News

BBC ESSEX - ABC Founder Simon Collyer is appearing on the BBC Essex radio breakfast show with presenter Sonia Watson on the 21/07/2020 talking about COVID-19 masks and the cost/benefits to those managing on benefits. We do hope you can join us on BBC...

UNIVERSAL CREDIT CALL WAITING TIMES - According to DWP Minister Will Quince:  Individuals making a Universal Credit declaration from 16 March to 23 June stood at 3.2 million (3,240,570) The Average Speed of Answer for calls to Universa...

ECONOMICS - The purchasing power of money is falling due to what is called 'Shrinkflation'. Products shrink in size and your money buys less content. Cadburys are shrinking their chocolate bars yet charging the same price.  The Rule of 72 is a s...

AUSTRALIA - The unemployment rate in Australia as at its highest level in 22 years. Almost 1 million Australians (or 7.4% of the workforce) did not have a job in June. Many more are under-employed – working fewer hours than before. The Covid-19 lockd...

GOVERNMENT STATISTICS - The Resolution Foundation a noted think tank has been questioning the government's unemployment statistics. At the ABC we have long had doubts about the quality of statistics produced by the Office of National Statistics and w...

NO DSS - Landlords can no longer discriminate against tenants with “no DSS” adverts and requests.  A watershed ruling has determined landlords can no longer discriminate against people claiming housing benefit. Following a  landmark co...

DWP RENT PAYMENTS - Universal Credit systems will be changed so that social landlords receive direct rent payments on the same day that tenants are paid the rest of their benefits from next month, the government has announced. Tenants struggling...

KICKSTART - Delivering his Summer Economic Update in Parliament, the Chancellor announced a package of measures to support jobs in every part of the country, give businesses the confidence to retain and hire, and provide people with the tools they ne...

SUPREME COURT - Judgment has been given this morning by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom via video link in the following cases:  R v Hilton (Respondent) (Northern Ireland) – UKSC 2018/0075 On appeal from the Court of Appeal Crim...

DWP UPDATE - From 1/8/2020, the government has announced its intention to remove Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for those who have been told to shield because they are 'clinically extremely vulnerable'. Advice to shield will be paused from 1/8/2020. Over 2...