By Trevor Hughes……
New UK Coins
Although UK loose change cannot be used in the TRNC, expats are warned to spend, or bank all their round pound coins before October this year, when they will cease to be legal tender. The coins will be phased out from March 28th, when the new 12-sided £1 coin hits the streets in the UK.
About £1.3 billion worth of coins are stored in jars up and down the UK and 
the current £1 coin accounts for nearly a third of that. Households must ‘copper up’ and either spend or deposit them before 15 October or lose out.
There have been concerns about round pounds being vulnerable to sophisticated counterfeiters. Around one in every 30 £1 coins in people’s change in recent years has been fake.
The new £1 coin, which resembles the old threepenny bit (for those who remember them), has been hailed as ‘the most secure coin in the world’, with features including a hologram.
Some of the round £1 coins returned by the public will be melted down and re-used to make the new £1 coin. Announcing the date when the new coin will enter circulation, Chief Secretary to the UK Treasury, David Gauke said: “March 28 should be an important date in everybody’s calendar this year – as we will have a new quid on the block” this is a historic moment as it’s the first time we’ve introduced a new £1 coin since 1983, and this one will be harder to counterfeit than ever before”.
The message is clear: if you have a round one pound coin sitting at home or in your wallet, you need to spend it or return it to your UK bank before October 15th 2017.
TRNC Driving Licences
Rules for applying for a TRNC driving licence for the first time has changed. If you are over 60 years old and applying for a full TRNC driving licence for the first time, you do not need a temp
orary residence stamp in your passport,
As before. the documents you need to take with you when applying at the office in Lefkosa is a completed application form, your UK driving licence and a letter from your local Muhtar (which must not be older than one month from the date entered) two photographs of yourself, the current fee and your passport. After one month, you can return to the office and collect your licence. Your first application can only be for a period of one year, thereafter renewals can be for periods of either 2 3 5 or 10 years in duration and can be renewed at your local taxation office.
For those of you who are under 60 years of age the rules remain unchanged and you cannot apply for a TRNC driving licence unless you have a temporary residence stamp in your passport.
Top Tip of the month
If you are leaving your home for a couple of days or much longer, upon return how do you know if the food in your freezer has suffered from a power cut and 
the food has defrosted and then frozen again?
Well here is a very simple trick. take a small receptacle and freeze some water in it. When frozen, place a small coin on top of the ice and place it in your food freezer. When you return, look to see if the coin has dropped to the bottom of the receptacle, Even if the water has been re-frozen, you will know that at some time whilst you were away, your food had defrosted and then frozen again, making your food a potential health hazard. If the coin is still on the surface of the receptacle then your food has remained frozen all the time you were away and is not a potential health threat.
Simple Ain’t It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Renewing your UK passport from the TRNC.
You can now make a successful UK Passport application when overseas without the need to purchase two photographs of yourself.
Photographs snapped on your mobile phone can now be used for passport applications, taken from a distance of 1.5 meters. but unfortunately, Selfies will not qualify!
All the traditional rules for passport photos will still apply, so keep a straight face in your snap, because smiling is still not allowed. The UK government has started to introduce passports that will no longer include the holders signature in digital format.
Two New Products From Dağli Sigorta
Travel Insurance. You can now purchase worldwide travel insurance from Dağli Sigorta for all people up to the age of 80 years.
Unlike the majority of other insurance outlets, our insurance products starts 
the moment your plane leaves for take off!!!! Not only this, cover is extremely competitive and covers you in circumstances that some other company polices do not.
Health Insurance. Insurance to cover you in an emergency situation has never been better value than ever before. Satisfied customers are pleasantly surprised with their cover with little extra cost. Why not go to our office in Karaoğlanoğlu and find out for yourself?
Car Insurance Policies
The governing body who is charged with overseeing high standards and consistency across the insurance industry here in the TRNC, have now decreed, insurance for named drivers can only have tw
o named drivers written on the policy, this includes the vehicle owners name.
This has come about because some people have had up to six other names on their policy and are regularly swapping names during the life of the policy, causing great expense for the insurance companies. this came into effect from February this year and applies to all companies writing insurance policies and no-one is exempt. Policies issued before February 2017 with more than two names on it are still valid until the policy expires!!!!!!
Government Information Blog
By going into cyprusscene.com, web site, you will find really good information from the TRNC Government’s Public Information Office website click here. It will need regular updating by them to ensure accuracy is maintained, unlike some other web sites. it’s well worth a visit.
Bayram Holidays
There are no Bayram Holidays this month.
Thank you Trevor