Latest Articles By Simon Collyer

MARRIAGE - According to figures published by the ONS, getting married is in decline. With the average wedding costing 35K you can understand it. Marriage was generally something for high-status males in the past and of course the security of being ma...

UNIVERSAL CREDIT -The number of people claiming Universal Credit as a result of the coronavirus crisis has hit 1.4 million,  Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said.The figure is an increase of 200,000 on the total Ms Coffey gave last we...

HOUSING BENEFIT - Tenants in the UK will receive an increase in Housing Benefit payments from April 1st. The maximum amount of Housing Benefit payable is: 100% of your eligible rent (after any ineligible service charges) If you are not work...

DWP - The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says that a bigger team will instead ring claimants themselves if they need to check any of the information provided. Claiments have spent days and hours trying to get through on the the telephone...

UNEMPLOYMENT – has increased in the US. Americans seeking unemployment benefits has surged for a third week as the coronavirus pandemic intensifies. More than 6.6 million people filed jobless claims in the week ending 4 April, the Department of Labor...

BENEFITS CHANGES - Please note these changes to social security benefits. Working Tax Credit rates The maximum annual Working Tax Credit rates are shown below. Use the tax credits calculator to work out how much you could get. Rat...

DWP SELECT COMMITTEE - The Work and Pensions Committee wants to hear about how coronavirus is affecting people who rely on the benefits system as part of its new inquiry into the DWP’s response to the virus outbreak.  Letter from Permanent...

DISABILITY PAYMENTS - increase this month. Here are the new rates. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) rises Daily living component Enhanced - increased from £87.65 to £89.15 (per week) Standard - increased from £58.70 to £59.70 (per week) Mobility c...

SNP - People must not fall into hardship because of gaps in support say SNP.  The SNP’s Shadow Chancellor and Work and Pensions Secretaries have renewed calls for the Chancellor to bring forward stronger UK welfare protections to ensure peo...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus outbreak will start getting enhanced jobless benefits as soon as this week as states deploy hundreds of billions of dollars in federal aid, state officials said on Tuesd...