, you could earn over £100. Here’s how it works…

    You’re on a retailer’s website and you’ve about to “buy now”. Don’t. Sign in to your cashback account and click through to the retailer’s website from here. The cashback website gets paid commission by the retailer for directing you to their site, and you earn a share.

    You can also search for special deals within the cashback site. But before you get carried away by the size of the offers, just make sure the item you’re buying isn’t available elsewhere at a lower price. To make sure you’re getting a good deal, search retail price comparison websites like Kelkoo and Pricerunner.

    Cashback credit cards

    With a cashback credit card, you earn money every time you use it. Most cards offer cashback rates of either 0.5% or 1%, which may not sound a great deal, but if you use it regularly, the pennies and pounds will soon add up.

    Some cards offer higher cashback rates in return for a monthly fee, which may sound tempting, but if you don’t use the card regularly you could find yourself out of pocket. So if you’re considering a card with a fee, work out how much cashback you’ll earn on your typical monthly spend and see if it’s more than the monthly fee.

    If you want to boost your cashback, switch your regular debit card spend to your cashback credit card. But make sure you pay off the bill in full every month. Because interest rates on cashback cards are usually quite high, and one month’s interest could wipe out your cashback for the entire year.

    Voucher sites

    Search online for voucher websites and you’ll find a whole list of companies offering money-off coupons and discount vouchers for just about anything you could ever want. Groupon and VoucherCodes are the two biggest operators, with offers of up to 70% off standard prices.

    But be careful not to get wowed by the size of the savings. Stay focused on what you came looking for, and don’t be dazzled into buying something you don’t really need. Because a 70% saving on something you never use, is really just a 100% waste of money.

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

  • Take the Debt Consolidation Challenge

    Take the Debt Consolidation Challenge

    This article was published on Mon 01 Jan 2018. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Below is our quick guide to help you understand what’s involved, including tips on how you could stop your debts from getting out of hand.

    What is debt consolidation?

    A debt consolidation loan involves taking out a single loan that rolls your existing debts into one monthly repayment, which may help you reduce your monthly outgoings. If you have more than one credit card, or several different credit agreements or loans in place, you may want to consider debt consolidation loans because…

    1) The same interest rate applies to just one debt amount. If you’re not in a 0% offer period, credit and store cards can have higher interest rates than loans, so a debt consolidation loan rate could be much lower

    2) You can choose how long to repay the loan over, to find a monthly payment that’s affordable for you. But it’s worth noting that by increasing the term you may pay more interest overall

    A debt consolidation loan – the ‘4 Cs’ to remember:

    Check your finances – list your debts. Include all your outstanding balances with the interest rates you’re currently paying, any early repayment penalties (if applicable), your monthly repayment, and the remaining term. This will help you prioritise the debts that you should be consolidating first.

    Create a budget – list your current income and all outgoings, which will allow you to get a more detailed view of your finances and to work out how much you can realistically afford to pay each month by consolidating your existing debts.

    Can you use savings? – if you have savings that could be used to reduce your debt it could be a cheaper option than taking out a loan. Check the interest rates on your savings to see if they are lower than the interest on your debts, but it’s always best to keep some savings in reserve for emergencies.

    Consider the rate – when looking for a loan to consolidate your debts with, look for a fixed rather than a variable rate, as your payments will not change throughout the term of the loan. Make sure you read the loan agreement carefully and have considered any charges that may apply if you decide to repay the loan early or arrangement fees to set the loan up.

    Remember, if you take out a personal loan, don’t borrow more than what you need, as adding more to your debt means it will take longer to pay it off and could be more expensive. Make sure to pay off your debts as soon as you’re able to.

    Police Mutual offers a personal loan calculator to help you decide if a personal loan is right for you. Just click here for more information.

    Need more help?

    Everyone’s circumstances are different. If you’re struggling with debt or worried that you may be getting into financial difficulties, you should seek confidential debt advice from one of the free services available in the market such as:

    PayPlan
    National Debt Line
    StepChange Debt Charity


    PMGI Limited, trading as Police Mutual, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England & Wales No. 1073408. Registered office Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 6QS.

    Neyber Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register number 718709. Registered address: First Floor (East), Tabernacle Court, 16-28 Tabernacle Street, London, EC2A 4DD, United Kingdom, Company registered number: 08806631 Data Protection Registration Number: ZA039009.

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey