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The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 16th June

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Comments (435)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Tarmohamed says:

    Not points related, anyone have any experience of chiropractic back adjustment for sciatica? Any recommendations on chiropractors who won’t charge an arm and a leg ?

    • Erico1875 says:

      I got an Actipatch from amazon. I had 2 bulged discs. Cured over a weekend.

    • Wollhouse says:

      Would suggest you also look at acupuncture and a strong sport massage (it will NOT be pleasant,,) as well as google stretches for your IT band and psoas. Sciatica is often repetitive and your movement patterns may be contributing, and need correcting. Yoga can be extremely helpful. Unless you’re very lucky, you’ll have to add some ongoing stretching to your life! Sciatica can be excruciating so hope you’re sorted soon.

      • Tarmohamed says:

        I’ve had acupuncture before and I did enjoy it. Perhaps I’ll go for it again. Didn’t know it helped with sciatica.

    • Anna says:

      I suffered from sciatica for years in my 30s, probably aggravated by my job. I was advised to work on strengthening specific back and stomach muscles (apparently these support by supporting your back) and it seemed to do the trick as I’ve only had a couple of brief flare ups in the 15 – 20 years since then.

    • AnotherUser says:

      Seeing a private physio will often be cheaper than a chiropractor. There’s better evidence supporting it, too

    • Nick says:

      If you are in the London area, Camilla at Sheen Road Chiropractic is brilliant. Sorted all my problems http://www.sheenroadchiropractic.com

    • Sandra B says:

      Don’t know where you live so can’t recommend but Chiropractic is the only way for me. Any worth their salt will refer you to another doctor if they think it will be productive or they find a “red flag”.

    • Aston100 says:

      Where do you live?
      We’ve had experience of getting Sciatica treated through a combination of private health cover and a Chiropractor. Would have been quite expensive otherwise.

      • Tarmohamed says:

        Unfortunately don’t have health insurance as “didn’t think I’d need it” – I’m only 25 🙁 – Based between London and Bedfordshire.

    • Eugene says:

      As someone who worked at a desk for 15 years and spent loads on Chiro and osteopathy, I can recommend the yoga position known as “pigeon” as the best cheapest and most effective cure; that and not spending my days staring at screens

      • Wollhouse says:

        Agree. And if this is inaccessible to you, google figure 4 stretch, but don’t do it in the middle of the room. As I suspect you are tight, you’ll simply struggle to reach your thigh and will end up taking the stretch from your outer hip into the lower back which isn’t what you need. Instead, go to a wall, sit sideways to it and then lie down so that your bum is as close to the wall as possible, both legs up the wall. Then bend one leg and cross that ankle over the other leg, FLEX the bent leg foot (to protect the knee, this is supposed to be a hip stretch!) gentle encourage the bent knee leg towards the wall as you slowly attempt to bend the straight leg keeping the foot on the wall. You may not be able to go very far, that’s ok – Don’t force and don’t push directly against the knee, hand against the thigh. Go slowly, use the breath to release and deepen into the pose. This is a great stretch for pretty much all of us 🙂

    • COLIN GRAHAM says:

      I had Sciatica for years. It was not pleasant at all.
      I realise you may not be in Northern Ireland but if you are then try
      https://www.neurospinology.today/ in Comber.
      He has helped many people including me to solve this problem

    • Tarmohamed says:

      Thank you for everyone who has commented. I’ll be taking a look at recommendations and advise. I’m based between London and Bedfordshire.

  • K says:

    Not sure what part of the country you live in. But here is one that has fixed a lifetime of my back pains https://www.cionewellnesscentre.com/

  • Chris says:

    Any chance Boris will start to accept vaccines to stop the 10 day isolation? Trying to fly to UK for holiday in Scotland.

    • TimM says:

      I believe the UK travel advice will be updated a week tomorrow (24th June) and come into effect the following Monday. There is political pressure both ways as to whether to treat those double-vaccinated differently.

