More women, disabled and BAME entering high skilled training places

The number of people starting a modern apprenticeship has increased by over 500 since the same period last year, latest stats show - as Scotland marks Apprenticeship Week.

When compared with the end of Quarter 3 last year, there are now 529 more people enrolled in Modern Apprenticeships - a total of 18,774. And the latest statistics also show that there are over 500 more disabled people, 500 more people from BAME backgrounds, and more women undertaking Modern Apprenticeships compared to last year.

The Scottish Government has increased the number of new apprenticeships from 10,500 in 2008 to 28,000 in 2018-19 - and is on track to achieve 30,000 new apprenticeship starts by 2020.

Commenting, SNP MSP Gillian Martin said:

"The Scottish Government's action to increase the number of Modern Apprentices since 2007 has been transformational - and these figures prove the action is having a positive impact on women and minority groups.

"Not only are we seeing more people starting modern apprenticeships than last year, but we're also seeing more women starting, more disabled people starting and more people from BAME backgrounds starting.

"And the Scottish Government remains on course to achieve its target of 30,000 new apprenticeship starts by 2020.

"The fact we have over 500 more Modern Apprenticeship starts than the same time last year is great news to kick off this year's Apprenticeship Week."

Cold weather payments have kicked in across large parts of the UK.

Low temperatures mean if you live in one of the postcodes below you could be in line for a payment of £25.

Cold weather payments are a right if you are claiming certain benefits.

You are entitled to the cash if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days.

To qualify you must be in receipt of pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance or universal credit.

The scheme runs between November 1 and March 31 and those qualifying get a payment of £25 for each seven-day period of ‘very cold weather’, with the cash paid out automatically.

Anyone who believes they should have received a payment but hasn’t is advised to alert their pension centre or Jobcentre Plus.

The universal credit helpline on 0800 328 9344 can also be used.

You’ll get £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

ABC Note: Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments

Check if a payment is due in your area. PLEASE click on the link below:

Further Cold Weather Payments as temperatures drop

The latest spell of cold weather has triggered a further round of Cold Weather Payments for parts of Northern Ireland.

A further £1million will be paid automatically to approximately 43,000 people who qualify for the payment and are living in the postcode areas covered by the Met Office’s Katesbridge and Glenanne weather stations.

The postcode areas affected are BT24-26, BT30-35 and BT60-71.  Only those qualifying customers living in these postcode areas will receive the £25 payment.  The Department for Communities will make the payments automatically and there is no need to make a claim.  Customers can expect to receive their payment on Wednesday 7 March 2018.

The Cold Weather Payment is available when the average temperature is recorded, or is forecast to be zero degrees centigrade or below, for a period of seven consecutive days.

Notes to editors:

1.  To qualify for a Cold Weather payment a person must be receiving:

State Pension Credit; income related Employment and Support Allowance and are in the Work Related Activity or Support Group; Universal Credit that includes an amount in respect of a disabled child or qualifying young person for at least one day in a period of cold weather; or

 Income Support, income based Jobseekers Allowance or income related Employment and Support Allowance for at least one day in a period of cold weather; and

• * have a dependent child aged under five;
• * have a relevant pensioner or disability premium;
• * be entitled to Child Tax Credit for a child or qualifying young person who is disabled or severely disabled; or

Universal Credit for at least one day in a period of cold weather, and:

• * where a cold weather payment is payable in relation to a recorded period of cold weather they must not be employed or self-employed on any day during that period and:
• * have a child aged under five;
• * be in receipt of or have an underlying entitlement to Limited Capability for Work or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity;
• * where a cold weather payment is payable in relation to a forecasted period of cold weather they must not be employed or self-employed on the day that the Meteorological Office supplies the Department with the forecast and:
• * have a child aged under five;
• * be in receipt of or have an underlying entitlement to Limited Capability for Work or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity.

2.  The Cold Weather Payment trigger was reached at Katesbridge weather station based on a forecast of the temperature over the seven day period from 26 February 2018 to 4 March 2018.  The trigger was reached at Glenanne weather station based on a forecast of the temperature over the seven day period from 27 February 2018 to 5 March 2018.

3.  The payments are made automatically and people do not have to make a claim.  Cold Weather Payments are in addition to the Winter Fuel Payments of £200 and over, made to people born on or before 5 August 1953.

4.  So far this winter, the Department for Communities will have paid out £1.4 million in Cold Weather Payments.

ABC Note: What is the legal temperature requirement?

There is no law outlining the maximum, or minimum temperatures that an office environment should be. However, the Health and Safety Executive states that employers are legally obliged to provide a “reasonable” temperature in the workplace, under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.

According to its Approved Code of Practice, a workplace should be at least 16°C, or at least 13°C if a person's work involves physical effort.

