North West at risk of leaving a legacy of paperwork chaos

NEW research by OnePoll, commissioned by paperwork and life management app, Fyio, reveals that people are far more aware of their own mortality as a result of the Pandemicyet are at risk of leaving a legacy of paperwork chaos when they die. Hospice UK's Dying Matters Awareness Week, took place over:- 2 May to 6 May 2022, encourages people to talk about dying, but OnePoll's research, of 2,000 people across the UK  between 14 April 2022 and 20 April 2022 showed that people within the North West are reluctant to discuss their administrative affairs in the event of their death. And only 26% are very confident their paperwork is sufficiently ordered to enable loved ones to manage their affairs after they die. 53% of people in the North West have no backup copies of the documents they would want their loved ones to have access to, compared with 47% nationally.

According to Louise Marsh, who worked as a life insurance consultant before founding Fyio:- "The Pandemichas changed our lives in many ways, including our attitude towards paperwork but most of us are not as organised as we could be, and this really matters when someone dies. Death is a certainty but the uncertainty is when it will happen, and the impact on loved ones can be huge if you haven't sufficiently prepared for it. And yet too many of us appear to be delaying or shying away from dealing with something that is a fact of life for us all. The last thing any of us wants is to add to our loved ones' grief by leaving behind a tangle of impenetrable paperwork, lost passwords, and confusion on what to do with social media and online accounts."

The new research also shows that only 14% of people in the North West know that they have only 5 days in which to register a death. Most think that they have up to 10 days (24%) or 21 days (15%), and 30% would not be able to produce all the deceased's documents the Register Office might require when registering a death.

According to Marsh:- "It has never mattered more that our paperwork is in order, and our key documents shared with the people who matter to us. A legacy of paperwork chaos can cause a very particular kind of emotional and financial pain. Equally, taking the time to take control of your paperwork as part of everyday life can deliver real rewards right now. I founded Fyio when my husband left the Army  and said:-that if I died, he would have no idea what to do or where to find important documents and that he needed something that was really, really easy to use. Determined to find a solution, I took an SAS approach to the app focusing on simplicity, accessibility, and security. I knew if I could use it, then anyone could."

According to chartered psychologist, Honey Lancaster-James:- "The uncertainty of the Pandemichas made people want to get their affairs in order, but the build up or 'pre-filing anxiety' acts as a blocker which, more often than not, is completely unnecessary. There are surprising therapeutic benefits that come with sorting and filing, far bigger than the obvious practical ones. It helps us feel psychologically and emotionally prepared for whatever life may throw at us. The digitalisation of modern life has helped us turn a corner. Our paperwork reflects our life and is what connects us with the people we love. Where we may have had suspicions before, Covid has shown us that digital is the way forward."

5 simple steps to paperwork happiness:-

1. Research by Censuswide indicates most people have between 5 and 10 documents they really fear losing and less than two in 10 of us have back up copies. Identify those documents and upload them to a bespoke app.

2. Share key documents with the people you would like to have access to them in the event of an emergency. Do not share sensitive documents by email, which is unsecure.

3. Once your key documents are safely uploaded, deal with paperwork on a daily basis, uploading documents as they come in, setting renewal and reminder dates, and sharing them when necessary.

4. Most people have an overflowing shoebox, drawer, or even an entire room of paperwork doom. Commit to working through this within a manageable, but not timeframe not so long you lose motivation, ideally 4 to 6 weeks.

5. Ensure the people closest to you have copies of the documents that may be required to register your death.

End of life facts for next of kin...

The Government stipulates that deaths have to be registered within 5 days 8 days in Scotland) and the Register Office may require some or all of the following documents belonging to the deceased person:-

►  Birth certificate.

►  Council Tax bill.

►  Driving licence.

►  Marriage or civil partnership certificate.

►  NHS medical card.

►  Passport.

►  Proof of address (eg, utility bill)

It is important to notify all relevant authorities of someone's death. The UK Government's 'Tell us Once' service will inform all relevant departments on your behalf.  
 

Help Merseyrail find their Customer Star

MERSEYRAIL is on the hunt for its customer star and needs your help. As part of their annual Merseyrail Achievement Awards, which celebrate their staff across the organisation, the rail operator is asking its customers to nominate a colleague they feel represents the best of what Merseyrail has to offer to win the Customer Star Award... If a particular member of staff has offered great customer service, impressed you by the way they have done their job, handled a difficult situation well or helped you out in some way; Merseyrail wants to hear from you. Whether it is a member of staff you see every day providing a consistently friendly and helpful service or a 1 off incident where a Merseyrail employee went above and beyond, all nominations are welcome. 

Jane English, People Director at Merseyrail, said:- "Due to Covid19 we have been unable to host our annual Merseyrail Achievement Awards for the last two years. To mark their return, we wanted to do something special to recognise the staff who have worked on the frontline, keeping the City Region moving throughout the Pandemic. This is a great opportunity for our customers to shine a light on those staff members who have made a difference to their journey, supported them with their needs or simply put a smile on their face. I encourage all of our customers to take part and nominate someone they feel deserves this award as we strive to recognise those who go above and beyond."

Nominations can be made by filling out this form:- Merseyrail.Org, and the closing date for nominations is:- Thursday, 30 June 2022. All nominations will be reviewed, and the winner will be announced later this year.