James Walker: Be a good neighbour whatever the weather

Con artists target older people disproportionately for push payment fraud and its many variations. Picture: John Devlin

I popped round to check on a few such folk who live locally last week, making sure they had heating and groceries. Then it struck me that these were the very people who need extra help and advice when it comes to their finances. Here are some tips I gave them – which you should be sharing as well, in the spirit of neighbourliness.

◆ Beating the scammers. Con artists target older people disproportionately for “push payment” fraud and its many variations. Take a little time to warn the people you know about how these scams work. Remember the golden rule: no business should ever contact you and ask for personal details or passwords – and you should never, ever transfer money to an account because a stranger “in authority” asks you to do so.

◆ A tax on loyalty. I’ve written a lot about “loyalty tax”, where businesses such as insurance companies or broadband providers increase your bills each month. Again, the worst examples I’ve seen have all involved pensioners who stayed loyal to businesses and ended up paying hundreds – and in some cases thousands – more than their neighbours. Talking about money and personal spending with friends and neighbours is never easy. But why not frame the conversation around savings rather than asking about what people are personally paying, and offer to help?

◆ Switching. Research has indicated that older people are more likely to be stuck on fixed tariff energy bills (the most expensive ones). Winter and heating bills are some of the leading concerns expressed by older people, so now is a good time to see  if you can help get a better deal for an older friend or relative.

◆ Complaints. We Brits aren’t that big on complaining. However, when you get talking to a friend or neighbour, it’s usually clear that there are some niggles that might actually be having a very real impact on their lives. So why not help them make a complaint? It’s dead easy and it can provide some very real support to those who need it. The same goes for making claims on things like PPI or refund requests.

◆ Emergencies. Older people, or those dealing with a significant medical condition, should have people from the council or health services visiting their properties. Where you can, why not introduce yourself and find out what they suggest should there be an emergency? It’s not always practical for people to use a mobile phone, but they may have alarms or other ways to request help in emergencies. Some support services recommend key drop boxes so carers can access the property regularly or if there’s a problem. Having access to a code to the key box is more practical than having a set of keys, as you can pass on the code to emergency services if you’re not at home (once you’ve confirmed their identity).

Taking a little time to help people at this time of year is much easier than you might think. Together, we can make society a little better, a step at a time. So speak up and seek out those who might be struggling. You won’t regret it.

James Walker is the founder of online complaint-resolution service Resolver.co.uk