News

MASS UNEMPLOYMENT- According to research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Centre for Cities thinktank, large levels of “hidden” unemployment in towns and cities across Britain are excluded from the o...

DREAM JOB - Researchers polled the nation and discovered a staggering 57 percent of Brits have completely given up on doing a job that they love. And it is by the tender age of thirty that most throw in the towel on a dream career, according to the f...

FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN - We fall out with Premium Credit. We insured the ABC battlewagon with Policy Expert a car insurance broker whose principles policies that they sell every month are underwritten by finance firm, Premium Credit Limited, Ermyn House...

SOUTH ESSEX - More than 70 landlords met at an inaugural South Essex Forum on 13 November to learn about how to become even better landlords. The event was run jointly between the South Essex Housing Group and the National Landlords Association with...

HOMELESSNESS - A Happy Christmas may not be coming to Southend rough sleepers this year. Southend Council are putting in place a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which promises to bring £100 fines on people rough sleeping and begging. The counc...

CHRISTMAS PAY - This information came from a DWP partnership manager. We thank Social Welfare Training for pointing out a well known floor with Universal Credit and the solution found by Citizens Advice.  It is regarding a problem where a client...

BREXIT- As the two main party leaders try to agree a joint deal on Brexit, this Policy in Practise blog uses official forecasts to look at what impact Brexit is likely to have on low-income households. A second extension to Article 50 secured by...

BENEFIT CHANGES - The Institute of Fiscal Studies have a lot to say about Social Security and the changes coming next year. In their words: While the benefit system has undergone substantial reform over the past 10 years, there remain significant cha...

ECONOMIC FAILURE - North East workers are £6,400 worse off than if real wages had stayed at 2008 levels, TUC analysis shows Household debt has increased by a third since 2010 to new record of £14,200 TUC calls on parties to get wages rising, defend w...

CONFERANCE:  The ABC attended the International Stress Management Association conference which comes on the last day of International Stress Awareness Week.  Carole Spiers shown in the image, is the Chair of ISMA and is founder of Internati...