News

WELFARE FREEZE ENDS - The freeze on Local Housing Allowance rates that has been in place since 2016 has today (13 January 2020) been lifted by the Minister for Welfare Delivery, meaning that rates will rise by inflation from April. There are around 1...

DWP ERRORS - New analysis reported on by the SNP shows that the proportion of claimants who have been underpaid due to official errors has risen by 86% to almost 1,000 since 2011/2012.   The total number of claimants underpaid by the DWP ha...

CANADA - The Canadian economy added 35.2 thousand jobs in December of 2019 after shedding 71.2 thousand in the previous month, which was the biggest decline since January of 2009. It compares with market expectations of a 25 thousand gain. Emplo...

MALAYSIA - The unemployment rate in Malaysia ticked down to 3.2 percent in November 2019 from 2.3 percent in the same month the previous year. The number of unemployed fell 0.4 percent from a year earlier to 513.9 thousand, while employment rose 2.5...

DWP - The new government scheme will provide rough sleepers with help finding jobs  A new government scheme will see Jobcentre staff working on the streets to advise homeless people on accessing benefits, accommodation and gaining employmen...

FEEDBACK - We would just like to thank all those who have left 'Comments' recently. Some lovely remarks and a special thank you to Vicky who visits our website everyday while having her morning cup of coffee she says.  We must say a special hell...

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY - The Department for the Economy and Northern Regional College are offering 20 Assured Skills Academy training places for people to train as logistics and transport coordinators. Participants in the Assured Skills Academy wi...

US ECONOMY - The U.S. added 145,000 jobs in December,a fine finish to a year of steady gains. The labor market has not yet run out of breath. The Labor Department report suggests that the economy ended 2019 on solid footing. The unemployment rat...

HOMELESSNESS - Welcoming the publication of responses to a consultation on improving temporary accommodation standards, Scottish Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “While temporary accommodation can offer an important emergency safety net...

FOOD BANKS - The SNP has called on the Tory government to “wake up” to the crisis of growing foodbank use – as it was revealed that almost 600,000 food parcels were handed out in Scotland over 18 months.   Charities have slammed Westminster...