The Collapse of Private Pensions

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According to data published by the Office for National Statistics today, membership of private pensions (as opposed to the National Insurance funded state pension) has hit a new low; just 35% of men and 32% of women aged between 16 and 64 were active members of a private pension in 2011/12.

Membership of Defined Benefit pensions has declined from 46% of employees in 1997 to just 28% in 2012, almost exclusively now in the public sector.

Participation rates of employees varies dramatically between public and private sectors, with 85% of men and 81% of women in the public sector, compared to 36% and 26% respectively in the private sector.

Hargreaves Lansdown comment, Tom McPhail, Head of Pensions Research ‘These figures illustrate dramatically how important it is that auto-enrolment succeeds over the next 5 years. It is vital that nothing is done to jeopardise this project and that everything possible is done to encourage people to stay enrolled in their workplace pensions. Recent calls for reform of pension taxation or for small businesses to be exempt from auto-enrolment should be postponed or ignored until the foundations of a savings culture have been properly laid.’

Separately, the ONS has reported average contribution rates as 19.2% of payroll for Defined Benefits schemes and just 9.4% for Defined Contribution arrangements.

Tom McPhail: ‘The inevitable consequence of this level of pension funding is that millions of people will have to work on into their 70s because they won’t be able to afford to retire earlier. All defined contribution members should be shown what their contributions are likely to buy for them in the way of a retirement income, this pension projection should be updated regularly and members should be encouraged to engage with their retirement planning. 9.4% as an average is simply not enough. Investors should aim to be contributing at least 12% of their income towards their retirement. For a more personal estimate, they should use an online pension calculator.’

Many pension calculators are available on the internet, this is one example http://www.hl.co.uk/pensions/interactive-calculators/pension-calculator

What do you think? Do you have a pension?

Kiss Me First By Lottie Moggach Book Review

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kissmefirstbookreviewSometimes a book comes along that everyone raves about, Kiss Me First is such a book. Every time I read a magazine or a newspaper someone is singing its praises. Of course a book doesn’t tend to get glowing reviews across the board without striking a chord with the people who read it, and for that to happen it has to tell us something about the world we live in, or the human condition.

Kiss Me First does both. Told through the eyes of a vulnerable young women with a computer addiction who loses her mother to MS. Leila is out of tune with the world and spends most of her time on the internet, playing online games or on an ‘intellectual’ forum called Red Pill. She does not relate to other people in their early twenties. Leila ends up taking on the online identity of Tess. A 38-year-old women with mental health issues. Beautiful and reckless Tess wants to disappear and Leila agrees to help after forum owner Adrien tells her she will be doing a noble thing.

I do not want to give too much of the book away but Kiss Me First is a very modern book. It is about social media, our online identities, mental illness, the internet, human relationships. All the things in the modern world which are both good and bad. The book also shows just how out of touch we can be with each other while being constantly plugged in. Leila is out of touch and immature. It leaves her open to being manipulated even if she is not worldly enough to see it.

I loved Kiss Me First. It is a brilliant book and it makes you think. I also found the book uplifting in a way, it shows that a life – a real one, not a virtual one – takes work, but is worth fighting for.

Kiss Me First

 

Easy Money Film Review & Competition

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EASY MONEY WILL BE RELEASED IN CINEMAS NATIONWIDE 19th JULY 2013

Easy Money film

Certificate 15
Running time: 125 minutes

Director: Daniél Espinosa

Cast: Joel Kinnaman, Matias Padin Varela, Dragomir Mrsic

I saw Easy Money at The Hospital Club about a month ago and it is so good it has stayed with me. The film is presented by Martin Scorsese which may be the best stamp of approval a film can get, If anyone knows movies, it is Scorsese. But with backing like that a film really needs to live up to its promise. Easy Money does.

The film is beautifully shot. I really loved the cinematography.The characters also draw you in. Although some of them are not particularity nice people the director Daniél Espinosa shows the human side of everyone. There are no one-dimensional characters. Whether it is the hitman who is a single father or JW, who gets in with the wrong crowd to make money so he can impress a girl. Poor student by day, socialising with the Stockholm elite by night. This film shows there is no such thing as Easy Money as JW bites off more than he can chew after taking a seemingly easy job to fund his lifestyle and impress the upper class girl that he loves.

