A debt-ridden young man took his own life shortly after bailiffs clamped the motorcycle that was essential to his work as a courier, an inquest has heard, in a case that has prompted calls for reform of the debt-collection industry.

Jerome Rogers, 20, was being pursued over two £65 parking fines that had escalated to a debt of £1,019 including non-payment penalties and fees for the use of bailiffs.

The ABC has been complaining about aggressive firms of bailiffs using tactics that are unfair and often unlawful. The fact that these organisations are representing the government and local government makes the situation far worse. 

The assistant coroner for south London, Jacqueline Devonish, recorded a verdict of suicide and expressed concern at some of the debt-collection agency’s practices, though she said the bailiff, Ross Cutler, had been reasonable towards Rogers.

However you may be spending this Monday — at work or at leisure — we hope it’s a good one.

Commenting on the figures, Robert Gardner, Nationwide's Chief Economist, said:

“House prices recorded their second consecutive monthly fall in April, while the annual rate of growth slowed to 2.6%, the weakest since June 2013. “In some respects, the softening in house price growth is surprising because the unemployment rate is near to a 40- year low, confidence is still relatively high and mortgage rates have fallen to new all-time lows in recent months.

“While monthly figures can be volatile, the recent softening in price growth may be a further indication that households are starting to react to the emerging squeeze on real incomes or to affordability pressures in key parts of the country.

Are households feeling the pinch? “Various data suggest that the latest slowdown in house prices may be part of a broader trend. Retail sales growth has slowed markedly in recent months, from a 14-year high of 7.3% in October, to 3.7% in February and 1.7% in March. “Household budgets are coming under pressure, as wage growth has moderated and inflation has accelerated.

The household saving ratio, which measures how much income goes unspent each quarter, fell to an all-time low of 3.3% in Q4 on data extending back to 1963. “There may also be more fundamental reasons for the slowdown. House price growth has been outstripping earnings growth for a sustained period, steadily eroding affordability on a number of metrics. For example, the typical house price is currently 6.1 times average earnings, well above the long run average of 4.3 times earnings, and close to the all-time high of 6.4 times recorded in 2007. “Moreover, even though mortgage interest rates have touched new lows in recent months, the cost of servicing a typical mortgage is only just in line with long run average, and above long run averages in London and parts of the South of England.

It may be too soon to write off the UK consumer just yet…. “However, there are also data that caution against writing off the UK consumer just yet. While retail sales have slowed markedly, spending in other areas, including big ticket items like cars, has remained robust. “Even though house price growth has softened, activity has remained broadly stable, with mortgage approvals for house purchase steady at a respectable 68,000 per month, a little above the average prevailing in recent years.

“While wage growth has stagnated in real terms (i.e. after taking account of inflation), the number of people in work is close to all-time highs. “Indeed, despite the pressure on household income, consumer confidence remains fairly high by historic standards. “While the savings ratio has fallen to historically low levels, household balance sheets are in pretty good shape. Net wealth remains high, due to steady increases in asset prices (including house prices), which reduces the immediate need to save and provides a cushion for households.

The government has admitted that dozens of deaths may be due to suicides linked to PIP’s reassessments, it admitted under questioning from Labour MP Diana Johnson.

Work and Pensions Minister Damian Hinds confirmed the government has carried out internal reviews relating to 60 deaths over the last five years.

The response came after a written parliamentary question from Ms Diana Johnson MP, who argued  there is a clear link between suicide and welfare reassessments something that has been belived by many for some time. 

The Hull North MP said she was “appalled” that the figures had been unpublished until now.

“Ministers have repeatedly claimed there to be no link between suicide and welfare reassessment whenever figures have come to light,” she said.

“If there was no link, there wouldn’t have been 60 reviews of suicides in the past five years.

“Families who’ve been left in the dark need to know everything the DWP knows about these cases.” said Ms Johnson. 

Last year the Disability News Service successfully appealed to a tribunal that internal reviews be made public. There has been widespread concern about the way these reviews are being carried out with many people claiming they are just designed to stop money to claimants, particularly those with disability issues and mental health problems.

Another example of this treatment by the DWP is that of painter Mark Hayes who died after being repeatedly refused benefits and told he was fit to work. The Department for Work and Pensions only accepted Mark Hayes should have been entitled to support after his death. "Mark had lost the use of his hands. He couldn’t even hold his own baby daughter.” said his girlfriend Louise Aldous.

Mr Hayes, 48, died of a brain haemorrhage in 2013. His illnesses included liver failure and immobility through three metal plates in his legs and hips. Despite needing full-time care from Lucinda, painter Mark repeatedly failed disability benefit tests.

Image: David Hayes.

The Liberal Democrats have committed to ending the scandal of rough sleeping in Britain, as the Homelessness Reduction Bill enters into force today.

Following a campaign visit to the Hundred Houses Society, a charitable housing association in Cambridge, Tim Farron announced a series of measures the party would put in place to help end rough sleeping.

These include introducing a Housing First provider in each local authority, to put long-term homeless people straight into independent homes rather than emergency shelters. Other policies include increasing funding for local councils for homelessness prevention, reinstating housing benefit for under-21s and reversing planned cuts to Local Housing Allowance rates.

The number of people sleeping rough rose to 4,134 in 2016, up 16% on the previous year. The Government has estimated that homelessness costs the state up to £1 billion a year.

The news comes as a coalition of charities, including Centrepoint, Crisis, Homeless Link, Shelter and St Mungo’s, have called on political parties to commit to end rough sleeping in Britain.

Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron said:

“It is a national scandal that so many people are sleeping on the streets in 21st century Britain. 