      • John says:

        I do ever so hope the principle of reciprocity is kept in mind

        • Chris says:

          Yes I’m based in Austria now. So have no issue visiting rest of EU as double vaccinated. Would be good to have same rules. But Boris supporters want him to build a wall across the Chanel

          • Algor says:

            Boris is not alone, Labor has the same if not worse views on travel opening up.

        • Blenz101 says:

          It would be nicer still if politics was kept out of it and they made decisions based on the data available and level of risk.

          The current system is a complete nonsense. Forcing U.K. citizens by law to quarantine (and in some cases institutionalised quarantine) when they are returning to their home country from destinations with far lower cases than currently present in the U.K. is not in the least bit logical.

    • Anthony says:

      It will not happen until every adult in the UK has been offered their jab

      • Blenz101 says:

        Swiftly followed a new goalpost to offer a jab to all secondary school pupils before the start of a new term.

        Then primary age pupils will be identified as a vector.

        Then booster shots for the vulnerable before the winter.

        Perhaps the Nepal variant will return….

        • Craig says:

          Or as reported recently, the Moscow variant which is causing a surge in cases in Russia. I’m expecting Russia to go on the red list in August!

          • James Vickers says:

            Baffling to me that the US has never banned travel from Russia they’ve had consistently high cases during the pandemic and probably underreported

        • Brighton Belle says:

          It’s the Narnia variant that will dodge the vaccine putting us all in continuous lockdown.

        • paul says:

          Schools have been approached and asked to plan for entire student body to be given both a flu vaccine in the Autumn term along with the Covid -19 first jab. The second jab will then be in Spring term – post Christmas. There must be 7 days between flu and ovid and 8-12 weeks between Jab 1 and jab 2 for covid.
          This is in addition to all the other vaccinations that take place in schools.
          So unless there is yet another change of heart, change to guidance, change of underwear there is no plan to vaccinate secondary students before schools reopen in September.
          A local school to me is seeing infections rise and among kids as young as 8. This is far from over.

      • Yuff says:

        Which I believe is July 19th

    • LS says:

      I imagine we will eventually see two travel lists: one for those vaccinated, and one for those unvaccinated. The vaccinated one will have more on the green list.
      This seems a little way off at the moment though.

      • Crafty says:

        Hopefully not until such time as this is no longer obvious further age discrimination.

      • Anna says:

        But this is exactly what is happening in most European countries – vaccinated people are now not subject to the same entry rules/testing regime as the non-vaccinated. This seems to have completely bypassed a lot of people here!

    • Michael C says:

      Isle of Man Government votes today to end all restrictions for 2-vacs as from 28 June.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        From the CTA not everywhere ..

        You are already free to travel within Wales Scotland England without testing or proof of vaccines.

        • Anna says:

          Unless you live in a Delta hotspot …

          • TGLoyalty says:

            I don’t know sturgeons latest nonsense but it’s unenforceable in reality.

          • Anna says:

            It is rather nonsensical. A group of kids in my son’s year at school are taking a Geography trip to the isle of Arran next week (however advisable or otherwise that may be just now!). Some of them undoubtedly live in Covid hotspots, but I’m guessing that it will be classed as education and therefore legal!

        • Michael C says:

          Sorry, meant for arrival on the Island.
          Currently tests on days 2 and 6.

          • bill says:

            Good news for me. I have travel booked from IOM to UK 25-28 June and 1-5 July. No teting or quarantine required sinc eI am double jabbed. Not only that but the NHS app should be working soon for island residents

        • Dave says:

          But you can’t travel to Scotland on a UK only cruise…

          • paul says:

            Scotland, like England has its own rules. There has been specific advice on this from the English Government for many months and it is entirely a matter for the cruise companies and their guests to ensure that they both comply and are aware of the regulations.
            It is no different to the rules Wales rightly imposed earlier in the crisis.

          • TGLoyalty says:

            You can’t travel to Scotland on any cruise.

    • Harry T says:

      The UK government won’t let vaccinated citizens have different travel rights, restrictions and quarantine requirements than the rest of the population. It’s political suicide in the UK due to being unfair and essentially discriminatory. They’ve already done enough to infuriate the younger generations. The problem would be compounded by the non evidence based 12 week break between Pfizer and Moderna jabs, which means that the youngest adults (under 40) won’t be fully vaccinated until September/October.

      • Paul says:

        Exactly this. Younger people have put their lives on hold for the older generation and let them had vaccines first. If older people are also given the benefit of holidays as well, that would go down very badly (whilst not young, I still won’t be double vaccinated +2 weeks until late august)

        • Harry T says:

          I agree! I’m 30 and have had both jobs due to my job, so I feel that I am well placed to say what is fair, as I would also benefit under a change in policy to allow more freedoms for fully vaccinated folks. I think some older people in this country want to have their cake and eat it this summer.

          • Andrew says:

            Absolutely! The baby boomers really do want it both ways, sitting there spending their giant pensions and enjoying all their freedoms. There does however seem to be a bit of a change in tone with the government now mandating vaccines for care home workers, so perhaps they are running out of patience with the vaccine hesitant crowd and more freedoms for vaccinated people could help with that fight.

          • ash says:

            The younger generation will always pay the price for keeping the country safe, they have in the past, they will in the future. When haven’t they? Its just these day you think you are to good for it.

        • Anna says:

          This incessant whining is baffling. I don’t begrudge in the slightest “putting my life on hold” for people older than me – this attitude towards your parents and grandparents is really quite depressing.
          The criteria was vulnerability, not age per se, so I’m not sure how you can justify this attitude that older people have caused you so much inconvenience and suffering.

          • TGLoyalty says:

            Because the old were by far the most at risk look at the actual stats on deaths. Far more likely in over 70’s and pretty much non existent for under 45’s. And severe Illness far and away most likely for over 60’s again

            Please don’t give examples of your 20 year old friend as I’m talking probabilities and % of that age group with a positive test that then end up in hospital. Not isolated cases.

            You now have to wait it out until the kids are vaccinated. I’be had my second over a month ago so any rule change would benefit me anyway.

          • PMG says:

            My experience (as 26 year old) is that young people were/are happy to protect parents/grandparents/older generation.
            However, if that exact demographic now are able to do things (e.g. holiday) that we cannot do then it becomes an issue, at least in my eyes.

          • Chris says:

            Anna, if you really want to know who will pay the price for this, wait a few months/years and see which taxes rise and which benefits are cut to reduce the national debt.
            I am willing to bet my house that the state pension will not be cut/frozen. The younger generations have paid the price of freedom to protect the elderly and I bet they pay the financial price too.

          • Optimus Prime says:

            If the criteria was vulnerability, people with cancer should’ve been in group 1 instead of 4.

          • ash says:

            This is a lot of younger people of today. Terrible attitude in general. They think everyone older than them has had it so easy and is rolling in money. And despite their alleged intelligence they forget they will one day be old!!

          • BLG says:

            “The younger generations have paid the price of freedom to protect the elderly and I bet they pay the financial price too.”

            We still have some true heros around who gave up years of their life to protect the future generations yet these selfish young B@$????? think they have suffered. #entitled generation

        • BuildBackBetter says:

          “Younger people protected the old”.
          Joke of the day.
          If the youth hadn’t been partying and meeting friends, we wouldn’t have lost 130k lives.

          • Andrew says:

            “If the youth hadn’t been partying and meeting friends, we wouldn’t have lost 130k lives”
            Joke of the day.

          • Yorkshire rich says:

            Oh, please

          • TGLoyalty says:

            If the vast majority of them DIDNT party it would have been far more than 140k

          • Super Secret Stuff says:

            Are you serious?! Should we have seen what happened if we just carried on as normal?

            Also, that is such a small minority that gets massively reported on in the media compared to a massive volume of older people I have seen first hand that quite simply didn’t give a monkey’s about the rules until they or there friend ended up in ICU or the morgue…

          • Doug M says:

            Stupid people are stupid at any age.

          • Rob says:

            Stereotypical nonsense. Why not criticise, say, Jewish groups for allowing large scale weddings, or indeed the ‘great and the good’ who spent lockdown weekends at big house parties in the country (where my wife’s beautician was paid to work)? What did the under 30’s do to annoy you?

        • Yorkieflyer says:

          How sad (ironic)

          • Yorkieflyer says:

            Answer to the younger moaners

          • Rhys says:

            I don’t think that’s very fair. Young people have given up 18 months of the most formative years of their life for measures that will have fewer benefits for their age group.

      • Ken says:

        100% agree.

        There will be the added complication in the autumn of whether booster vaccinations are needed, when and to which groups.

        Will an 80 year old who was in the first wave of vaccinations then have more risk than a healthy 20 year old who could well have antibodies?

        • Anna says:

          The answer to that then is to do what other countries are doing and accept recent proof of antibodies as immunity.

      • N says:

        I disagree – it’s completely palatable politicallly, as it caters towards their core voter. Tories couldn’t care less about the <30s

        • Yorkieflyer says:

          Young folk who don’t vote only have themselves to blame if they don’t like the result, Brexit and Boris spring to mind

      • Ukgeorge says:

        Maybe, maybe not, It’s up to the host country to set it’s entry requirements. Quarantine on return should be based on the facts, IF there is no scientific basis for making vaccinated/previously infected people quarantine then it benefits no one. As far as testing is concerned it’s the cost that is the issue. Perhaps if everyone paid a levy on their flight ticket and those which are not fully vaccinated yet got a ‘free’ COVID test that might even things up a bit.

      • Yorkieflyer says:

        Talking of selfishness, Younger people, specifically those not yet double jabbed have years of travel ahead of them whereas my 91 year old father would love to take a trip somewhere. As he says, he’s not sure he’d be well enough next year. I won’t say more because some folk are frankly making me pretty angry

        • TGLoyalty says:

          He can still go wherever he wants that will let him in. Just pay for the tests and do the quarantine on the way back.

        • Tariq says:

          Let me make you even angrier then – he’s had his life, let others have theirs now.

      • kitten says:

        @Harry T what is medically the best gap for Pfizer?

    • Harry T says:

      I think that’s a fair comment from PMG.

      • Yuff says:

        Would single jabbed 20 year olds need protection of the double jab.
        Surely the idea should be to open up society in the quickest safest possible way. The reason for delaying 4 weeks was to be able to protect more younger people and give them some protection. When that is done it is up to their countries what protection they require to enter those countries.
        It is unfair to penalise the younger population when there is nothing they could have done differently due to the risk to the older population.
        It is about striking a balance which I suspect is not easy ……but one needs to be found quite quickly

        • Blenz101 says:

          I think there is zero chance of clear direction and leadership suddenly happening.

          If the U.K. had set out a clear vaccine passport scheme applicable to all nations either based on jabs, PCR or antibodies (so age / medial reasons can be overcome) and green lit all counties with comparable testing that have cases lower than the U.K. with prior PCR testing required to return then everyone would be better off.

      • Super Secret Stuff says:

        Completely agree Harry T. I have my second vaccine booked for next week after arguing very hard with my doctor for my first one (nearly blind, no depth perception so cannot social distance! and live with 2 extremely vulnerable people)

        You cannot give extra restrictions on those who have often sacrificed a lot. Or put another way, you can’t give a free pass to the people we have just sacrificed our jobs, social life and future prosperity for without giving it to everyone. After there would be a lot more deaths if we had told them to just stay at home 24/7 and they’d have sacrificed as much as us

        • Super Secret Stuff says:

          I am 22 for context…

        • Harry T says:

          Great comment, SSS. Sorry to hear about your health challenges. Glad you will be fully vaccinated soon.

          • Super Secret Stuff says:

            Thank you. Both me and the people I live with were born with our conditions, doesn’t bother us anymore. However don’t get me started on the treatment of disabled people during Covid… I could write a 5,000 essay on it lol

        • Yorkieflyer says:

          Lots of the vulnerable were told to stay at home 24/7 , shielding.

          • TGLoyalty says:

            For their own good!

          • Super Secret Stuff says:

            Yes there were, many of them then ignored from the vacine priority lists. Learning disabilities, visual impairments, neurological conditions etc.

        • ash says:

          Do you not think some of the older generation sacrificed something for you in the past?

          tut tut very very short memory!

          some people lost their lives for you!!!

          • BLG says:

            Imagine asking this 18-30 lot to take up arms.

          • Super Secret Stuff says:

            @ash the difference being we treated those people as hero’s, all the younger people are being penalised for things the majority of them didn’t do. You’ve made a totally unfair and unjust comparison.

            @BLG the world has changed, its fought with technology, information and cyber attacks now. Very rarely is it boots and bullets. You can read the goverments recent defence reviee if you wish. The current generation are taking up arms, you just don’t see it

          • John says:

            If you’re talking about WW2 99.9% of people who fought were already dead.

          • Tariq says:

            It’s an absolute travesty that people gave up their lives for our country to be free, and then for the bedwetters to give away that freedom to this tyrannical government.

          • Ash says:

            ” difference being we treated those people as hero’s” no your not. Totally fair comparison.

            No, im not only talking about world war 2 BUT don’t you thinnlk some of your 99% had children? Don’t you think they stuffed?!

            A lot more has happened in defence of this country since world war 2. I suggest a history book for you youngster..

            And i have not had both jabs, im not old enough until recently to get the 1st one. And i am sure i have suffer so terribly a few more months without a holiday abroad or years if needed. Its hardly a major thing!

            So many young people crying they cant go on holiday to places they cry they can’t afford to go? How does that work?

      • Andrew says:

        Totally agree with PMG too – exactly that.

  • Billdub says:

    Looking for some guidance re Barclays Premier Avoid Rewards… I already have an account with them – if I close this and return in 4 months time, will I be eligible for the 25k bonus? Seems conflicting views in earlier articles. Thanks

    • Patrick Cold says:

      I switched out from mine, then switched back a month later and received the 25k bonus.

  • Pete M says:

    Morning all! Do people have experience of whether BA will check luggage through on separate tickets? Say BER-LHR-MEX, with the long-haul booked separately to use a 241.

    • Blenz101 says:

      They will not do this. Against BA policy.

      It is of course technically possible and the agent may be super helpful but certainly don’t count on it.

      • Sam G says:

        Almost zero chance

        Their system called Fly does occasionally seem to find and link up itineraries and then the agent could do it, but they have no discretion. Assume you have to collect and recheck and be pleasantly surprised if not

        • Pete M says:

          Thank you both! It’s particularly annoying at the moment with only one flight from BER to LHR a day, which only leaves 1:55 at T5 to make the change. Probably not worth the risk with passport control, luggage, etc…

  • Chang says:

    Redeemed ANA First Class London-Tokyo for next May so fingers crossed things open up by then! Did it using Virgin points (60k and £265) and through WhatsApp which was super efficient (much better than call center which I tried calling in yesterday but was on hold for over an hour and gave up). Hope other places start using customer service through WhatsApp as well!

    • Memesweeper says:

      Nice work Chang. Hope you make it! One seat or more?

      • Chang says:

        Just one seat heh (glad to have scored it on the date I wanted)

    • Optimus Prime says:

      Well done!! Where did you look for availability? At ANA’s website?

      • Chang says:

        I used United to see the space – then used Virgin WhatsApp to contact them (Very smooth process – Virgin is one day or a few days later then United I believe in terms of being able to access their inventory)

    • The Streets says:

      Thanks Chang for the reminder! Just nabbed a seat for next May too

    • Reney says:

      Just one way?

      • Chang says:

        Yup snagged the one way first – then will look for the redeem using JAL probably

    • VickyTM says:

      I’m not convinced on Virgin’s Wassap customer service. I contacted them with an issue on there, after waiting 3 days for them to reply to my message they replied at approx 4.30 am and 3 mins later sent a second text saying that as they had not heard back from me, they assumed the issue was resolved…

  • Crafty says:

    Totally off the topic, but has anyone ever tried to pursue a landlord to get some rent back on grounds of a house not being fully useable/as advertised?

    We had 1 bedroom (of 5) out of action for 2 months due to flood damage and a very slow acting landlord (who blamed the insurance company). Raised it repeatedly at the time and invited the landlord to adjust rent accordingly, assuming they’d do the right thing, but they have refused to.

    We didn’t pursue it further at the time because we were in a vulnerable position (rolling contract, kids, tortuous house purchase process, nowhere else to go), but now that the tenancy has ended, I am determined to pursue it if there’s a relevant route.

    • Brighton Belle says:

      What do you think is your £ loss? Is it really worth the aggravation? Having been a landlord in this situation I can assure you it is hard getting insurance and contractors to act with the speed tenants demand. It was the event that prompted me to sell up so the lease was ended ( and the tenant moved to a nicer country location)

      • Ken says:

        Always ‘hard’ getting contractors when you’re not the one inconvenienced.
        Any reasonable landlord would have made a compensatory offer.

        I can’t imagine it’s much aggravation- it’s less than an afternoons effort for I’d imagine £600 + for abatement only.
        On the face of it , it would seem impossible for the landlord to offer any defence. Bedroom was either unusable or not.

        People are putting more time into saving £25 on shop small.

    • Ken says:

      You should be able to claim for abatement (1 bed of 5, so let’s say 20% of rent for 2 months) and inconvenience (obviously more subjective).

      Citizens Advice, Shelter and Which are all good for this.

      You can use a mediation service but if can go straight to MCOL.

      Gather all evidence (photos, timescales, correspondence) get a figure that you think is reasonable, write to landlord stating your claim and give them 14 days to respond.

    • AJA says:

      @Crafty Is the rent for the house as a whole or charged per bedroom? Where did the person(s) who normally sleep in bedroom 5 sleep for the 2 months the room was unusable?

      2 months to repair flood damage seems pretty quick, it can take that long just to dry out.

      I think it’s unfortunate but unless you can actually prove that you incurred expense such as a hotel for the time the room was unusable not sure what you can do other than follow Ken’s suggestion. That said do you really want to pursue your landlord for this?

      I believe the landlord when he says the insurer took ages. I have an ongoing insurance claim following a water leak from.the flat above into mine which happened last September , basically ruined my kitchen meaning I need to replace it entirely I finally got insurance approval to commence repairs 2 weeks ago! Contractors can’t start until July due to other workload.

      • Crafty says:

        Thanks for all these comments and sorry for the delay. Yes, I do want to pursue them – wouldn’t have, but they’ve made silly deposit deductions, so it seems only fair. I’ll look into abatement, many thanks.

  • Tracey says:

    Booking vaccines.
    England only.
    Anyone can now book their second jab online with an 8 week gap from their first. Previously those under 40 were being offered an 11 week gap, this is now reduced to 8 weeks. Increase the distance you are prepared to travel if centres aren’t showing. Many more centres are offering Pfizer soon, so should be easier to find somewhere.
    Anyone who will be 23 by 1 July can book their first and second jabs online.

    • Sam G says:

      thanks Tracey. I could see some appts a month earlier but an hour away so I’m sticking with my planned centre, but did seem to have more choice of appointments than originally so have got myself & my partner booked together at a better time for us rather than 2 seperate middle of the day trips

      • M says:

        Thanks Tracey, could you please post a link to some NHS/news website that says this if you have any?

        Just tried googling but could only find over 40 in England 😢

        • M says:

          If anyone in England is still wondering I gambled and was able to move my appointment forward, I am in my early thirties.

        • Tracey says:

          BBC news is usually up to date.
          I work in a vaccine centre, so often hear advance information.

    • PMG says:

      Just worked for me – as a 26 year old managed to cancel my initial appointment on 1st September and re-booked for 9th August 🙂

    • Sandra says:

      Our son who won’t be 23 until February 2022 was texted this morning to book and is having his first vaccine this Sunday with the second booked in mid August. So it seems as though they’ve either opened up more spaces or there’s an IT glitch with the age limit. He had no problem booking the first at a centre near home and the second near his university accommodation.

      • Tracey says:

        I’m guessing the text was from his GP surgery rather than the national booking service. There is often a little bit more leeway for GP clinic bookings.

    • Anuj says:

      It’s now been moved further down to 21 year olds

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