Joel Kinnaman who plays JW is a revelation. All the actors are good but Kinnaman is brilliant in the lead role and also has the face and charisma of a movie star. I predict big things.

Easy money is based on the book by Jens Lapidus for which the rights have been sold to over 20 countries. Unlike some adaptations, Easy Money is a film which manages to tell the story with both visual impact and  a great script. This cautionary tale is brilliant. Go and see it.

JW (Joel Kinnaman) is a poor student who lives a double life within the wealthy Stockholm elite. He falls in love with an upper class girl and is soon lured into a world of crime. Jorge is a fugitive on the run from the police and the Yugoslavian mafia. His plan; import a massive cargo of coke and then disappear for good. Yugoslavian hitman Mrado is trying hard to find Jorge but his criminal life takes a turn when he is forced to take care of his young daughter. While JW starts a journey into the dark world of organized crime, he brings together the fate of all to a struggle of life and death.

Frost has copies of the Easy Money book by Jens Lapidus to give away. To win just like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter then comment below saying which. Good luck!

 

Making a mess with The Maids – Sydney Theatre Company by David Evan Giles

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Because of the superstar presence of Cate Blanchett, the season of Jean Genet’s ‘The Maids’ has been a sell-out here in Sydney. The radiant Miss B received a standing ovation from her most enthusiastic fans and there was great energy and total commitment in her performance. But, with a weary intake of breath, one has to wonder how this production ever made its way to the stage in its current state of chaos.

The new translation was handled by Blanchett’s husband, Andrew Upton, who is also the artistic director of the Sydney Theatre Company, and Benedict Andrews, the director of the production. Perhaps those dual roles for both men provide a clue as to how on earth this mish-mash ever made it through rehearsals without someone pulling it together. An artistic director with some objectivity and distance would have surely told the assembled cast and crew that Isabelle Huppert, playing opposite Cate Blanchett, was literally incomprehensible as she gabbles her way through speech after speech in her heavily accented English. Let us be clear – it is not merely that Huppert’s accent is very strong but it seems almost as if she has learnt the script phonetically, as there is so little connection between what she says and what she does. The incoherence of her performance is mystifying. Whenever a fine actor like Huppert is lost, then the responsibility must come back to rest with the director. Andrews has failed to help her shape her performance into anything that makes sense, so no matter what Blanchett and the impressive newcomer, Elizabeth Debicki, try in an attempt to bring the play together, they are fighting a losing battle. Their response to the manic bursts of energy from Huppert was to inject more and more energy themselves and they have to be commended for their efforts but ultimately the audience was left a little dazed and confused by a display of what appeared to be mass hysteria.

The use of television cameras to highlight various areas of the play and throw them up on a giant screen upstage of the action is not new. There are moments, especially when Cate Blanchett is putting on make-up at her mistress’s dressing table, where the presence of a camera is effective but for the most part, the camerawork presents poorly framed images that are more distracting than enlightening or engaging. Again, the director might have more usefully focussed his attention on the interplay between the characters than on a gimmick.

The play itself was very largely lost in the confusion. The new translation was sprinkled with so many expletives that they quickly lost their sting. Genet’s rage against class and patronage could perhaps have found resonance with an audience had it not been lost in the maelstrom. The play’s text seethes with menace but where a skillful director might have held his cast back, letting the tension build and the danger increase, Andrews has started the play with all the knobs turned up to ten – and the only place to go from ten is an unsubtle blast of, well, eleven.

A tour has been planned but as much as I would dearly love to see the Sydney Theatre Company thrive and prosper, if it is coming to a town near you, there are many other ways you could spend an evening, perhaps by renting some DVDs to see the excellent cast (Debicki is in ‘The Great Gatsby’) at their best. Overall, this production took some of the best talent in the world and made of it a great bowl of ‘zuppa inglese’. The responsibility lies with the director.

Toulouse City Guide | Travel

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Sometimes it is hard being a writer and editor, especially one with their own magazine. Going to the South of France to review Toulouse was not one of those times. In fact, it is now one of my favourite places in the entire world and I will definitely be returning. The Pink City of Haut-Garonne is called the pink city because of the brickwork of the buildings. It is the 4th largest city in France with 437,000 inhabitants and it is beautiful, dynamic and friendly.

toulouse

We flew with BMI Regional via Birmingham. We also had a great time in the No.1 Traveller lounge at Birmingham Airport before flying to Toulouse Business Class. The flight was incredibly enjoyable and included free food and drink. The service on-board was also great. Our air steward, Michael Love, seemed to know what we wanted before we did and kept us happy with Gin & Tonics and brilliant, yes it is possible, plane food.

