According to a survey by the owner of the Egg card, only around half of employees in the UK have savings that would cover them for at least 4 months. This is the average time people find themselves between jobs for having been made redundant.
Egg also looked at the amount of money needed to live in the UK today, which works out to GBP1,077 per month, without any luxury purchases included. So four months at this level should be the minimum level of savings held by people in the UK. As stated then half the UK working population would be unable to sustain themselves if they found themselves out of work.
An Egg card spokesman urged people to seriously consider their own situation as finding themselves in a position where they are unable to meet their monthly bills would be disastrous for many families.
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The Alliance and Leicester has just announced a new savings account that pays interest at 9 percent gross per annum. It is a one year fixed rate account open to customers who invest in their Balanced Savings and Investment Plan.
The Balanced Savings and Investment Plan is made up of a portfolio bond and a savings account. The minimum deposit for the bond is GBP5,000 and at least GBP1,000 for the savings account. Before leaping in investors are advised by the Alliance and Leicester that the recommended term for the bond should be at least 5 years, meaning any money placed here should be left alone for a period of time.
An Alliance and Leicester spokesman said the offer combined a mix of short and medium term savings with the potential for excellent returns, much better than a regular savings account.
A new cash ISA has been introduced by the Alliance and Leicester, with an interest rate of six percent per annum and a minimum balance of just one pound.
The Easy ISA as it is called allows the usual maximum amount of GBP3,600 in each tax year, with management through either phone or internet. The offer is open to all consumers whether they are existing Alliance and Leicester customers or completely new to the building society.
The Easy ISA name is very apt and will hopefully bring more savers into ISAs where they have previously been put off. As an Alliance and Leicester spokesperson explained, a cash ISA is just like a normal savings account, the difference being that no tax is paid on the amount saved.
