A pensioner has moved out of his care home and become the UK's oldest first-time buyer after being determined to have his own property to ‘spend his last days in’.
Edward Simon Jones, known to loved ones as Simon, was given the keys to his new bungalow in Flintshire, north Wales, earlier this week. The 86-year-old, who spent years trying to get on the property ladder, finally achieved his dream after purchasing the £147,000 home.
He had spent the majority of his life living on his family's farm before moving into assisted care facility Marleyfield House, where he lived for the last year. But Simon had always dreamed of owning his own home - and is now looking forward to spending the last years of his life in the bungalow, the Mirror reports.
Simon's niece Lynne Palin, who describes him as a 'real character', says he is 'delighted' to finally be able to move into his own place.
She said: "Simon's always maintained that he wants to spend the last years of his life in his own place, and he's absolutely delighted to have the keys to his new bungalow. He has solar panels on the roof and thought that means he'll be getting free electricity."
"He lived on the Bychton Hall family farm in Mostyn for all his life, before moving in to Marleyfield. At Marleyfield he was known as being a real character, and a bit of a ladies' man - so no doubt he'll be missed there.
"The home's cat, Mikey, even slept on his bed every night."
Simon's move comes after the Bank of England increased interest rates from 2.25% to 3% - the largest single increase since 1989 and keeping the base rate at a 14-year high. Interest rates, raised in a bit to try and control soaring inflation, were set at 0.1% just a year ago.
The idea is that by raising interest rates, households will spend less which should cause inflation to drop. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has blamed former Prime Minister Liz Truss and her disastrous economic policies for the financial chaos.
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