Bank accounts for elderly people; Pub and restaurant smoking ban

Available for over a year

A leading banking commentator has told You & Yours that the industry needs to completely re-think how it protects its elderly and vulnerable customers from fraud. One listener tells us that his elderly parents were tricked into spending £200,000 on worthless investments. He doesn't want Power of Attorney over their affairs but says the bank should be prepared to inform him if his parents make an unusually large transaction, so he can discuss it with them. The banks say they have to tread a balance between respecting people's privacy and protecting them from fraud. We ask if Britain's banks could be more flexible in the services they offer to their older customers. It's about ten years since smoking was banned in enclosed workplaces. Scotland was first in 2006 with the rest of the UK following suit in 2007. It meant big changes for pubs and restaurants and many predicted they would lose business or even close. A decade later, we ask what has changed. Did businesses close? What was the effect on public health? You & Yours has learned that parts of the NHS are now delaying surgery for patients who are overweight or smoke. So-called "lifestyle thresholds" are being used by NHS commissioners in some areas to delay surgery for hip and knee replacements. People are encouraged to lose weight or to stop smoking before being treated. The Royal College of Surgeons has told You & Yours that rationing of NHS services in this way is not clinically justified. We examine the arguments for and against. Producer: Jonathan Hallewell Presenter: Peter White.