Recent content by Dai Corner

Many private sector employers had 'defined benefit' pension schemes back in the day where the employees contributed an agreed amount to the pension fund and received a pre-determined pension and the employer paid whatever the actuaries calculated was needed to keep the funds solvent and able to...

A very good question! The dispute ended up in the House of Lords (then the highest court) and Wikipedia sums it up thus

Equitable Life is an interesting case study. Basically, they promised guaranteed returns to some policyholders and these became unsustainable as the investment returns needed were not achieved. As a mutual company owned by it's policyholders there were no shareholders to turn to to make up the...

Or the surplus on downsizing to a smaller one, of course. Something I suspect more people would do if it wasn't for stamp duty and the assumption that prices would always rise. 1790862512 I'm tempted to say you know you're getting old when you own your home outright.

I worked in the life assurance industry in the 1980s, in a relatively junior technical role rather than sales or management I hasten to add. Originally, endowments were 'non-profit' which guaranteed to pay the sum assured at maturity or on earlier death. Perfect for paying off your...

An ATM inside a bank, to be precise. This was in Newport, a city which still has a good set of bank branches. In many areas the tenner may well have gone ATM, wallet, shop, post office, cash handling centre, ATM and covered tens or hundreds of miles on it's circular journey.

I think if that happened to me in my Local the landlady would give me the pint free in return for giving everyone a good laugh and becoming a standing joke. I've nearly done the opposite and presented my debit card instead of my bus pass and needlessly paid for a journey (tap on, tap off bus).

When you take a detour to the bank on the way to the shops to withdraw cash which the shopkeeper will take back to the bank a few hours later so you can withdraw it the next day and repeat the cycle.

Newport Transport

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/free-bus-travel-247-for-disabled-people-as-prime-minister-takes-further-action-to-ease-cost-of-living

I've found that if the motivation is there people will learn how to use the technology. I gave my 88 year old mother and 91 year old stepfather a tablet computer recently. They already had internet for the sole purpose of her sending and receiving emails on an ancient laptop she refused to...

What could be better than seeing and touching a product in your own home for up to 30 days? Even if you decide not to keep it and have to pay to send it back it's likely to cost less than town centre parking or bus/train fare. As a by-product there are many online 'outlet' retailers where you...

We had 'printed catalogues and mail order; same principle but more primitive technology. Argos' innovation was to bring the warehouse closer to the consumer which gave them a speed advantage over the likes of Littlewood and Kays and, back then, a range, convenience and price advantage over...

I don't know whether that pun was deliberate or not but it's brilliant and I'm going to nick it :lol: :lol:

Many Cardiff buses go through the grounds of the University Hospital of Wales or Llandough Hospital, if they count. Newport Transport C4 enters Beachley Barracks near Chepstow, which is a 'Prohibited Place within the meaning of the Official Secrets Act" according to the sign at the entrance. I...