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SMOKERS STUBBING OUT ON 1 JULY SET TO SAVE £12.5 MILLION A DAY
OVER a 3rd of
the UK’s 10million smokers have resolved to stub out on 1 July,
saving themselves £12.5 million pounds a day – a huge £4.5 billion
over the course of the year, according to new research from Lloyds
TSB Savings.
With the average UK smoker getting through 14 cigarettes a day,
kicking the habit will provide annual savings of £1,336. The 40% of
smokers who currently smoke over 20 cigarettes a day look set to
free up just under £2,000 each year. With a further 28% of
smokers intending to cut down following the smoking ban in July,
there should be plenty of extra cash floating around. However, 29%
of smokers believe they will not notice the extra funds, despite the
fact that cutting down by just 5 cigarettes a day will save over
£450 over the course year.
Matthew Osborn, from Lloyds TSB Savings, comments on the findings:-
‘A quarter of the population admit they have no savings
provisions and not having enough money at the end of the month is
the main reason given. By quitting, the average smoker is
automatically freeing up over £100 every month, so it’s an ideal
opportunity to get into the habit of saving.”
When quizzed on their intentions for newly acquired cash, 24%, of
respondents intends to put their new found funds into a savings
account.
Matthew Osborn continues:- ‘On a daily basis, £3.66 may seem
like a trivial amount, but these small amounts soon add up to a far
more substantial sum. By transferring the amount normally spent on
cigarettes into a savings account, you not only get the motivation
of seeing a nest egg grow, but you will be earning interest too.”
28% of smokers
preparing to curb their habit intend to use the extra cash to treat
themselves to luxury items such as new clothes or ipods. 27% believe
that quitting will provide a better general lifestyle, with more
holidays and evenings out. Travelling is the top intention for one
in ten of those aged over 45.
The findings show that many plan to use the extra finances for more
specific projects. 1 in 10 of those aged 18 – 24 hope to direct
money towards a house deposit, with over 1 in 20, 25 – 34 year olds
using the cash for home improvements such as a new kitchen. Just 6%
of those aged 25 – 34 intend to build a nest egg for their children;
those following these plans could save in excess of £32,500 by the
time a child reaches 16.
Amanda Sandford, of Action on Smoking and Health, commented:-
“Many smokers are in denial about the true cost of their habit and
find it easier not to confront the issue. When spread across a
lifetime, the cost of lighting up is quite staggering and doing
these calculations can be a real wake up call for smokers. Seeing
the money you would normally spend on cigarettes build into a tidy
nest egg can be a huge motivational boost when trying to give up.” |
BUSINESS URGES FRESH EYES ON LEARNING DISABILITIES
LIVERPOOL
based Advantage Healthcare, one of the UK’s leading providers of
health and social care workers is backing Mencap’s Learning
Disabilities Week, which this year aims to highlight the problems
young people have with discrimination and bullying. With up to
an estimated 2.1 million people in the UK having some form of
learning disability, the statistics on verbal and even physical
abuse are alarming.
Melissa Gane, Marketing Manager for Advantage Healthcare says:-
“Although the way society sees people with learning disabilities
has changed significantly, almost a quarter of adults with learning
disabilities have experienced physical abuse and 47% some kind of
verbal abuse or bully. Perhaps the most worrying statistic however
is the fact that 90% of those reported some form of abuse had
occurred in the last year. Many children don’t report bullying or
social exclusion so these figures could in fact be higher.”
She added:- “Quite often its not that people don’t
care, it’s that they don’t realise someone has a learning difficulty
or if they do, there’s an innate sense of fear which takes over.
With the range of learning disabilities that people suffer from
being so diverse, and the fact that the person themselves is not
always aware of their own condition, you begin to see what a complex
area this is.”
With a branch in LIVERPOOL Advantage Healthcare provides support
workers for young people and adults. They have experience in areas
such as autism, challenging behaviour as well as clients who have
acquired brain injuries. Aiming to empower young people by
teaching them the skills to integrate better into the community and
lead independent lives, Advantage support workers help teach
everything from how to handle money and budget through to social
integration and how to obtain professional qualifications such as NVQ’s.
Melissa continued:- “The sad fact is that our carer’s and the
people they look after still face discrimination. We have instances
where they have taken disabled young people to zoos, cinema’s, soft
plays and other parents have removed their children from the area
where our young people are. They have also experienced
discrimination from staff at some venues. Luckily our carers and
support workers are strong willed people who are passionate about
the welfare of the young people they look after and are able to deal
with such situations well.”
Advantage also provides a vital respite service which allows parents
and carers time to relax, recoup, spend time with other children in
the family, and carryout some of the everyday tasks that they can’t
do whilst providing care. Advantage carers also ‘lend an ear’ to
parents or carers who are not able to cope.
Melissa concluded:- “Families of children and young adults
with learning difficulties face a number of obstacles in society,
whether it is social exclusion or the constant pressure of looking
after a child with a learning disability. We would urge everyone
this week to look at learning disabilities with fresh eyes.”
To find out more information about Advantage Healthcare, please call
0800 032 3355 or visit
www.advantagehealthcare.com. |