BMI Regional plane

Toulouse is the birthplace of Concorde, the Ariane Rocket and the home of Airbus.Toulouse has also had a 100-year love affair with rugby. Stade Toulousain are one of the Northern Hemispheres best teams. 7 million passengers are transported via Toulouse Blagnac Airport every year.

Toulouse has more than 2000 hours of sun a year and more than 1000 restaurants. Sold yet? Whether the answer is yes or no, read on….

We arrived in Toulouse via Toulouse Blagnac Airport, a beautiful and stylish airport and made our way to our hotel, the Citiz Hotel, a modern four star hotel in the heart of Toulouse. It opened in 2010. The hotel has air-conditioning, free wifi and a car park near the hotel entrance. The hotel faces Wilson square and is only a 15 minute drive from Blagnac airport. My hotel room was incredibly stylish, the bed was large and comfy, the bathroom was elegant and the shower powerful. There was a minibar, safe and a flatscreen TV. I also had a balcony and a wardrobe. The hotel also does a great breakfast spread and the staff are very helpful.

Rio Loco, the world music festival that happens every year on the 21st of June to get all of France partying, happened while we were there. We had lots of fun listening to all of the different music and went to bed in the early hours.It was like one huge street party. Definitely recommended.

National Music Day in Toulouse

We went on a walking tour offered by the Toulouse Tourist Board.This was informative and very enjoyable, a great way to see the city. Great things to see include The Capitole (the City Hall), Saint-Sernin Basilica, The Jacobins Convent, The Hotel d’Assezat (built by Nicholas Bachelier for Pierre d’Assezat who made his fortune from Woad, a plant used in dyeing. More of which later), the river Garonne and The Augustins Museum, an amazing fine arts museum with beautiful pieces. It has a lot of 19th century sculptures.

J'GO Toulouse

J’Go, 16 Place Victor Hugo, 31000 Toulouse. Tel: 05 61 23 02 03. They accommodate people regardless of importance and budget and have authentic cuisine from the love of Gascon culture. The fruit and vegetables are grown by farmers in the South West and is in season. They also buy the whole carcass of animals from farmers in their region. The food we had was amazing and a brass band started playing outside while we were eating. The waiter also really knew his stuff.  Check the pictures out here.

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Cite de L’Espace. Avenue Jean Gonord – BP 25855 – 31506 Toulouse cedex 5. This wonderful space adventure theme park is dedicated to space. We went to Mars (Almost), walked on the moon thanks to the Moonrunner (I was six times less than my usual weight, which was great!), and saw a documentary on the Hubble Telescope in their glorious IMAX Big Screen 3D cinema. The theme park covers 5 hectares and receives 270,000 visitor a year, but it should be more, Globally, 50 million Euro has been invested into the Cite de L’Espace and it shows in the quality. They do tours in English in the summer and have had over 4 million visitors.

There is also a 53 meter high Ariane rocket, I am now one of the privileged few to go into Soyuz Vessel, the indestructible Russian spacecraft. There was authentic Moon Rock on loan from NASA which was brought back by astronauts during the Apollo 15 landing, rock from Mars, great photos which show how the earth looks from up close, to outer space, there is also exhibitions, a children’s area, a planetarium, restaurant and lots of experiments to test yourself on. Do not go to Toulouse and not go to the Cite de L’Espace. It is a must visit.

Cite de L’Espace is accessible to disabled people.

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Le Chai Saint-Sauveur, 30 rue Bernard-Mule- 31400 Toulouse. Tel: 05 61 54 27 20

This was a brilliant restaurant with a rustic, country feel. The food was amazing and so were the staff. Highly recommended. See the food here.

Terre de pastel

Terre de Pastel is a museum, boutique, spa and restaurant opened in June 2013 in Toulouse-Labege. The spa is amazing, with lots of different treatments, an idyllic swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath, jacuzzi, herbal tea shop and a gym. The museum is informative, telling the story of the woad plant which is responsible for the pastel, the wonderful blue colour. You will learn about the history of blue, the symbol of blue, traditional applications and all about the woad plant, which grows in a field and looks like a rapeseed field; pretty and yellow. Sandrine Banessy, the owner and also author of books on woad, showed us how the woad dyes fabric. It was incredibly interesting and the woad will continue to dye the fabric blue until the fabric is dry.

The shop at Terre de Pastel made me want to spend all of my euros and go over my luggage allowance. There is a great selection of homeware, cosmetics, food, haberdashery and books. It is almost all blue. There is also a restaurant with great food and wine.

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Le Py-R. 19 descente de la Halle aux Poissons – 31000 Toulouse. Tel: 05 61 25 51 52. Chef Pierre Lambinon has won many awards and it was easy to see why, the food in his small gastronomic restaurant was amazing and unique. Pictures here.

victor hugo marketplace

The Victor Hugo Marketplace. This is the most prestigious marketplace in all of France. It has 5 small restaurants on its upper floor. I bought some great cheese here.

All of the above places are where you should go if you visit Toulouse. It is a wonderful city and everyone I know loves it. Frost loves….

For more pictures check out Toulouse in Instagram Pictures Part 1, 2 and 3.

Get the Toulouse en Liberte City Card at the Tourism Office to get more than 250 discounts on hotels, restaurants, museums, shops and tours.You can also explore by boat.

www.toulouse-tourisme.com

www.toulouse-visit.com

www.tourisme-midi-pyrenees.com

www.uk.toulouse-tourisme.com

Have you ever been to Toulouse? Make recommendations below.

About No.1 Traveller – fast facts

· No.1 Traveller specialises in premium hospitality and provides a complete ‘driveway to runway’ service – smart Chauffeur-driven airport transfers, express train tickets, airport parking, airport meet-and-greet and airport lounges (No.1 Traveller’s own collection, plus associate lounges abroad)

· It works with airlines, businesses and individuals to offer a convenient and comfortable service to take the stress out of going to and through airports – the smart traveller’s choice

· No.1 Traveller can be booked by anyone at www.No1Traveller.com or passengers can make their way to the reception of the airport lounge on the day

Airport lounge: Birmingham

· Opened October 2012; the first of No.1 Traveller’s lounges outside London

· Accessible to all passengers travelling through the airport

· Open daily from 0430hrs – 2030hrs; facilities include a range of seating areas across two levels, fully-tended bar, bistro area serving complimentary hot and cold dishes, complimentary newspapers, magazines and internet access

· Entry £27.50 per adult at reception, for up to three hours access (children £17.50 each), £22.50 if booked in advance (children £15)

BMI regional operates over 450 flights a week throughout the UK and Europe with one way prices starting from £59. bmi regional flies from Aberdeen, Antwerp, Bristol, Bremen, Billund, Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Gothenburg, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Esbjerg, Frankfurt, Hannover, Hamburg, Lyon, Milan, Munich, Norwich, Manchester, Toulouse and Zurich. All flights include complimentary food & drink on-board, free 20kg hold baggage allowance and 30 minute check-in. bmi regional is the world’s most punctual airline having recently been crowned the title for the 8th consecutive year.  For more information, visit www.bmiregional.com.

Plan early to keep holidays on budget says Loveholidays.com

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20130714-132550.jpgTravel and saving money rarely goes together but don’t let that put you off, we got Love Holidays to give us some tips. Recent media stories* have highlighted that holidays are potentially stretching the budgets of the average UK holiday maker by over £200, however loveholidays.com has the answer to keeping budgets in check.

 

The online travel agent suggests there are five easy steps to keeping a budget in check:

 

  1. Book a holiday early and pay for it in instalments
  2. Purchase holiday extras such as transfers or hold luggage at the time of booking
  3. Double check everything you do to ensure your dates, names, departure/arrival airports etc. are correct
  4. Book all-inclusive or half-board accommodation to keep down the cost of dining out
  5. Stay in hotels that are located in the centre of resorts or within easy walking distance of the beach and attractions

 

Alex Francis, MD of loveholidays.com commented: “Blowing your budget is something that really need not occur if holidaymakers are sensible in their planning and purchasing when they book.  It’s all about taking time to carefully select the most appropriate holiday and booking in advance to ensure there is time to plan and organise.

 

loveholidays.com also offers its users a ‘lowest price promise guarantee’ meaning that they are the cheapest option available for breaks to hotels and destinations featured by the company.

*Caxton FX claims: One in five Britons blows their holiday budget, with an average overspend of £211

*Thomas Cooks raised correction fees for airline tickets: £30 each way for any spelling changes made online, up from £20, and £50 over the phone. At the airport the charge is £100.

 

Crush Drums & Percussion Kits Up For UK Debut

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We know a lot of musicians read Frost so we thought we would bring you this article that caught our eye, and look at that drum! We want.

Crush_Acrylic_web_res

Sound Technology Ltd is proud to announce it has been chosen to exclusively distribute Crush Drums and Percussion in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Founded in the USA in March 2010, Crush Drums & Percussion is a young, driven company created by drummers for drummers. In the two years since its official public launch, Crush has built an impressive reputation and established itself as a leading brand in the US stores.

Terry Platt, CEO and Co-founder of Crush commented, “We are truly honoured that Sound Technology will take the lead in growing the Crush family of dealers and drummers in the UK. Sound Technology’s obvious commitment to excellence fully embodies our vision for the types of partners we want representing our instruments. We have many drummers sending us messages through our website and social media sites requesting Crush Drums in the UK. With much appreciation to Sound Technology we are on our way!”

“Crush is a brand that fits well with our strategy,” says David Marshall, Managing Director of Sound Technology Ltd. “It is a quality product, made by people who care about their craft. We are extremely proud to be representing the brand in the UK.”

Prepare to see the Crush product range in UK stores from July onwards. The line includes strictly Limited Edition kits, through to the stunning Sublime Series, and best-selling Chameleon Series.  Drummers already behind the brand include Jay Postones of British band Tesseract – described as ‘fu@@ing immense’ by Kerrang – and Rocky Gray currently of We Are The Fallen and the muscle on the likes of Evanescence’s multi-million selling Fallen.

30% rise in suicidal calls to Mind Infoline

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Sad news from Mind;

Mind, the mental health charity, today expressed alarm as new figures from its national telephone service show a 50% call increase within twelve months. The number of calls rose to over 68,000 in 2012/13[1], from 46,000 in 2011/2012.

 

The Mind Infoline has seen a corresponding shift in the nature of calls, with people presenting more acute and complex problems, many stemming from severe financial worries.  This is reflected in a concerning 30% rise in calls relating to suicide: In 2012/13 there were 1,546 calls from people who had experienced suicidal thoughts, had taken steps to end their own life, or had concerns about a loved one, this was up from the 1,185 contacts received the previous year.

 

In response to the worrying figures, Mind acknowledges the increased need for its services, and urges people not to wait until they hit crisis point before getting in touch. As the charity announces the appointment of a new celebrity ambassador, TV presenter Anna Williamson, it hopes she will help raise crucial awareness through her role to ensure no one has to face a mental health problem alone.

 

Anna Williamson, who this week starts her new summer role offering viewers advice on ITV’s This Morning,  has battled severe anxiety and panic attacks for many years. She now talks openly about her experiences and the vital first step of asking for help. Anna will play a key role as a Mind ambassador, encouraging others to seek support as soon as they need it.

 

Anna Williamson said: “I know just how scary it can be to start the conversation – worrying what friends or colleagues will think. But I also now know that opening up is the key to getting better. Since I first shared my own experiences, I’ve heard from so many others in the same position. It’s easy to forget you’re not alone, that actually 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem every year.

 

“I am passionate about raising awareness and thrilled to be joining Mind as an ambassador. Through my new role I’m determined to let people know its OK to ask for help.”

 

Paul Farmer, CEO for Mind says:

“Today many people face the stark reality of severe financial pressures, be it through employment worries, benefit cuts, increased cost of living, or a lethal combination of all three. It’s therefore no surprise that people need Mind more than ever. We urge anyone who needs our support to pick up the phone and to do it today.   

 

“We know that when people in the public eye speak out, it inspires others to seek help. We are delighted to have Anna Williamson’s support and are confident her honesty and candour will strike a chord with many others across the country and prompt them to get in touch.”

 

The Mindinfoline is a confidential telephone service providing information about mental health diagnosis, treatment, medication, local service provision and advocacy. Open from 9am – 6pm Monday – Friday, calls to the service are charged at a local rate and can be reached on 0300 123 3393.