Herald - Issue 410

Page 56 • The HERALD • 5th August 2021 v THE HERALD - Proud to be part of your community v ASK A PROFESSIONAL Critical Illness Cover – Concentrate on your Recovery, not your Finances! by Michael Osman, Oyster Financial Planning Everybody wants to feel that, even if they were diagnosed with a critical illness, they’d be able to cope nancially. Critical Illness cover can help minimise the nancial impact on you and your family if you become critically ill. Being diagnosed with a critical illness can a ect anyone at any age, strike at any time and can turn lives upside down. One in two people in the UK will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime, every seven minutes someone will have a heart attack and every 12 minutes someone will have a stroke. Quite startling statistics. Some of the key bene ts of Critical Illness Cover. Focus on getting better In the event of being unable to work due to critical illness, having access to the right amount of money can alleviate some of the nancial stress of the situation and allow you to focus on your recovery. Michael Osman Farming in Protected Landscapes Farming in Protected Landscapes is a grant programme for Farmers and Land Nanagers in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. e programme, developed by Government (Defra) and delivered locally through the New Forest National Park Authority, supports Farmers and Land Managers in carrying out projects that support the natural environment, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide public access opportunities or support nature- friendly, sustainable farm businesses. e programme runs from July 2021 until March 2024. For the rst year of funding, applications must be received no later than 31st January 2022 and works completed by 31st March 2022. For information visit the New Forest NPA website: www.newforestnpa . gov.uk/conservation/protecting-nature/farming-in- protected-landscapes Minimise the financial impact It’s easy to think ‘I’d cope, that’ll never happen to me’ , but most of us know someone either directly or through friends and family that has been a ected. Any of us can become ill at any age – and with appropriate critical illness cover in place, it could help to give some nancial security at a di cult time. Preparing for the worst A er surviving a critical illness, su erers may not be able to return to work straight away (or ever). Preparing for the worst is not something we want to think about when feeling t and healthy. Critical illness cover is designed to pay you a tax-free lump sum on the diagnosis of certain conditions, such as a heart attack and many more. ere are many more bene ts in having a suitable critical illness policy. To discuss these please get in touch with us at Oyster Financial Planning (opposite Lloyds Bank in Hythe).