“By increasing support for homelessness prevention and properly funding emergency accommodation, we can end rough sleeping across the country.

“We will also ensure each local authority has at least one provider of Housing First services, to allow long-term homeless people to live independently in their own homes.

“The evidence suggests that supporting people and giving them long-term, stable places to stay is far more successful in tackling homelessness than constantly moving them to different temporary accommodation.

“Under this government, homelessness has soared and the stripping of young people of housing benefit threatens to make matters even worse.

“This election is a chance to change the direction of this country and stand up for a Britain that is open, tolerant and united."

The total number of rough sleepers in Autumn 2016 was 4,134, up 16% from Autumn 2015.

The Housing First model, developed in the United States, has demonstrated high degrees of success in supporting those who are chronically street homeless according to research by homelessness charity Shelter.).

The total annual cost of homelessness to the state is estimated at £1 billion.

Figures out today have shown there was a sharp rise in serious and violent crime in 2016, including a 14% increase in knife crime. Police forces have seen their budgets cut by £2.2 billion in real terms in recent years, according to the National Audit Office, and Theresa May has told police they will have to make more spending cuts in the years ahead.

UK consumer confidence slipped further as concern over the general economic situation increased, a key survey reveals today.

However, pollster GFK highlights its view that the fall in its key consumer confidence index from -6 in March to -7 in April signalled a surprising degree of stability in this composite measure given “rampant inflation” and “stagnating wages”.

The survey shows the sub-index relating to confidence about the general economic situation over the next 12 months fell from -20 in March to -21 in April. This is seven points weaker than in April 2016, ahead of the Brexit vote. And the index measuring people’s confidence about their personal financial situation over the next 12 months slipped from +2 in March to +1 in April.

Rising inflation is taking its toll on British households, knocking consumer confidence to its lowest level since the aftermath of last summer’s Brexit vote. consumer Confidence measure is well below the levels seen before June’s vote to leave the EU. The poll also underscored the squeeze on living standards as inflation starts to rise faster than pay. It found Britons were at their gloomiest in more than three years about their own financial outlook.

A recruitment event, organised by North Lanarkshire Council's Supported Employment Service, has resulted in Motherwell-based company, Walker Profiles, recruiting two new members of staff after successful job matches and interviews.

Supported Employment helps people with learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, mental health issues and young care leavers find employment. It matches employees with posts and enlists an experienced job coach who provides ongoing support to both employee and employer.

Jim Gibson, Director at Walker Profiles, attended the event and was so impressed with what he heard about the service that he was keen for Walker Profiles to become involved. Jim said: "It made total business sense to recruit via a service that matches people to the right jobs and provides ongoing support. Both new employees, John and Jimmy, have embraced the opportunity to return to the world of work with great enthusiasm, and based on our experience I would certainly encourage other employers to consider becoming involved with supported employment."

Jim initially engaged with the Supported Employment team and following recruitment interviews and work trials he employed John Callear from Wishaw and Jimmy Annell from Motherwell. John added: "I am so pleased to have found a job which matches my skills and I'm keen to continue learning new tasks."

Our service supports over 170 people in jobs, with over 75% of people remaining in their jobs for two years or more.

Yvonne Weir, Enterprise Manager, added: "This is what we were hoping would happen following our event last year. It's great that Walker Profiles have responded so positively. We are now planning to hold future events for council contractors to help fill their vacancies with the right people for the job in a cost-effective manner.

"We would encourage other businesses to get in touch and find out more about our Supported Employment service and how we can help."

Tory proposals need to go 'back to the drawing board' say the SNP. 
 
SNP MP and member of the Scottish Affairs Committee Margaret Ferrier has said the closure of Job Centre Plus offices around Scotland is 'completely incoherent' - and  'need
to go back to the drawing board' urgently.
 
The comments come as the cross party Westminster Committee publishes its report into the Tory plans to axe a long  list of office locations  - including a total of eight in the Glasgow area - causing needless uncertainty for staff and for service users.
 
SNP MPs have raised the issues at Westminster on many occasions and it has become abundantly clear that the Tories have completely failed to make any kind of plans and demonstrate a complete lack of any kind of strategic thinking.

These are tough times and we are very pleased to welcome industry leaders, top insolvency specialists; Wilson Field, who have chosen to join the ABC directory. 

In the news, today is the fact the founder and former trustees of Kids Company face being banned from serving as company directors after the charity collapsed in 2015. amid allegations of serious financial mismanagement. The move is also thought to include Kids Company's flamboyant but controversial founder who ran the charity on a £90,000 annual salary and who vigorously defended its management - even though the business failed spectacularly. This was to the embarrassment of the then prime minister David Cameron.

Mr Cameron had given the venture much publicity being photographed with the flamboyant, Ms. Batmanghelidjh who dazzled the great and the good, for a time at least.   

All that glitters are not gold. Never invest in businesses with fountains outside the Head Office front door, was a piece of advice we were once given - unless of course it is the tourist office at the Yellowstone National Park. Their fountains do not use any electricity.

Image: Camila Batmanghelidjh

With specialist help, personal bankruptcy and business failure can be avoided and it is better to seek help early rather than face bad news alone. 

The ABC are also helping promote the international ISMA conference taking place in Central London on Friday 16^th June which we have been invited to attend. If you are a professional dealing with stressed individuals, a charity in education or business, this is the conference to be at.

ISMA the Institute of Stress Management Practitioners is the leading professional membership organisation for stress practitioners. The annual conference brings together a unique mix of top talents across the wide world of stress management, giving keynote speeches and taking part in debates and masterclasses.

You can book by simply clicking on the logo below: