SAGA LAUNCHES FREE OVER-50s iPHONE HEALTH APP.

SAGA SERVICES LTD

PRESS RELEASE

September 20, 2011.

SAGA LAUNCHES FREE OVER-50s iPHONE HEALTH APP.

Over-50s lifestyle organisation Saga has launched its first health-related app for iPhones as Health Secretary Andrew Lansley calls for new ideas for health related applications to help people make informed choices.

The new Saga Health App is available to download free from Apple’s iTunes App Store. It contains comprehensive information on medical conditions and health topics, as well as a database of private and NHS hospitals and contact details for a wide range of health specialists.

“Around 15-20% of over-50s use a smartphone, and older people do on occasion experience creaks and conditions that are more prevalent to their age bracket. The app is not intended to be a conclusive self-diagnosis tool, but does contain easy-to-use fact sheets on 180 medical conditions and health topics, providing information on things like symptoms, treatments and support organisations,” said Roger Ramsden, Chief Executive of Saga Services Ltd.

“It is designed to be useful to both Saga Private Medical Insurance policyholders and non-policyholders alike and provides access to free health information 24 hours a day.

“There is a database of more than 450 private and NHS hospitals that can be used by our policyholders and over 20,000 recognised specialists - for example cardiologists, physiotherapists and chiropractors - that can be searched for by specialty.

“Using the device’s in-built GPS, the app will even provide directions of how to find them from the iPhone user’s location.

“If the user is one of our existing PMI (private medical insurance) policyholders, they can even securely start the claims process on the new app, and if they aren’t, then we’ve made it easy for them to contact our team for a quotation.

“Of course, some wily older people might also see an opportunity to gain benefit on other fronts – many of the fact sheets also contain information that might just prove to be advantageous in pub quiz nights where the topic or round turns to medical matters…”

To download the FREE Health app from Saga visit the app store and search for Saga Health, or click here.

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

UK’S FIRST TAX RATES APP LAUNCHES FOR BUSINESS OWNERS & FDs.

HAINES WATTS

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

PRESS RELEASE

April 11, 2011

UK’S FIRST TAX RATES APP LAUNCHES FOR BUSINESS OWNERS & FDs.

A new mobile app has been launched for business owners, FDs and financial controllers, giving instant and continuous access to the latest UK Tax Rates on their iPhones. Download app here

“Time is money – and anything that streamlines accountancy and makes things faster and more efficient is worth embracing. Rather than having to use the internet via a PC to find out relevant tax rates or keep a hard copy tax card to hand, the app will allow access to tax rates anywhere, at any point in time,” said Gary Heywood of Haines Watts, a top 20 firm of Chartered Accountants, which has offices across the UK. Watch video here

“There’s huge demand for our tax rates cards, but there’s both a financial cost and an environmental cost in generating reams of printed versions – so we turned it into an app. The app will initially be available for use on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.” 

The app will be free to download from the app store. It will list a large proportion of UK tax rates, including Income Tax, Car & Fuel Benefits, Corporation Tax, VAT, Capital Gains Tax and National Insurance – amongst others.

The move follows Haines Watts’ look at how it can better serve business owners and finance directors by making information more easily accessible day-to-day.

Samantha Davies, Marketing Manager of Haines Watts, said: “Our partners, who are also business owners, rely on their phones so much now to access information 24/7 as a matter of course - we know that other business owners would be doing the same.  Time is at a premium for business owners and FDs, and this is just a small step in the process of driving efficient and massively more convenient accountancy services.

“No other UK accountancy firm has developed such an app.  At Haines Watts we make sure we give business owners what they want, when they want it – technology is the ideal way to do this.”

Gary Heywood, Partner at Haines Watts, said: “Time is precious for most business owners and FDs, with many working long hours both day and night.  Giving them information at their fingertips whatever time of the day they need it is vital.

“Every year we send out tax cards to our clients and contacts - in recent years we have become less reliant on hard copy material and emailed more.  With access online via our website and now with our new app, we know that this will also have a positive impact on the environment,” said Gary.

Haines Watts sees the new app as only the beginning and will track downloads in the coming months.  The firm will then look to develop onto other platforms in the future.  If this proves to be a success, Haines Watts will invest in further app development to help business owners in their day-to-day business lives.

ENDS

About Haines Watts

Haines Watts is a top-20 firm of Chartered Accountants that specialises in the owner- managed business sector.  Haines Watts has a broad range of services, and more than 80 years experience in working with privately-owned businesses. From accountancy, tax, VAT, financial services, expense control, corporate finance and business advice, the firm has the market understanding and expertise to make a difference to business.

With over 50 offices around the UK, and over 30,000 UK clients, Haines Watts’ aim is to become the premier adviser to the owner-managed business sector. They are able to offer a comprehensive range of national services without losing the personal attention to detail at a local level. This combination makes the Haines Watts offering unique.

For further information contact:

Samantha Davies

National Marketing Manager

Haines Watts, Sterling House,97 Lichfield Street, Tamworth, Staffs, B79 7QF

Tel: 01827 61835

Email: sdavies@hwca.com

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800