The debt burden on pensioners in the UK is rising rapidly, with a third in the red because of loans and unpaid credit card bills, according to a survey by Scottish Widow.

Pensioners with outstanding non-mortgage debt owed an average of £7,344 - £612 more than those who took part in the same poll a year ago.

15% of retired people were still paying off their mortgages, with an average debt of £50,100, up from £42,100 a year ago.

The survey also found that some adults were still relying on their elderly parents for financial support, with 7% of retirees paying towards the upkeep of their grown-up children.

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A fifth of young motorists are driving without car insurance, a new report from the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) revealed today.

The MIB, which is funded by the motor insurance industry and pays compensation to those involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, estimates that around 243,000 drivers aged between 17 and 20 are uninsured.

The report found that one in 10 young drivers claim not to know that motorists must purchase car insurance by law. However, this group poses a particular danger on the road, because young people are 4 times more likely that average to be involved in claims.

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Fake injuries, fictitious stolen goods and exaggerated claims for car repairs are all ways in which policyholders attempt to defraud their car insurance provider, according to Admiral Insurance.

The FTSE 100 company is the latest insurer to warn that it has seen a significant increase in fraudulent claims from individuals and criminal gangs in the first half of the year.

David Stevens, Admiral’s chief operating officer, said that the company had received “roughly a third” more suspicious claims during the period than in the first half of 2008. He added that Admiral, which specialises in car insurance, had discovered several instances of false or exaggerated claims such as fake whiplash following minor prangs, as well as policyholders lying about the number of people they were driving in their car at the time of an accident.

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The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has urged British holidaymakers to make sure they are covered by travel insurance to avoid racking up crippling medical bills abroad.

3,146 Britons were hospitalised and 5,659 died abroad between April 2008 and March 2009, in the top 20 countries where British nationals needed help from the FCO.

As a proportion of the number of visitors to a country, British tourists were most likely to be hospitalised in in Thailand, followed by Greece, Egypt and India.

The FCO said that the biggest causes of being hospitalised were drink related incidents, such as falling off a balcony, and moped and motorbike accidents.

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Mortgage approvals by major banks have risen to a 17 month high, according to figures from the British Bankers’ Association.

The BBA said that 38,181 mortgages were approved in July - a rise of 7.4% compared with June and 77% higher than a year ago. The number of loans approved for people buying a home was at its highest since February 2008.

The figures suggest that the rise in mortgage approvals could continue into the autumn. However, the BBA warned that, whilst new lending had increased significantly, it was still down on expectation despite greater demand from borrowers this season.

Banks appeared more willing to lend to potential buyers, with the average amount borrowed standing at £139,700 in July.

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Eat out at a Slug and Lettuce bar this week and cut your food bill by half.

The Slug and Lettuce are offering to slash your food bill in half when you order a meal from one of their bars this week. To take advantage of this offer, all you need do is sign up to their newsletter and you and three friends can dine for half the usual price.

Take a look at the Slug and Lettuce menu, which includes tempting starters such as tempura vegetables and toasted garlic ciabatta strips, hearty mains including Butternut Squash & Goat’s Cheese Lasagne and Steak & Mushroom Pie, and a range of sumptuous deserts.

To benefit, simply sign up to the ‘Slug Club’ newsletter by filling in a few details here. You’ll then be sent a voucher entitling you to 50% off food when you dine at your nearest Slug and Lettuce, up until this Friday (28th August, 2009).

One voucher is sufficient per group of up to four people, over 18s only, subject to availability. Drinks will be charged at full price.

Book in advance and you can enjoy a relaxing stay at an Innkeeper’s Lodge for as little as £29.95.

During August and September, Innkeeper’s Lodge are giving you the chance to stay in one of their comfortable hotels for as little as £29.95 per room per night with their summer saver offer. The offer is available to two adults sharing a twin or double room, or two adults and two children sharing a family room. Breakfast is included.

Click here for more details of participating lodges, and to book your stay online.

It is best to book your room as far in advance as possible in order to take advantage of the cheapest rates.

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Workers are making fewer requests for information about the state of their pensions, suggesting rising confidence in the pensions market, according to consultants Aon.

The number of requests by workers about the current value of their pension savings fell by 17% between the first and second quarter of the year.

However, a spokesman for risk management firm Towers Perrin said that drawing a conclusion of renewed confidence in the pensions market from these initial figures was a “huge leap”.

Aon said that the number of people asking about how much they would receive as a pension based on their current savings plan fell by 9% between April and June compared with the first quarter of 2009. However, this was still a 36% increase on the previous year.

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A High Street bank has announced plans to stock more £5 notes in its cash machines in a pilot scheme to boost numbers.

HSBC said that it would be stocking hundreds of its cash machines in England and Wales with more fivers in a Bank of England trial.

All cash machines in the UK have the capacity to store every denomination of British bank note. However, in the interest of demand and efficiency, the majority give out only £10 and £20 notes.

Whilst £5 notes are popular, these are not generally stocked in cash machines, since they are used so frequently that the average £5 note is in circulation for only a year before becoming too damaged to use. In contrast, the lifespan of a £50 note is usually five years or more. Notes in a cash machine need to be in good condition when they are stacked.

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Mortgage lending is still increasing, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).

Gross lending totalled £16 billion in July, an increase of 26% on the previous month, though still over a third lower than the same period last year.

The last few months have seen a steady rise in mortgage lending, house sales and property prices, after the massive slump caused by the banking crisis. However, the CML warned that the housing market would slow down as the year progresses.

“The CML’s July gross lending estimate of £16 billion is the highest level in nine months and consistent with the rise in house purchase approvals,” said the CML’s economist Paul Samter.

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