The official government website, Gov.uk says: "During working hours the temperature in all indoor work places must be reasonable. There’s no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures, eg when it’s too cold or too hot to work.

"However, guidance suggests a minimum of 16ºC or 13ºC if employees are doing physical work. There’s no guidance for a maximum temperature limit.

Brexit will enter into force on 29 March 2019. Without an agreement on the terms of future relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom, the UK will revert to accessing the EU single market under WTO rules and reestablishing customs controls.

This scenario is known as a “fall from the cliff-edge”, as tariff and non-tariff barriers will penalise companies significantly. This scenario of economic chaos cannot be ruled out as the UK government is stalling in making clear its priorities between recovering its sovereignty and losing its access to the single market

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has calculated that if the proportion of GDP made up by wages were the same now as in the early 1990s, working people in the EU would have earned an extra €1,764 in 2017, rising to an extra €4,107 in the Czech Republic and €3,354 in Italy.

The proportion of GDP made up by wages has been in decline since the mid-1970s, when wages hit a high of 72 percent of EU GDP. They now make up less than 63 percent.

Due to extremely adverse weather conditions, the Care Quality Commission contact centre will be operating at limited capacity today (28 February) and tomorrow (29 February). The phone lines are closed, however they  are responding to emails - please contact them at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For urgent queries only they will be offering a call back service, therefore please provide your phone number and they will call you back as soon as possible.

If you have urgent concerns that someone is at risk of harm or abuse, please contact your local authority or the police in the first instance.

Over the past decades, the gender wage gap has come down, but on average, women's wages are still around 20% lower than men's. There are lots of reasons for the scale and persistence of this gap, but new IFS research shows that one important factor is that mothers spend less time in paid work, and more time working part-time, than fathers. As a result, they miss out on earnings growth associated with more experience. This video might explain the issues. 

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is aware that the expected severe weather conditions this week may make it difficult for customers whose payment is due on Friday.

Social Welfare payments made on Friday include:
·         State Pension Contributory & Non Contributory
·         Widows Pension Contributory & Non Contributory
·         Guardians Payment
·         Invalidity Pension
·         Disablement Benefit
·         Blind Pension

The Department has made arrangements with An Post and the Banks to provide Friday payments earlier than usual for customers who may need to collect their payment earlier in areas impacted by the severe weather.

Social Welfare payments due on Friday 2nd will be available from Thursday 1st March.

Customers should note that all Friday payments will be also available to collect as normal on Friday 2nd or Saturday 3rd March, or indeed the following week.
We would ask that only customers with an immediate financial need avail of this early payment option in order to ensure that Post Office can effectively manage the usual customer payments that need to be paid on Thursday.

There may be circumstances where Post Offices have to close due to the worsening weather conditions.  An Post will provide updates and information on Post Offices and all opening arrangements on their website www.anpost.ie .

Customers should exercise due caution when travelling in severe weather conditions and ensure they stay informed of the latest weather and travel information from the Office of Emergency Planning and Met Eireann. 

The Northern Ireland Benefits Statistics Summary, providing an overview of the main DfC administered benefits as at November 2017, was published by the Department for Communities today.

Unless stated otherwise, the figures are at November 2017.  Key findings include:

• The number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants was 27,370. This represents a decrease of 4,470 on a year earlier.
• The number of Employment and Support Allowance claimants was 129,040 and the number of Employment and Support Allowance recipients was 120,520. This represents an increase in claimants of 4,450 on a year earlier.   
• The number of Incapacity Benefit claimants was 1,910 and there were 10 recipients of Incapacity Benefit.
• The number of Severe Disablement Allowance claimants was 1,290 and the number of Severe Disablement Allowance recipients was 1,260.
• There were 35,220 claimants of Income Support. This represents a fall of 3,360 since November 2016.
• There were 239,960 people of working age claiming a key benefit. This has fallen by 11,340 from a year earlier. This fall is largely due to the reduction of working age Jobseekers and the managed reassessment of the existing Disability Living Allowance caseload to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The phased introduction of Universal Credit (UC) will also have had a small effect. Data for PIP and UC is not yet included in this analysis.
• The number of State Pension claimants was 305,030, a decrease of 3,220 on a year earlier.
• There were 74,610 claimants and 90,470 beneficiaries of Pension Credit. Claimants have fallen by 3,970 since November 2016, mainly as a result of an increase in the age of entitlement and increases in State Pension amounts.
• There were 309,090 people over state pension age claiming a key benefit.
• The number of Disability Living Allowance claimants was 180,030. This has fallen by 34,200 in the last year, mainly due to the introduction of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people of working age.
• The number of Attendance Allowance claimants was 54,890 representing a fall of 820 on a year earlier.
• The number of Carer’s Allowance claimants was 73,280. This represents an increase of 650 since November 2016.